The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-06-24
BLIND LABOR LEADERS.
False Guides who Seek to Mislead Work
ingmen.


Messrs. ]. r. Sovereign, Samuel
Gompers, E. V. Debs., P M. Arthur,
John Mcbride and several other officials
of labor organizations have united in
an address to the wo1kingInen of the
United States, in which they declare
their belief in the free coinage of silver
at 16 to 1, and urge the election OF a
congress which will overthrow our pres
ent financial system and establish one
based ON the cheaper metal. This at
tempt to commit organized labor to the
cause of silvcrism is justified, on the
ground that the gold standard causes
distress, widespread suffering and un-
happiness among those who create the
wealth of the country.
There has been a disposition On the
| part of most Americans to regard labor
organizations as beneficial to their men,
bers, not 50 much Oh account of possible
increases in wages to be secured through
their agency, but as educational institu-
tons through which the workers might
get a better understanding Of matters
! affecting their interests. Judging by
their attitude on the silver question, the
educational benefits Of the principal Ia
Dor associations have been very limited.
The address which the so called labor
leaders" have signed is merely a rehash
of the old delusions and fallacies which
the cheap money advocates have been
repeating for years. In itself it is only
worthy of notice because the official po-
sition of the men issuing it may lead
some misguided workingmen into voting
for free coinage candidates.
Among other unfounded assertions in
which the address abounds is the claim
that the country is now suffering from
currency contraction caused by the al
legged demonstration of silver in 1878.
and that this contraction has thrown
hundreds Of thousands of operatives out
of work, and has forced wages down. To
this it need only be replied that where.
as we had less than sSG, eco, 900 Of sill
yer money ard less than $500, 900, 600
of gold III 1878, we now have $G26, 000,-
900 in silver and over 5000, 000 900 in
gold. With men who call that great in
crease contraction" it would be use
less to argue.
AS remedy for low prices and hard
times American workingmen are told
by these leaders" that lG to law
would greatly increase the volume of
money and bring higher wages and pros
perity Neither assertion is true Free
coinage would not give us more money,
nor would it raise wages Mexico has
free silver, and the volume Of money is
less than S. per capita. China, another
silver country, has s2.0S per capita
India. with the silver standard, has
49, 33 per capita. And in all these silver
using countries wages are far lower and
the people far poorer than in the gold
standard United States. If free coinage
will raise wages, why has it not done SO
where it has been in force for many
years?
There is no evidence that any consid-
cradle number Of American workmen
are worrying because their wages are
paid III dollars which have high pur-
chasing power. But if any of them
should be inclined to follow their blind
leaders into the swamp Of financial dis
aster aud bankruptcy they have only to
ask, "What is the condition of the work.
ers in silver standard countries as COM
pared with those Of the United States?"