The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-01-01
PRESIDENT COMPLIES


PERI, president of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor, has replied in n
open letter to Secretary Cages recen
letter taking exceptions 70 the resolu
tons passed BY the federation with
reference TO the Gage financial bill
Mr.. Gcmpers says. in part:
sYou take exception both to ths
position which our organization ha.
taken upon your bill, as well As sths
language employed Even Il you are
justified in the one. you certainly mis-.
apprehend the other. I submit that
you will seek in vain for q single de.
mandatory word either in relation to
your motives, yon plan, or your bill.
We realize that denunciation is not
argument, but to declare our position
and the statement Of a fact in regard
to the most important and far-reach-
ing measure affecting the changing
OF the financial system of our country,
can by no means be construed as de-
uunciatiop.
Those resolutions declare sgainst
your plan for more thoroughly COM
hitting our country to the gold stand
ard, a plan for destroying our green
back currency and substituting bank
notes-s plan, in fact, for weakening
the control Of the national govern
ment owe the most important Of ali
measures, the measure Of values, and
Strengthening ths banks; a plan aim
ing at what you call currency reform,
and which we esl bank monopoly
s.Thatyou should take offense a 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 will freely accord. We do not
charge you with signorsuce. relative
or absolute or allege any .eyil pur-
pose or a ~'.perversity Of motive on
your part as implied in your letter,
nor upon re-reading the resolutions
will Jon find them either condemna-
tory or denunciatory. as you say they
are. The resolutions are declaratory
of the views of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, and are entirely imper-
sonal, for of all men in public life, we
have the greatest respect for your pro-
bity. and integrity.
"The wage earners of America. rep
resented in the American Federation
of Labor, believe that the position
taken in relation to the retirement of
the greenback currency is antagonistic
to their interests, and they are opposed
to your plan for more thoroughly COM
hitting this country of ours to the gold
standard. !
You ask what evils have resulted
from u adherence to the gold stand
ard.n answer that the evils are those /
that have grown and aver must grow
from a dishonest measure of values, a
measure Of values that interferes with
the just distribution Of wealth; that
deprives some men of q part OF their
earnings hat is rightly, theirs and
confers it upon others who have earned
it not Any measure of values that
thus forces IN unjust distribution of
the products of labor, that deprives
producer of the fruits Of his toll,
cuts down wages and profits. thereby
destroys incentive to enterprise, leads
to industrial staCnation, enforced idle
ness, distress and public suffering.
The products of labor are divided
three general shares One share
goes as interest and rents to the money
and landlord, to capitalists who
10 not productivity use their W CAPT.
who seek to avoid the risks of pro-
Ascend share goes as profits
% employers, q third share goes as
wages to wage Ths inter-
,st charges and rents are TO a
yreat degree fixed, and profits and
are subject TO great fuctuations.
This being so. it is clear that ANYTHING
hat reduces the total money value Of
he products Of labor must increase
he share of the money lender and
though noninally fixed. and
the share to be divided among
employers and wage earnsrs. Il Is
,qually clear that to increase the value
f money must decrease the value of
he products of labor. and therefore
nrich the creditor at the 3 of
he debtor. j
snow, II our adherence 70 the rold
tandard has caused money 10 grow .
carer. Won must admit hat the gol5
tandsrd hiss done injury TO our peo- /
lie. brought distress to wage earnern ,
nd employers and DISCOURAGED enfar. :
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