The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-27
appearance indicated both physical

"Ah, my good friend, said Coin
in his most insinuating way, You will
be benefited with the rest by the
good times. When prosperity comes
there will be greater demand for labor
and that Will mean better wages for
you"
Now, Mr.. Coin" said the wide
awake laborer, You have said each
time that the benefit to be derived
from change is dependent on good
times" We have had good times and
bad times before. Just now the times
are not good, and the bad times have
extended over several years We have
listened to orr leaders who have de
clared that the tariff was wholly to
blame Now you ignore the tariff
altogether and are constantly harping
on money. I'D like to know how the
prosperous times according to your
new doctrine are to be brought about &?
Coin answered glibly, quoting from
his book. If the supply of money is
increased, business will increase and
prosperity will appear, Free silver
will increase the volume of money and
thus bel p good times to come, which
will make everybody happy"
80 the amount Of business will de-
pend on the amount of money IN cir
culation, Mr. Coin?"
Yes, said Coin"
very well, then | do not see how
free coinage of silver will help matters
any. If we adopt free coinage the
first effect will be the withdrawal of
all the gold from circulation and that
amounts to S600,000,000 Already the
fear Of free coinage has caused much
Of it disappear and if free coinage
were actually introduced it would
cause an absolute shrinkage of 5000,
100000 IN the volume of currency.
SO according to your argument that
would have the effect OF making bad
times worse. Would it not?"
Coin scratched his head for a few
minutes and failed 10 answer the
question The laborer continued.
Il get one dollar and half day
now for my work. With free coinage
of silver and no advance in its value |
must get at least three dollars day
to come ont even. You have just de
clared that the merchant can double
up his prices. nay will double up.
Now my days wages just buys sack
of flour. If the merchant will charge
three dollars for his flour | must get
at least that amount in wages a day
or else my days work under free
coinage will not buy a sack of flour as
it does now. Further more, | know
from actual experience that if every
thing that is bought and sold rises in
price, labor is the last thing to go up
And when it does it never keeps pace
with prices on necessaries of life
l noticed that during the period of
the civil war, right in our neighboring
city of Two Rivers. | was a laberer
in one Of the factories and while
prices advanced nearly 100 per cent
wages advanced hardly forty per cent
SO | do not see how the cheap dollar
is to benefit me- On the contrary |
believe it will injure my prospects"
well argued old man." resounded
from various parts of the hall
But, my good friend" pleaded
Coin. You forget one thing You
are a taxpayer are you not? All, |
thought so. Don't you know that when
the fifty cent dollar is introduced
taxes will be lower?'
How SOP" asked the laborer. Public
improvements will cost just as much
as before. If another bridge is to be
built across our river in place of the
shaky structure on ninth street it will
take jsut twice as many fifty cent
dollars to pay for it as it did to pay
for the bridge on eight street. How
will taxes be lower?'
III make it just As clear to you as
the nose on Your face" answered
Com becoming angry. Taxes will
be lower because every city officer
who receives fees or a fixed saary,
likewise every county officer, and
every state officer, every minister and
every school teacher must be satisfied
to be paid in the new legal tender
dollars. Thus there will be a saving
of just half the amount they now get
and that all enures to the benefit of
the wage Garner, the real laborer, by
lessening his taxes
BY this time it could be seen that
our labOrer had lost all patience lis
tenlng to the fantastic ideas of Coin.
He controlled himself. however. and
IN clear ringing tones declared, If
that IS the case, # my wages under
free coinage will not buy as much as
under our present system, and if nv
loss Is to be made good by causing
suffering among large class of fellow
laborers like myself, want none of
your cheap money
This declaration called forth tire
mendous applause, Coin was discom-
fitted He had not expected SO much
Intelligence among the "laboring
classes"
When quiet was restored a farmer
arose and put the oft repeated ques
ion to Coin. ''How will the fifty cent
lollar affect me- ~
Com frightened up in a moment |
lou could see that he felt all was not
yet lost. Coin said that the farmer
would receive the greatest benefit be
,ause the price of grain would be
doubled. Why" said he, IF you took
no bushels of wheat to market under
rec coinage of silver you would receive
100 silver dollars in payment instead
# $50 as now.
But the farmer was not to be
aught by such clap trap argument.
Don't you remem Der, he asked.
at you SAID merchants would doub le
p on prices. And in that case is if
OF true that my 500 silver dollars.
orth on'y fifty cents apiece, will buy
o more than The $3.50 which | can
ct for so much wheat to day? If 7 |,
eceiye twice as many dollars for nv
rain but must pay twice as many
Ollars for my necessaries of life, nv
offee, sugar, clothing etc, does free
1inage of silver benefit me any? /
egin now to believe that the change {
i'll turn business upside down and /