The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-12-25
GAGE TO ooMPERs.
The Secretary Writes Regarding the
Federation Resolutions.

Washington. Dec 23.-Secretary Gage
has written the following letter TO
President Gompers. OF the Federation
Of Labor:
II have read with care the resolutions
adopted the Goth instant. at Nashville by
I the convention OF the Federation OF Labor.
which recite as follows:
Resolved. That we declare ourselves
mos PpsySy oRp9ssdG to ne cage man IN
| the secretary OF the treasury II is meas
/ ure that, n adopted as law, will only
I ne more hE.l.{ IiNet lhe gold stanaaIn on
/ It's disastrous effects IN every form
Resolved. That we pronounce the Gage
I hill on undisguised effort 10 retire our
\ paper money. with a view 20 the substitu-
I ton % national bank notes IN their stead.
and thus fasten the national bank system
/ for years upon the American people
mo n q be true that the gold standard
/ by which things have been measured. as
\ 70 price for the last CO years IN this coun-
i try-is inimical 10 the interests OF the la
/ boring classes OF the United States. then !
Y think Il Is inimical 10 all classes In other
\ words. DO not believe that the exploitation
/ ~ one class by another. either through
Il fnlse weights. partial laws or q bad mone-
Harry system, can be made to work for the
permanent benefit of the exploiting class
\ itself, or for the general wCnl even were n
u
4 tice, which " is not Granted. therefore.
Il that the permaneuce or the gold standard
i (for which ! argue) operates IA this evil
I direction, then your resolutions Of con-
demnatIon are well founded and I am
i Justly charged, either with an Ignorance
/ which constitutes a foolish adviser. or with
f a perversity Of motive which makes me
an evil adviser
II have a right 20 dlsavow the charge Of
I pcrVeralty or eNll purpose, since there IS
nothing I'm my whole life as related 20 my
/ follow men, either IN word or deed. from
Il which the possession by me OF such char
I actcristics can be inferred. much less dem
E onstrated. But ignorance often uncon-
sciously works as deep injury as evil intent
might do, and 20 this sin or ignorance df II
/ be sin) must confess myself 20 possible
victim. This confession however ought
not 20 classify me as separate from my fell
( low men generally. whether they be consid-
l cred as individual units or as congregated
! in groups, Ignorance Is a relative, not an
\ absolute term. since few are totally ig-
/ norant. and none Is absolutely wise. Nor
/ does the number constituting the prouu
I change this fact, since the wisdom OF a
\ group, however large, cannot be greater
/ than that Of the wisest man In Il. This re-
mains true whether the subject matter IN
voiving knowledge and Judgment be as
\ tronomy, physics or finance. The con-
] demnatinn then Involved IN the resolutions
referred 10 Is measured by the just or i'm
/ perfect apprehension OF questions relating
/ 10 monetary science held by the wisest
men who supported them.
! Laying these general considerations
aside. lot me say 20 you. and through you
] TO the great body you so honorably repre-
sent. that n, Instead of denunciatory reso-
/ buttons, which are not argument. you or
\ anyone on your behalf. Will show that the
views l entertain and advocate are other
/ than salutary TO the great economic body
\ Of which we are all Independent members
( will abandon them without hesitation.
\ My present conviction. the honest fruit OF
! sincere study and reflection. is that a
/ breakdown in our present money standard
would be a most disastrous blow 20 an our
1 commercial and Industrial interests. and
! that upon the wRge-workers, as a class.
would be entaled the most serious effects
\ OF the disaster. Believing this. / must so
bear witness"