The Anaconda standard., 1897-12-30
GOMPERS ANSWERS GAGE
Why the Federation of Labor OBJ
iects to the Gold Standard.
THE SECRETARY HASTY
The Resolutions of Which He Complains
Did Not Attack Him Personally
in Any Sense-The Argu-
ment for Bimetallism.


ers, president of the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor, has replied in an open
letter 10 Secretary Cages recent let
ter, taking exceptions to the resolutions
passed by the federation with reference
to the Gage financial bill. Mr.. Gompers
says in part
These resolutions declare against
your plan for more thoroughly commit
ting our country to the gold standard,
a plan for destroying our geenback
currency and substituting bank notes,
a plan. in fact, for weakening the con-
troll OF the national government over
that most important of all measures,
the measure of values. and strengthen
ing the banks, u plan aiming at what
you call currency REFORM and which
we call bank monopoly
THAT YOU should take offense ut
these resolutions / regret for the right
to express disapproval of the acts of
their servants is one of the rights held
sacred by the American people. and
one you viii freely accord. We do not
charge you with Ignorance, relative
or absolute, or allege any 'eNlI puf-
pose or IA perversity Of motive ON
Your part as implied in your letter.
nor upon re-reading the resolutions
will you find them either condemnatofy
or denuciatory, as you say they are
The resolutions are deelaratory of the
4
| Labor and are entirely impersonal, for
of all men in public life. We have the
/ greatest respect for your probity and
/ Integrity.
The wage-earners of America, rep
resented in the American Federation
4 of Labor believe that the position TAX
/ en- in regard to the retirement Of the
4 greenback currency is antagonistic To
i their interests. and they are opposed 10
your plan for more thoroughly commit
-. In FfAl al
standard.
You ask what evils have resulted
from our adherence to the gold stan
dard ] answer thar the evils are
those that have grown and ever must
grow from dishonest measure 81
! values. a measure of values that inter-
feres with the just distribution OF
wealth. that deprives some men Of
part of their earnings that Il rightly
theirs and confers it upon others who
have earned 1t not. ANY measure OF
values that thus forces an unjust dis
tribution Of the projects Of labor that
depriyeS the producer Of the fruits OF
his toll cuts down wages and proilts,
thereby destroys the incentive to en-
terprise leads to industrial stagnatlon.
enforced idleness distress and publlc
suffering.
a"NoW, IL our adherence to the gold
standard has caused money 10 grow
dearer. you must admit that the gold
| Cta has dAng injury tn our peo~
nfa htnnpht DISTRESS 10 wace-earners
'na s,onlovers ANA discouraged enter
ntieA 6,Ir adherence to the gold stan
aara has caused money to grow in
yai,,a Ind of course. forced the things
| tneas,1red in money 10 fall in price.
,t9aWever. II IS moi alone to the cheap
e9fne nf tbe lah0l, cost of production. but
also thp. actual appreciation Of gold that
tha faIle in nriees since 1872 has been
- praat narf due. and this appreciation
las crown out Of the demonetizing oi
silver which has Increased the demand
rar gold This is a question that every
nrodnefr can answer-Ilas the fail III
nriees cnrtatIed my earnincso II tbs
fai in nricps has been due only to gen.
4ra1 improved methods of production, q
lessaning in the true cost Of production
ha has suffered no loss from such fall
Moreover the fan in prices since 1893
also common 10 all gold using countries
a fall In prices of 20 per cent has moi
eraa.n ont ar the impravement in ma.
chinerv exclusively
achangas in The value Of money have
largely influenced the movements o