Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-12-25
GAGE AND G(jbIPERS.
The Treasury Chiefs Letter to the
Labor Leader.
THE FEDERATIoN's RESOLUTIONS
Denouncing the Gage Financial Bill
Made the Subject of q Communion
tion in Which the Cabinet Omcial
Defends His Position

Denouncing the Gage Financial Bill
Made the Subject of Communion
ton In Which the Cabinet omciaa
Defends His Position.
Washington, Dec. 23.-Secretary Gage
has written the following letter to
President Gompers, of the Federation
Of Labor:
II have read with care the resolu-
tons adopted at Nashville by the con-
vention of the Federation of Labor,
which recite as follows:
Resolved, That we declare our
selves most positively opposed to the
Gage financial bill, recently introduced
in congress by the secretary of the
treasury. It is a measure that, IL
adopted as law, will only the more
firmly rivet the gold standard on the
people of the country and perpetuate
its disastrous effects in every form.
Resolved, That we pronounce the
Gage bill an undisguised effort to retire
our greenback currency and all gov
eminent paper money, with 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 4 be true that the gold
standard-by which things have been
measured as to price for the last 60
years in this country-is inimical to the
interests of the laboring classes of the
United States, then think it Is mimi
cal to all classes. In other words, I do
not believe that the exploitation Of one
class by another, either through false
oh ritz Low I1aI
tary system, can be made to work for
the permanent benefit of the exploiting
class itself, or for the general veal,
even were it feasible on any ground Of
right or justice, which it is not. Grant
ed, therefore, that the permanence of
the gold standard (for which I argue)
operates in this evil direction, then
your resolutions Of condemnation are
well founded, and am justly charged,
either with an ignorance which con-
stitutes me foolish adviser, or with
a perversity of motive which makes
me an evil adviser.
II have right to disavow the charge
of perversity or evil purpose, since
there is nothing in my whole life, as
related to my fellow men, and in word
or deed, by which the possession by me
VI SuCu CudfdCl6TlSllcS can D6 T6I0TTGQ,
much less demonstrated.
"But ignorance often uneonsciously
works as deep injury as evil intent
might do, and to this sin of ignorance
(if it be a sin) 7 must confess myself
to be possible victim. This confess
sion, however, ought not to classify me
as separate from my fellow men gen
orally, whether they be considered as
individual units or as congregated in
groups. Ignorance 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 wis
dom Of a group however large, cannot
be greater than that of the wisest man
in it.
Let me say to you, and through you
to the great body you so honorably
represent, if instead of denunciatory
resolutions, which are not argument,
you or any other on your behalf will
show that the views entertain and
advocate are other than salutary to the
great economic body of which we are
all independent members, I will aban-
don them without hesitation. My
present conviction, the honest fruit Of
sincere study and reflection, is that
breakdown in our present money
standard would be a most disastrous
blow to all our commercial and indus
trial interests, and that upon the wage
workers, as class, would be entailed
the most serious effects of the disaster"