Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1898-01-14
SECRETARY GAGE and Gold
OPEN LETTER TO GoMPEHs
.s,.,,. That He May he in Error on
financial Question, but De-
ME. Having Evil Intentions.

Washington, Dec. 24.-seeretary Gage
has written the following letter 10 IreS
;dent Gompers of the Federation OF La
Dor:
81 have read the resolutions adopted at
the Nashville convention OF the feoe'a
t;on of Labor, which recite as follows:
Resolved, That we declare ourselves mos.
positively opposed to the Gage hnanc,ai
hill. recently introduced in congress by
the secretary of the treasury IL Is
measure that, if adopted as a law VIII
only the more firmly rivet the gold stan,
dard on the people of the country ana
perpetuate its disastrous effects in every
| form. !,
"sResolved, That we pronounce the
Gage bill an undisguised effort to retire
our gerenback currency and all govern
| ment paper money, with view to the
substitution of national bank notes IN
their stead and thus fasten the national
bank system for many years upon the
American people,
Defends the Gold Standard.
"Now, if it be true that the gold stan
dard, by which things have been measur-
ed, as to price, for 60 years in this coun-
try, is inimical to the interests OF the
| laboring classes of the United States,
then 1 think it is inimical to all classes.
In other words, / do not believe that the
exploitation of one class by another,
either through the false weights, partial
laws or a bad monetary system, can be
made to work for the permanent benefit
of the exploiting class itself or for the
general veal, even were it defensible on
any ground of right or justice, which it
is not, Granted, therefore, that the per-
manence of the gold standard flor which
I argue) operates in this evil direction,
then your resolutions of condemnation
are well founded, and l am justly charg-
ed either with an ignorance which con-
stitutes me a foolish advisor or with a
} perversity of motive which makes me an
evil advisor. 1 have a right to disavow
the charge of perversity or evil purpose
since there is nothing IN my whole life
as related to my fellow-men, either il
word or deed, from which the possession
J by me of such characteristics can be in
ferred, much less demonstrated.
objects to Denunciation.
"But ignorance often uncosnciousl,
works as deep injury as evil intent nigh
do and to the sin of ignorance, if it b.
a sin, must confess myself to be a pos
sible victim. This confession, however
ought not to classify me as separate from
my fellowmen generally, whether the,
be considered as individual units or a
congregated in groups. Ignorance is
relative. not an absolute term, since few
are totally ignorant and none is absolute
ly wise. Nor does the number constitut
ing the group change this fact, since tn
8 wisdom of group, however large, ca
: not be greater than that of the wises
man in it. This remains true whether tn
subject matter involving knowledge an
: judgment be astronomy, physics or fir
:. ance. The denomination involved in tn
result referred to is measured by the jus
\ or imperfect apprehension Of questions r,
= lating to monetary science held by tn
g wisest men who supported them. Layin
these general considerations aside, let m
say through you to the great body yo
= honorably represent, that, if instead ,
!, denunciatory resolutions, which are nc
a argument, you or any one on your behal
y will show that the views 1 entertain an
advocate are other than salutary to IL
great economic body of which We are a
" independent members, will abando
. them without hesitation. My presel
y conviction, the honest fruit of sinceI
y study and reflection, is that breakdow
in our present money standard would
a most disastrous blow to all our CONNIE
> cial and industrial interests, and thi
. upon the wage workers as class wou
! be entailed the most serious effects of Il
: disaster. Believing this, l must so be,
witness"