Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-26
GAGE SCORES BRYAN.
ACCUSES AND CONyICTs HIM OF
RANK DEMAGOGY.
THE REVIVAL OF PROSPERITY.
HOW BRYAN SEEKS TO BELITTLE
AND DIsCREDIT 1T.
WiIifuIiy Misreprescnts in What He
Fails 10 SaS-Dcpressiou i'm Cot
ton Industry insignificant in
Comparison With Activ-
ity in Other Lines.
THE REVIVAL OF PROSPERITY.

tention Of the large audience throughout.
He spoke on the subject of Finance and
his remarks We're frequently puuctuated
with applause.
Mr.. Gage devoted considerable attention
to the positions of the two great parties on
the silver question, and then turned 10
some Of the recent utterances of one W. j.
Bryan, of Lincoln, Ncb. The revival of
industry now Witnessed" said Mr. Gage,
land the easy condition as 10 interest are
the best witnesses TO the dangers from
which We have been delivered. Neverthe-
less, that feryid orator who is recognized
as the leading exponent of free silver doc
trines is not satisfied. In a recent speech
he said:
Read the daily papers. and you VIII
find the items of news arranged under two
heads-the formation of trusts and the re-
duction of wages.
las to the trusts, he cites no examples.
but hastens TO emphasize one industry in
New England i'll which, by reason of spe-
cial conditions, well known TO him, a re-
duction in the wage scale was under de-
bate. He knows. or he ought TO know, and
failed TO state. that only Il few weeks ago
worsted manufacturers in Rhode Island re-
stored the wage scale of 1893 in their mills,
thus granting an increase of ~ per cent in
the pay of about 5000 operatives. He
knows, or he ought 10 know, and failed to
state, that in the city of Philadelphia nu-
merous wooden mills have restored the
wages of 1893, and are active that it is
difficult and sometimes impossible TO Sc
cure the help required TO operate tnem, and
in contrast 10 the depression in cotton tex
tiles, wooden manufactures 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 that ruinous platform was condemned
by the verdict of the people. He knows
that within a few weeks after the Novem-
Der election, 1896 l5,e0O men, idle for a
long time. were put 10 work III the window
glass industry.
Since then, the revival has pro-
gresSed, instances of advances in wage
rates and of increases in numbers EN-
ployed have multiplied. The resumption of
work in rolling mills during the summer
IN Alabama, Maryland and Ohio gave en-
ployment to thousands of men. Indeed in
Iron and steel industries directly depend
ent upon the consumption of iron as ma
teriai, l have 1t upon authority that there
is an increase of at least 261, 900 men en-
ployed over the preceding year. In addi-
uon TO this large increase i'll the work
ing forces employed in iron and steel and
dependent branches, advances in wages
ranging from 10 TO 20 per cent have been
made and in some cases much greater, a
the result of wages paid on a tonnage ba-
Sis. Since the passage of the tariff bill the
tin plate industry has wonderfully revived
and wages in this line have since the sum
mer been increased by rates varying from
TO u and i per cent.
The weekly output of coke at the end of
lS' was more than double what it was at
the close of 1896. and in the ConnellsvilIe
Coke works there has been an increase in
the number actually engaged from about
lOoOo 10 20OO0. A voluntary advance in
wages by the leading companies in the coke
INDUSTRY has benefited thousands of men.
Inc advance In the wages of the glass
workers, determined upon at the close of
q an
know of it, The pottery industry of Tren-
ton during recent years has been greatly
depressed, with many failures. and not
half the hands have been employed. Wages
have now been advanced more than l. per
cent; and there is great increase in the
or more.
1T was made public so 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 num-
the previous year. Near the close of No
Nember last the wage scale of the Missouri
Pacific and its shops AT Fort Scott was re-
stored TO what 1t was before the reduction
of 1893.
Il have an accurate list of more than 80
mills factories and enterprises that have,
during the last six months resumed work
many of them having been idle since 1896.
when depression became more acute as the
result of agitation for the free and unlim-
1ted coinage of silver at the ratio of l6 to
], without the aid or consent of any other
wages over the old scale All Of them are
running full time. most of them double
time. and IN many; fires are now never
drawn nor the wheels stopped. three shifts
being required to meet the heavy demands.
This all indicates great increase in work.
ing forces;
said:
II our enemies boast that they have
buricd bimetallism, We point TO these wage
reductions as the weeping willows which
Lave sprung up about its temporary tomb
beautifully expressed, hut quite beside
the point. In the first place. the record
Is against him. Wages have been ad-
vanced. There are no weeping willows
around the tomb of himctallism at which
10 point. Besides, his enemies. ii he means
me Republican party, are not boastinS
that they have buried birnetaIlism. They
proclaim themselves its friend: they ap-
prove il in their platform. The political
bead of that party has been active to Sc
cure il under th" only conditions by which
II can he maintained, namely. international
agree ment. with open minis to both sill
Yer and gold. In hts efforts TO inaugurate
sCch a method the president heartily sup
rcrts the principles of his partys platform
and IN his efforts he has the support Of
all the members of his official family in
ucnuoes and declarations from various
sources TO the contrary notwithstanding,
Until il ear I've secured in this rational
manner. We propose TO maintain the KIND
Of himetailism "" have now. und.r which
live hundred millions or more of silver arc
kept on a parity with gold Under This
standard practically for sixty years and
pcCcrdiuE 10 the Democratic candidate .td-
mission for twcniV-S.ycu wears I,- stot,,,.,
law. this country has developed and flour
ishcd as no other country has. That Neep.
ing philosopher who moUrnS where he
ought 10 rejoice. and 'Ni!tS whore he Ought
10 mourn. is not satisfied either with the
past or the present. Let me quote as am
antidOte TO his lugubriOuS defamation the
words OF n. leader in his own party who
by his experience in life. his knowlellg., Of
public affairs. his high personal qualities
of mind and character, holds an honorrd
place in public life. few Gavs since ON
The floor of the senate chamber of the
United States, lac uttered tGcse words:
II have lived during the greatest period
of American history. When came Ia
manhocd's estate the people OF this colu-
try Were few In number; our resources
were exceedingly limited. I have seen the
country grow. | have seen 1t expand ana
] have seen rot only here but throughout
the world. development in fffty wears
with which no 200 years. nay no 400 wears
of the worlds history can compare. | have
been proud of my blood. | have been proud
OF the American people. What have We.
not accomplished In all the world there
is no history like ours. We began feeble,
folk on the coast. with the great interior
filled with savages. We began right. We
began with declaration that every man
IS a man. ard that men are better than
money: that the great purpose and object
of gul ernment is the protection of men
Nobody then dared to say that the inter
ests' of trade and commerce should not
give WAY TO the liberty and freedom of
men Gradually We have grown. until to-
DAY we are the greatest people in the
word. No other nation has 100000 homo
seneous people. No other nation has the
resources and the wealth Of ours
THUS spoke Senator Teller of Colorado:
and Il is undeniable that this great prog
ress has been contemporaneous with gold
as the standard of value in the United
States.