New-York tribune., 1896-07-23
uANTS TO MEET BRYAN.
.,,rs II. MATCHETT. THE SOCIALIST
..xnrpArE. ISSUES A CHALLENGE.
~s n, SHOW HIM THAT THE SOCIAL
PLATFORM AND NOT THE CHICAGO
PRODUCTION Is THE CREED FOR

"A
,,onrcrroN Is THE CREED FOR
THE woRKINGMAN.
,.en.,on Of the Democl ats. based on
i .sa,caI platform OF being the poor man
VIC" hoe aroused the Socialist LABOR W.
P,-..,on in Brooklyn to increased acuNiS'
,,a Socialists profess extreme indinerence
VIZ r,onetary question. 1t seems that they
a' a-,ven TO take cognizance OF 1t by Ia
Se ,.r who attend their meetings ana IN
,res-silver questions In sef-oerence'
F.,ors and in order 10 prevent any possible
"' 80, their ranks the Socialists are Jeerins
pS ,,ax pronounce the fallacies OF the sup
..-. of William J. Bryan.
80, Tribune reporter called on Charles
,,.,o,ett the Socialist Labor candidate for
..sor, d ~ the United states. yesterday. TO
,,avs on the financial question. Mr.
s,.,cbett first expressed his scorn al 20 tr'nins
SA's &C free silver by saying: I'VE don't
,ro nins about the silver question. 1t Is
"a moment TO the propertyless working CLASS
"...r cold silver or pigs ears Is the money.
:, ,.nsn say the workingman l speak or
INV .,ch for IL he happens to have $500 in
49, s.v,nss bank his interest in that money
'"' ,,-.,,o, from his interest as a workingman.
the interview, HoWcNci' AA''
.noush interest in the gold and silver dis
.,,,s ~ express a wish to challenge Bryan
...,ush The Tribune to public debate
"r would be pleased" said Mr.. Matchett' 70
.,oo. Mr. BRYAN and debate with him MS rieht
- tho vote Of worlingmen against that or the
Socialist Labor party. Bryan In his argument
9th Roseweter. of The Omaha Bee brings
~, the fact strongly that the silver ana go'o
or.s,,on Is an issue which concerns the rich
con,,alistc class and the poor capitaiistc GLASS;
the middle class and the plutocracy, one sec
tim OF the country and another section OF the
country. Mr. Bryan acknowledged tha' free
silver was to the interest OF the west ana
South against the East. Seven times he trieo 70
80, poeawater 70 answer whether or not goiu
s.s % tho interest of the goldbugs and he
ru,ocracy and each time Mr.. Rosewa'er
.,.oaod tho question. II could be answered IN
o,A WAY only. Certainly. in the interest OF the
rich and roneyed class.
EFFECT OF DEPRECATED CURRhNOi'
This seemed to indicate that MI Matchet'
Rad a leaning toward silver. but continuing He
sa,d. 1T Is we'll known by all political ecoho-
n,s,s that II the value of a circulating medium
"a denreciated it appears in an advance CT
,r,ces and in that advance labor goes UP last
rga IN q dacline from a wave Of seeming pros
ra-,,v induced by these advancing prices. which
T.. euro ~ come wages would go down nrst
rr,us although workingmen would be better
.,,,ovad during the food tide. they wouiu SUI
g. a,s,ress when the ebb came. so that they
ia cain no advantage from Mr.. Bryan
<-oo suver They would get sailed in either
case -.
,rx. e M choice between gold and silver 10
49,. hornp man when he can get nelther' III
90. silver is going 10 raise Cain In the country
en- host thing is 10 let the silverte have his way
We have not the least preference between silver
nd gold but would give the people taste OF all
,hese buubugs that are put forward as the poll
cies Of the old parties. and then Will learn that
the old parties have no relief TO offer
Mr. Matchett intimated that Mr.. Bryan IN his
silver argument going TO place hlmself on
the horns Of a dilemma: that he was gong 70
nresent an absurdty IN contending that the vast
Increase in the quantity Of silver money would
not depreciate the value OF the currency. II
the value OF the currency was not decreased said
Nc Match4tt what hope was being offered TO the
farmer Of any greater ease In paying on MS
debts? If the farmer did find II easier with free
silver 10 pay his debts II must be because the
currency was inflated. and therefore less valua-
be. Mr Matchett did not want 10 be quoted on
this drive at Mr. Bryan. because he feared that
he might be placed in the attitude Of considering
the currency question of some moment.
Where does the laboring man without any
Increase Of wages come In who has 10 pay more
for his wheat" said Mr.. Matchett. "and OF what
use will free silver be TO the farmer unless ne
gets an increase in prices? Arguing the matter
from our present system. ] would say that the
best currency for the laboring man Is that cur
rency which fuctuates least. .
There are some things which affect our condi-
ton as workingmen which are momentous as
10 throw any effect whatever II there he any
0. the money issue on the condition OF the WORK
ing classes entirely into insigni'icance, Iness
things speak Of lie In the proht anu
wage feature Of the present system OF IN
dsry. The capitalistic mode OF proouctloh
does not and cannot employ all Peopie.
That Is the reason why the miils anu ia.oI, oS,,cs
cannot be kept going and the goods they produce
marketed our present system cannot employ
ell Of the people, because IL cannot sell an Oh une
goods produced. The laborer Is the chiei Suyei
Of the world How can he purchase oack the re-
suit Of his own toll when the profit Is heapeu Oh
top Of IL? II he cannot buy IT back. me door OF
Inc mill is shut and the ml-owner DeiioWs naiu ~
umes and that he cannot sell MS eoou' ,ih
Iresent system is like the game or faro IN Will
me banker gets a certain rakeon on each pia!
II the game is continued long enough II mus &c
suit in every one being ruined except the paiihe''
LABOR A COMMODITY.
Labor under our present system Is COM
modify to buy and sell. The seller has 70 sell III
hs face Of tremendous oversurply OF MS coih-
modify. II the workingman can find out "na'
are the causes OF his oversupply. then ne KNOWS
Where to shove in the knife 10 cut the Goroian
Knot Of the labor problem. Since we see tha'
ihe cause OF the oversupply of the labor mar
iet lies in the wages and profit features OF our
Idus,ral system. it becomes the duty OF ,ne
heoring man 10 avoid being led astray py any
sueh issues gold. silver. protection. or iree
uade Laboring men should combine as ciass
10y the overthrow and substitution OF the ohiy
Es'em that can possibly take the place or the
Present system to HIS advantage-universal CO.
'peration
am delighted 20 have this discussion ABOUT
ahance, because ii makes a sreat step IN thdt
s'outior that Is going on toward the TWO grea'
sho only parties Of the future. the party OF Ia
cr and the party OF capital 1t is 70 be the