Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-12-27

Washington, Dec. 70. -Secretary
Gage has written the following letter
to President Gompers OF the 1eoera-
ton OF LABOR: Il read with care the
resolutions adopted at The Nashville
labor convention which recite as fol-
lows: That we declare ourselves
nost positively opposed TO the Gage
financial bill recently introduced in
congress. If adopted it viii only
riyet the gold standard on the people
of the country and perpetuate It's
disastrous effects i'll every form; that
we pronounce the Gage bill an I'M
disguised effort to retire greenback
currency and all government paper
money, with a view to the substltu-
ton of national bank notes in their
stead, and thus fasten the national
bank system for years upon the
American people.
''Now, if it be true that the gold
standard, by which things have been
measured as to the price for the last
sixty years in this country, is inim-
lcaI to the interest of the laboring
classes of the United States, then |
think it inimical to all classes. In
other words, [ do not believe the ex-
plOitati0n of one class by another,
either through false weights, partial
laws or bad monetary system, can be
made to work for the permanent ben
eft of the exploiting class itself Or
for the general veal, even were it de-
1ensible on any ground of right or
justice, which it is not. Granted,
therefore, that the permanence of
the gold standard (for which | argue)
operates in this evil direction, then
your resolutions Of condemnation are
we'll founded, and l am justly charged
either with ignorance, which consti-
tutes me foolish advisor, or with
perversity of motive, which makes
me an evil advisor.
II have the right to disavow the
charge OF perVerslty or evil purpose,
since there is nothing in my
whole life as related to my
fellow men, either in word
or deed, from which posses
sion by me of such characteristics
can be inferred much less demonstrate
ed. But ignorance often uncOn-
sciCusly works as deep INJURY as evil
intent might do and to this sin Of lg-
norance iii it be SIM l must confess
myself possible victim. This con-
fession, however, ought not TO classify
me as separate from my fellow men
generally, whether they be considered
as individual UNITS or as cOngregated
in groups. Ignorance is a relative,
not an absolute term, since few are
totally ignorant, and none is absolute
ly wise. Nor does the number con-
stituting the group change this fact,
since the wisdom OF the group, how
ever large, cannot be greater than that
Of the wIsest man in II. This remains
rue whether The subject matter in
olives knowledge an0 judgment as to
-stronOmy, physics or finance. The
condemnation then involved in the
esOlutions referred to is measured by
Ust Or imperfect apprehension OF
uestiOnS relating to monetary science
held by the WisesG men who supported
them. Laying these general consider
ations aside, let me say to you, and
through you to the great body that
you SO nOnorably represent, That ii
instead OF denunciatory resolutions,
which are not argument, you or any
one Ia your behalf will show that the
views that [ entertain and advocate
are other than salutary to the great
economic body Oh which we are all in
dependent members, L will abandon
them without hesitation. My present
c0nvIctlon-honesC fruit 3t sincere
study and refecriOn-is that a break
down in our present money standard
would be the most disastrous blow to
all commercial and industrial interests,
and that upon the wage-Workers, as a
class, would be entailed the most seri-
GUS effcts Of the disaster. Believing
this, | must SO bear witness.