Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-27
CAGES ANSWER TO BRYAN
Secretary Of the Treasury Refutes State
msnts Of Silver Champion.
Cites Facts and Figures TO show That
an Era Of Prosperity Has
Dawncd.


Monday night. The first was delivered at
the annual neeting of the Trades League.
the second was made later at the annual
banquet OF the Commercial Exchange.
In his address before the Trades League
Mr.. Gage quoted the speech of William ].
Bryan in Chicago on jackson day, January
s, in which the silver leader said:
Read the daily papers and you will flnd
the items of news arranged under two
lieads-the formation CT trusts and the re-
duction of wages
Commenting on this. the Secretary con-
tinued:
"As to trusts he cites no examples, but
-hastens TO emphasize one industry in New
England, in which, by reason of special
conditions, well known TO him, a reduc-
ton in wage scale was under debate. He
knows, or he ought to know and failed to
state, that only a few weeks ago worste d
manufacturers in Rhode Island restored
the wage scale of 1898 in their mills thus
granting an increase of 20 per cent in the
pay of about 25.0o0 operatives. He knows,
or he ought to know. and failed to state,
that in the city Of Philadelphia numerous
WOODEN mills have restored the wages of
1893 and are so active that 1t is difficult and
sometimes impossible to secure the help re-
quired to operate them. In contrast to the
depression in cotton textiles, wooden manu-
features are booming all over the country.
Let him point. If he can. TO one single
instance of an advance in wages between
the date of the Chicago convention of 1856
and the November election Of that year
when his ruinouS platform was condemned
by the verdict of the people. He knows
that within a few weeks after the Noyem-
Der election, 1896. 15.oO0 men. idle for a
long time, We're put to work in the window
glass industry.
Maryland Rolling Mills Cited.
Since that time, the revival has
progressed, instances of advances in wage
rates and of increases in number en-
ployed have multiplied. The resumption
of work in rolling mills during the sum-
mer in Alabama, Maryland and Ohio gave
employment to thousands of men. In
deed, in iron and steel and Industries d.
rectly dependent upon the consumption OF
iron as material l have it upon author
ity that there Is an increase of at least
2G1,O00 men employed over the precedi ag
year. In addition to this large increase in
steel and dependent branches, advances
in wages ranging from 10 to % per cent
have been made, and In some cases much
greater, as the result of wages paid on Il
| tonnage basis.
Since the passage of the tariff bill the
| tin-plate industry has wonderfully re-
vIved and wages in this line since the
summer have been increased by rates
varying from to Il and Is per cent.
THE weekly output of coke at the end
| of 1897 was more than double what it was
| at the close of 1896, and in the Councils
| vile coke works there has been an in
crease in the number actually 'engaged
| from about 10000 to 10000. voluntary
| advance in wages by the leading compa-
MES in the coke industry has benefited
thousands of men.
GIasswOrks and POtteries.
1.-The advance in the wages of glass
workers determined upon at the close Of
| the year is SO recent that Mr.. Bryan must
know Of it.
Tho pottery industry of Trenton dur
| ing recent years has been greatly de-
pressed. with many failures. and not half
| the hands have been employed. Wages
have now been advanced more than L. per
cert, and there is Il great increase in the
| number Of hands employed in the district.
to the extent at this time of probably
| $500 or more.
1T was made public as recently as last
| September. by an official report of the
New York trades unions. that there WAS
then an increase of "a per cent IN the
number of their men employed Us COM
pared with the Drevio1s year.
Near the close of November last the
wage scale of the Missouri Pacific and its
shops at Fort Scott was restored 10 what
it was before the reduction Of 1885.
Has u Prosperity List.
II have an accurate list CT more than
250 mills. factories and enterprises that
during the last six months have resumed
| work, many Of them having been idle since
1885, when depression became more acute
as the result Of agitation fer the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio OF
16 to 1 without the aid or consent of any
ether nation. Most of them have advanced
wages over the Ole scale. All of them are
running full time, NEST of them double
time, and in many fires are now never
drawn, nor are the wheels stopped. three
shifts being required to meet the heavy
ct mands. This all indicates a great in
crease in working forces.
NO Weeping WiIlows.-
Notwithstanding all this, Mr.. Bryan
| said:
IF our enemies boast that they have
buried bimetallisan, We point to these wage
reductions as the weeping willows which
have sprung up about it, temporary tomb
Beautifully expressed but quite beside
the point. In the first place, the record is
against him Weges have been advanced.
There are no weeping willows around the
tomb of bimctallism at which to point.
Besides, his enemies, IL he means the re-
publican party, are not boasting that they
have buried himetalliSm. They proclaim
themselves its frieEds: they approve it in
their platform. The political head of that
party has been active to secure it under
the only conditions by which it can be
maintained, namely, international agree
meft, with open mintS to both silver and
gold In his efforts 10 inaugurate such a
method the President heartily supports the
principles of his party's platform and in
his Efforts he has the support of all the
members of his official family, innuendoes
and declarations from various sources to
the contrary notwithstanding
Until 1t can be secured in this rational
anner we propose TO maintain the kin.l
OF bimetallism we have now, under which
$ao0 100000 or more of silver is kept on a
PARTY with gold. Under this standard
practically for sixty years. and. accord
ing to the democratic candidates admjs-
SION, for twenty-seven years by statute
law. this country has developed and -four
ished as no other country has. That weep
ing philosopher who movrns where he
eight tc rejoice and exults where ne ought
70 mourn is not satisfied either with the
past or the present."
MURDER OF APPRENTICE rDDs