Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-23
SEC. CAGES REPLY
To the Resolutions Adopted by Federation Of
Labor on His Financial Bill.

Washington. Dec 22-Secretary Gage
has written the the following letter to
President Gompers. of the Federation of
Labor: Il have read with care the reso-
lutions adopted on the Goth at Nashville
by the convention of the Federation of
Lahor. which recites as follows:
" Resolved. that We declare ourselves
most positively opposed to the Gage
financial bill recently introduced in Con-
SreSS by the secretary of the treasury.
1t is a measure. that if adopted a law.
will only the more firmly rivet the gold
standard on the people of the country
and perpetuate its disastrous effects in
every form.
" ReS0Ved. that We pronounce thr
Gage bill an undisguised effort to retire
our green5ack currency and all govern
lnent paper money with view to the
substitution of national bank notes in
their stead and thus tasten the bank sys-
tenn for Years upon the American people.
Now. if it be true that the gold STAN
dard-by which things have been meas
ured. as to price for the last 60 years in
this country-S inimical to the interests
OF the laboring classes Of the nited
States-then think it is iEimical to all
classes, in other words do not relieve
that the exploitation of one class By an
other. either through false weights of ii
bad monetary system, can be made to
UOl X for the permanent benefit of the eX-
plotting class itself. or for The general
veal, even were 1t defensible on any
not.
Granted therefore that the pernla-
nence of the gold standard Gor which |
argue operates in this evil din. then your
resolutions OF condemnation are well
founded. and ! am Justly charged either
with an ignorance which constitutes me a
foolish advisor. or with a perViSity of mo-
tive which makes me an evil advisor. ]
have 4 right to disavow the charge of
perN erSity or evil purpose, since there is
in bnl 70 qc ral la cd fn u
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 unConSciOUSiV
works as deep an injury as evil intent
might do. and to this sin of ignorance Gf
it be a SIM | must confess myself to be Il
possible victim This confession. how
ever, ought not to classify me sepa-
rate from my fellow men generally
whether they be considered as Individual
units or as congregated in groups. Igno-
rance is 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 a group. however
large, cannot be greater than that of the
wiSeSt man in it.
This remains true whether the subject
matter involving knowledge and Judgment
be astronomy. physics finance.
i
resolutions referred to is measured by the
just or imperfect apprehension Of ques-
tons relating to monetary science held
by the wisest men who supported them.
Laying these general considerations
aside. let me say to you and through you
to the great body you SO honorably repre-
sent. that if instead of denunciatory reso-
lutions. which are not argument you or
any other one on your behalf will show
that the views | entertain and advocate
are other than salutatory to the economic
body of which we are all independent
members. | will abandon them without
hesitation. My present conviction, the
honest fruit of sincere study and refec-
ton. is that Il breakdown In our present
mOnetb y standard would be most dis
industrial interests and that upon the
wage workers as class would be entailed
the most serious effects of the disaster
Believing this. l must so bear witness"