Waterbury Democrat., 1900-11-08

question naturally arises in many minds, will the issues that were para mount in this campaign die out, or will they come up smiling four years hence? The free silver issue has held it's own pretty well with the others, and unless all signs fail, it will surely be heard from again. The men behind this movement are earnest and sincere and the chances are they will continue the fight with renewed vigor. Apro- DOS of the silver question, the follow ing shows the wrong view many re- publicans take of the question:: Lit tie by little. but with absolute diSdaln of his record, the Hon Lyman J. Gage has abdicated whatever title he may once have had to the respect of seri- ous people. He was once free trad CT. but a seat in the Mckinley cabinet has corrupted him into an ardent champion of Dingleyism. He was once q civil service reformer, but asso- ciation with the Hanna plutocratfc spoilsmen has transformed him into defender of and an apologist for Me Kinley's debauchery of the public ser vice. And he was once clear enough in his economic views to recognize the utter imbecility of the notion that wages are regulated by the kind or currency in which they are paid. Yet we find him now in | pretentious ad- dress on a question not now in issue quoting "one of the brightest and most capable business men of the west
 whom he mercifully avoids naming. This anonymous man said to him: The truth is, we cannot compete in manu- featuring with the older countries, where labor is cheap. Wages and salaries, are too high here. The la bor cost of what we manufacture is too great We must reduce the labor cost. To undertake to reduce wages directly would simply breed strikes, lockouts, disorder and riots; but cannot you see he continued, that if we adopt silver as a standard money for our domestic use we will, while nominal ly paving the same wages, pay them in a kind of money which will be ob- tained at a cost measured in finished products, of not more than one-hall the present cost in goldT' Was the gentleman right?" asks MT Gage.
 Would the free coinage, of silver and the consequent adoption of the silver standard in our domestic affairs have the effect he predicted? Would it de prfye the wage -earner of one-haf his present reward? have no more doubt of the truth of it than I have doubt that grapes grow grapes or that tbistles grow thistles." MT Cages interest in the wageworker is affect ing. But if the free coinage of silver would halve the wages of labor how comes it that all the employers of la Dor on a large scale are opposed to free silver coinage? They are not usually looking out for chances either to in crease or to maintain wages. On the contrary, labor is constantly in fight with them to prevent reductions. The
 
 whole industrial system is convulsed at shortening intervals by these ter. rife struggles. The wage tendency is steadily, downward. This is shown conclusively by the official industrial statistics of Pennsylvania and Massa- chusetts and even by those statistics put forth by the republican national committee. But if men now getting a dollar day could be secured for % cents a day under the silver standard regime which MT Gage is at pains to imagine, why can they not be secured for 50 cents day, now? What is the reason they are getting dollar q day Are they paid a dollar simply because the employer wants to pay that wage, or are they paid Q dollar because they will not accept less2 And if they will not accept less now why would they accept less then? s1r Cages argu- ment is silly. It is unworthy of seri- ous discussion.