The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-23
GAGE REPLIES TO eoMPERs.
THE PREPARATIONS ATTACK ON HIS
CURRENCY BILL RESENTED.

Secretary Writes That If Mr.. Com
pers or Any Member of the Body
He Represents Can Prove That His
views on the Currency Are Other
Than Salutary to the Great Eco
nomic Body He viii Abandon
Them-Argument and Not DENIM
citation the Need of the Hour.
Washington, Dec. 22.-secretarv Gage
has written the following letter to Presi-
dent Gompers of the American Federation
of Labor:
Il have read with care the resolutions
adopted the 10th inst, at Nashville bv the
American Federation of Labor which re-
cite as follows:
Resolved, That we declare ourselves
most positively opposed to the Gage fnan-
cial bill introduced in congress by the Sec
rotary of the Treasury. 1t is a measure
that, if adopted as a law will only the
more firmly riyet the gold standard on
the people of the country and perpetuate
its disastrous effects in every form.
Resolved, That we pronounce the caga
bill an undisguised effort to retire orr
greenback currency and all government
paper money with a view to the substitu-
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 stand
ard, by which things have been measured
as to price for the last sixty years in this
country, is inimical to the interests of the
laboring classes of the United States. then
1 think it is inimical to all classes Tn
other words, do not believe that the ex-
ploltatlon OF one class by another, either
py raise weights, partial laws or a bad
monetary system, can be made to worl,
permanent benefit to the exploiting class
itself or for the general veal, even were
1t detensible on any ground of right or |
justice, which it is not Granted. there |
fore, that the permanence of the gold |
standard Qor which argue) operates in
this evil direction, then your resolutions
OF condemnation are Well founded. and I
am justly charged, either with an ignor1
ance which constitutes me a foolish adj
WISER or with perversity of motive whid
makes me an evil adviser |
nave right to disaVow the charoIof |
perVersity or evil purpose, since there is
hothlhS IN my whole life as relata to |
my fellow men. either in word or deed.
from which the possession by me of such
characteristics can be inferred. much less
demonstrated
But Ignorance often unconsciJusly
works as deep injustice as knovledge /
might do' and to this sin of ignoraAce Gf
IL be a SIM, 1 must confess mysef to be
a possible victim. This confession how
ever ought not to classify me asseparate
from rom my fellow men generally, whether /
aney ne considered as individual units or |
IN tod IL,
reIdtlVe' not an absolute term, since few s
are totally ignorant, an6 none is absolute
~ wise. Nor does the number constitute
ing the group change ttIs fact, since the
WISDOM OF group, however large, cannot y
in it. VIC "'SeS' man
This remains true whether the subject
matter involving knowledge and Judgment :
De astronomy, physics Or finance. The con-
then involved in the resolutions
referred to is measured by the just or i'm s
perfect apprehension of questions relat- 7
ing to monetary science held by the wis c
est men who supported them
Laying these general considera tons /
ASIDE, let me say to you and through Won /
10 the great body you so honorably rep 1
resent, that If, instead of denunciatory c
resolutions, which are not argument YOU i
or any one on your behalf will show that +
ne views that l entertain or advocate are y
)ther than salutary to the great economic | +
body of which we are all independent r
members, l will abandon them without
hesitation. My present conviction, the hon t
EST trult OF sincere study and reflection. is @
hat breakdown in our present money =
standard would be most disastrous blow Z
% all our commercial and industrial in r
erests, and that upon the wage-workers. T
rs class, would be entailed the most Sc a
'ious effects of the disaster Believing l.
his, must so bear witness 4
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