Arizona republican., 1897-12-23
His Reply to the Federation of
 Labor Resolutions
UPON HIS MONETARY BILL
Denunciation, Says the Secre-
 tary, is Not Argument
Willing to Submit to Test of Ills Good Intention Toward the Country and of Correctness of Ills Financial Theories.

Washington, Dec 22.-Secretary Gage has written the following letter to President Gompers of the FedeIa- tion of Labor: T have read with car,5 the resolution adopted on the 10th inst at Nashville by the com mittee of the Federation of Labor. which recites as follows: Resolved, That we declare ourselv5s most posi- lively opposed to the Gage financial bill recently introduced in congress by the secretary of the treasury. It is a measure, that, if adopted as a law, will only the more firmly rivet the gold standard on the people of the country and perpeuuate its disastrous effects in every form.
 Resolved, That we pronounce against MT. Cages undisguised effort to retire our greenback currency and all government paper money with a view to the substitution 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 bse measured as to price for the last sixty years in this country is inimical to the interests of the laDoring classes of the United States, then I think it is inimfcal to all classes. In other words, I do not believe that the exploitat ion of oula class by another either through false weights, partial laws, or a bad monetary system, can be made to work for the perlnanent benefit of the exploiting class itself or for the gen eral veal, even were it defensible on any ground of right or justified. which it is not.
 Granted, therefore. that the perma- hence of the gold standard flor which l argue) operates in this evil direc- tion, then your resolution of con- d,;mnabio1 are we'll founded and I am jus1ly condemned, justly charged either with an ignorance which con- stity1es me foolish adviser, or with a perVers.ty of motive which makes me an evil adviser. I have right tt disavow the charga of pervers.ty ol evil purpose. since there is nothing ir my whole life as related to my fellow men, either in word or deed, iron which the possession by me of sncl characteristics can be inferred, mucl less demonstrated. But ignoranc, often unconsc.ously works as deep al injury as evil intent might do, ant to this sin of ignorance, If it be a sin I must confess myself to be possibl victim. This confession. however ought not to classify me as differen from my fellow men generally wheth CT they be considered as ind.vidua units or as congregaUed in groups.
 Laying these general consideration aside. let me say to you and to tha if instead of denunciatory resolutions which are not argum ents. you or an one on your behalf will show that tn views 1 entertain and advocate ar other than salutary to the grea economic body of which we are all in dependent members. I VII abando them without hesitation. My pr sen conviction, the honest fruit of sincsr study and reflection, is that a break down in our present mon ey standar would be most disastrous blow to a our commercial and industrial intel ests and that upon the wage Worksl as a class would be entailed the mo
 serious effects of the disaster. B
 Eeving this, must so bear witness
 KILLED ON EVE OF MARRIAGE