The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-08
Free Silver and
the Morkingman
From the Post-GSpres3.

From the Post-ESoress.
An interesting pamphlet has lately been
published by Max Schippel, u member OK
the German parliament. Max Schippei
Is u labor leader and u man OF large aOil-
ity; his efforts are given to improve me
condition of the class he represents, put
unlike the millionaire owners or our sii-
yer mines, he wishes to secure for work.
ingmen better wages instead OF poorer
wages; ne has no selfish interest which
leads him to declare that their lot would
be alleViated If they received their pay In
u deprecated currency.
The arguments by which he shows that
the workingman, more than any other
man, is interested in having the standard
in which his wages are paid, the best that
can be found, are not always new. They
have their value because they represent
the opinions of an able man, whose OBJ
ject in life is to elevate the poorer classes;
who represents neither capitalists nor gold
bugs; who Is employed neither by mile
owners nor by bankers, and who consid-
ers only in what manner the man who
earns his living by days labor may get
the best returns from his toll. At the end
Of his work he states In q single sem
tence the result of his studies. THE Ger
man working class and Its political repre-
sentative, the democratic socialist, Will
always be on the side of the gold stand
ard" Socialism in Germany IL very
different thing from what is called social
ism here The party which bears that
name contains many able men, its Efforts
for the Improvement of the laboring class
es are those with which any one may SYM
pathize. Our so-called socialists are for
the most part ignorant demagogues,
whose efforts to revolutionize society
would result in the misery of the work.
ingmen whose cause they claim to repre-
sent.
The Germans are pre-eminently a level
headed people; in business matters they
combine industry with sagacity, and the
prosperity of our German fellow citizens
is fact familiar to all of us. The busi-
ness instincts of the Germaric mind ex
plains the fact that here, as well as in the
fatherland. those of that nationality are
declaring themselves in favor ouf a sound
financial policy. The advice which Herr
Schippel gives to his followers may well
be pondered by workingmen of every ma
tionality. When industry is checked their
wages are reduced; when employers are
alarmed the demand for labor is slack;
when silver is the currency of the country,
in silver they are paid, and We have only
to pass the line that divides this country
from Mexico, to see thre condition of la
DOrCrs where a deprecated currency pre-
walls. Mexico Is a new land and rich
in mineral resources; we might expect
that the condition of a wOrkingman would
be better there than in an old and densely
populated country like Germany. The
reverse is the case. The Mexican peon re-
ceiyes from 60 cents to dollar day in |
silver and gives for his coffee and lis |
sugar, his meat and his clothes, twice !
Whit they cost here. lie is Girty, ignorant, |
ill-fed and ill-clothed We will not con- /
trast his lot with that of the American I
workingman, but We may well consider 1
the difference between the Mexican, who /
is paid in silver, and the German who is |.
paid in gold.
i \ II
In Germany the worl;ingmen exercise |
a constantly increasing power; their rights |
are vigorously r1arded. and in nothing |
do thcv show a more intelligent apprecia- |
ton of their own interests than in insist |
ing that they shall he pa.> In the best |
money that the world affords. They de- |
mand for their labor neither beads Ike !
the Hot;cn;ot nor copper like the Malay. |
Eor silver like the Chinaman, but solid !
gold. The coin that is good enough for |
the Rothschi!ds is none too good for them.