Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-06-03

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facts to be met with view to attain
ing such an end. Nearly all material
wealth as it exists in our nation is
produced by days of labor Of a charac-
ter, the method of the performance Of
which is readily suggested to any per-
son of ordinary intelligence. OF course
professional occupations and the pur-
suits of skilled workmeu have their
places, but labor of the character above
alluded to is the great source and re-
source of the country's wealth. And
further in pursuit of this line of
thought, writer in one of our leading
scientific journals made the assertion
few years since, and it cannot be de-
MED, that "labor is the one thing that
is purchased and sold to "a greater ex-
tent than any other.' But individuals
lives are made up of about an average
number of years, or otherwise of days,
which is nearly the same from genera
ton to generation, so there is about an
average number of days when they are
able-bodied and capable of performing
days labor of the description referred
to, which should be compensated by
about the same price from year to year
and from generation to generation
when measured by the most unchange-
able of values; and this should be an
amount sufficient for the comfortable
maintenance of man with a moder-
ate sized family to rear and support
and an additional reasonable allowance
for his support when overtaken by the
inRrmities and disabilities ofage. Now,
if a just and suitable compensation
could be determined upon for days
labor of the above description it would
certainly afford a basis for establish
ing unit of value of most stable
character, and such system might be
practically inaugurated when it is es-
timated that the conditions are nor
NAL in respect to labor and its coinpen-
sation. We might assume for illustra-
ton that dollar and a half is a suit
able price for days labor. Then
make that price the unit of value and
make multiples and fractions of 1t dec
imally for other convenient denomiua-
tions, and convert all of the currency
of the country into this class of money,
whether it be gold or silver or paper
or all of these. Certainly it might not
always be practicable to maintain this
relation precisely between the unit OF
value of the currency and a days labor,
but with the system once established
and in operation, the relation OF the
two or the facility with which enc
could be procured for the other would
serve as an index to the condition OF
the labor market. Although any or
every other thing or commodity should
fuctuate or change in price, a days Ia
Dor should at all times command about
one unit of currency which should be
merely expansive to adopt it to the de-
mands of the increase in the popula-
ton and commerce Of the country. II
labor should become pheuomenslly
dull in the market as it has been in
this country for number OF years 1t
should be made matter of govern
ment investigation and the method
might be adopted nationally, as is
sometimes done locally and on small
scale, if engaging in some undertaking
of public improvement or mining and
COMPENSATE laborers by issuing to
them full legal tender paper curren-
cy, unit for days labor, and con-
tinue this until n little imitation of the
currency is produced and the normal
relation between it and labor is re-es-
tablished with resumption of bust
ness
If it was wise and proper thing for
the government to put a million or
two OF men at new occupation, that
of war. for it's preservation, with all
its institutions and interests, and at an
occupation that was not productive but
destructive, certainly IL would be a
iustifable thing to give large per
cent of the people employment in
peaceful and productive pursuits to
perpetuate and preserve it. Does it
not appear that to begin to administer
relief in this way to the masses and to
foster and protect labor would be more
efficient in restoring property than
legislation in favor Of classes which do
not so much need relief, and in being
benefited can benefit but few of the
people of the nation?-W. J. c., Wichi-
Ia, Kan.
The decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States in the Bell telephone
case is a great victory for the monopo-
". The general verdict is that the de-
ciSion is wrong; it is certainly great
misfortune. The people will never get
reasonable telephone rates as long as
this Bell monopoly continues. Besides