The Advocate and news., 1897-12-29
Secretary CAGES Reply to Labor.

Secretary OF the Treasury Gage has
recognized the Importance OF the opin-
ION expressed by the American Feder-
alton Of Labor regarding his financial
plan in an open letter addressed to
n President GOmpers. Mr.. Gage says
/ have read with care the resolutions
adopted the goth instant at Nashville
s Nv the convention of the Federation OF
labor, which recite as follows:
Resolved, That we declare ourselves
tsbst positively opposed to the Gage
financial bill recently introduced in Con-
dress by the Secretary of the Treasury.
II is measure that, II adopted as, a
4 law, will only the more firmly rivet the
gold standard on the people of the coun-
try aud perpetuate It's disastrous effects
Ia every form.
Resolved, That we pronounce the Gage
\ Bill an undlsguised effort to retire our
ePeenback currency and all government
paDer money, with a view to the sub
gMtution of national bank notes In their
stead, and thus fasten the national bank
system for years upon the American
people.
Now, II 1t be true that the gold stand
ard, by which things have been mea-
Sured as to rice for the last sixty years
In this country, is inimical to the inter-
ests Of the laboring classes of the United
States, then think It is inimical TO all
classes. In other words, l do not be-
lieve that the exploitation of one class
by another, either through false weights,
partial laws or a bad monetary system,
can be made to work for the permanent
benefit of the exploiting class itself, or
ior the general veal, even were 1t de-
fensible ON any ground Of right or JUS
tice, which 1t is not. Granted, therefore,
that the permanence of the gold stand
ard (for which argue) operates In this
xgil direction, then your resolutions OF
condemnation are well founded, and
am Justly charged, either with an dg-
norance which constitutes me foolish
adviser or with perversity OF motive
which makes me an evil adviser
have q right to disavow the charge
0f perversity or evil purpose, since there
IS nothing in my whole life as related to
nv fellow men, either in word or deed,
fEom which the possession by me OF such
characteristics can be inferred, much
less demonstrated.
N But Ignorance often uncOnsciously
works as deep injury as evil intent
insight do, and to this sin of ignorance
sfif 1t be a SIM must confess myself to
be q possible victim. This confession,
however, ought not to classify me as
separate from my fellow men generally,
whether they be considered as indi-
pldual units or as congregated In groups
ignorance ia a relative, not an absolute
term, since few are totally ignorant and
none is absolutely wise. Nor does the
Number constituting the group change
this fact, since the wisdom of q group
however large, cannot be greater than
that Of the wisest man In 1t.
This remains true whether the sub
ject-matter involving knowledge and
Judgment be astronomy, physics Oh
Rnance. The condemnation, then, In
volved in the resolutions referred to IL
measured by the just or imperfect ap-
prehension Of questions relating to
monetary science held by the wisest mer
who supported them.
s Laying these general considerations
aside, let me say to you and through you
TO the great body you so honorably rep
resent, that II, instead OF denunclatory
resolutions, which are not argument
you or any one on your behalf will show
that the views entertain and advocate
are other than salutary to the great eco
AomiC body Of which we are all inde-
pendent members, will abandon them
without hesitation.
My present conviction, the honest
fruit OF sincere study and reflection, II
chat breakdown In our present money
standard would be a most disastrous
blow to all. our commercial and indus
Arial interests, and that upon the wage
workers, as a class, would be entailet
the most serious effects Of the disaster
believing this, must so bear witness.