Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-01-17
fortunate and the sfilicted.

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healthy, vigorous and self perpetusiing civil
zatlon. Contemplating them we should not
forget, however, that il is TO The productive
industries, to the agricnlturlst, the manufac.
turer and the miner, their allies and assistants
that We are most largely indebted for what
we are, and that our principal reliance under
God Is upon them for continued prosperity
and development as . state. Whatever tends,
therefore, to the enlargement Of these indus
tries and TO the protection of the persons ZEN.
gagged in them should receive your encour-
agement and support.
As contributing TO the promotion of these
ends, l recommend that suitable provision be
made Tor the collection and publication Of full
and accurate statistics in relation to al the
great interests Of the state, espec ially those
connected with agriculture, which is, and for
many years must continue to be, the most Inn
portant industry of the state, not only as fur.
nishing employment to the greatest number of
individuals and utilizing in the aggregate the
largest amount of capital. but upon its success
depends very largely the success of all other
industries. Whatever, therefore, the state
can do in disseminating information in regard
TO the results Of improved processes in agri..
culture, and 10 the relative profits derived
from the different branches of, this industry,
II Is not only proper but important that il
should do. The State Agricultural Society
was organized to assist ID the accomplish.
ment of these purposes, and has rendered
most efficient service in this direction. To
enable IT to continue its work In the future I
recommend that the usual appropriation be
continued and made permanent.
THL CURRENCY.
Intimately connected with the state no less
than with the national prosperity is the mat.
Ter OF sound and stable currency. II is the
language Of one of eur gifted and profoend
statesmen that ga disordered currency is one
Of the greatest political evils, II undermnes
the virtues necessary for the support Of the
sociai system anc encourages propensiiies-de.
structive TO its happiness. II wars against
industry, frusaiity and economy, and il fos-
tiers the evil spirits of extiavagance and spec.
nlation. OF all the contrivances for cheating
the iaboring classes Of mankind more has
been more efiectual then that which selides
them with paper money. This is the most
effectual of inventions to fertilize the nch
mans field by the sweat of the poor mans
brow. Ordinary tyranny, oppression, excess
i've taxation these bear lightly on the hap
piness oil the community compared with the
fraudulent, currencies and the robberies COM
United by deprecated paper. Our own his
tory has recorded for our instruction enough
and more than enough of the denoralizing
tendency, the injustice and into!erabe oppres-
sion on the virtuous and well disposed Of
degraded paper currency, authorized by law
OF any way countenanced by the government"
The road to resumption of specie payments
may be rough, but there are no sloughs there
in, and now that We have so nearly reached
the desired goal, every backward step must
be regarded as public calamity. | do not
however, share in the opinion which seems
to obtain with some, that. the demonstration
of silver will be a backward step. Silver
may very properly and very honestly be used
Tor coin age, and II the present ratio with gold
is not sufficient to ensure the harmonious cir
culation Of both metals, let the ratio be in
creased
The wise Statesmen seeks to find new mar
kets and additional uses for all the produc-
tons OF has country, because thereby profit
accrues to the citizen; and the country is BEN
Gifted. The United States is the great silver
producing nation of the world. Every le-
gitima.e use to which silver can be applied
enhances its value, and TO that extent adds TO
the wealth of the nation. Its use as money
is both legitimate and practicable the only
conditions being that the relative values OF
silver and gold be duly preserved in the COIN
age, and that the profits Of coinage, if any, be
reserved to the government.
SAVING BANKS.
tues, so that one cannot thrive unless accom-.
panied by the other. Saving banks, conyen-
ieptly located, and honestly and efficiently
managed have hitherto been most powerful
agents TO engender habits OF thrift Attending,
as they do reasonable assurance of safety for
deposits and a moderate income therefrom.
Such institutions cannot, however, be made
self supporting, except in the cities and larger
villages, and therefore, large proportion of
our people are denied the benefit to be deri-
we'd ,herefrom. The disastrous failures
among saving banks in some Of our sister
states, during the past year, have furnished
too convincing evidence that they are not
always managed with that care and honesty
without which they are not entitled TO conf
denee.
am, therefore, inclined TO look with
great favor upon the proposition TO organize
postal saving banks, and in connection there
with to issue a series Of United States bonds
OF such denominations with such provision
for distribution and redemption that people of
limited means may, if they desire, invest their
surplus earnings in government securities. II
is impossible TO overestimate the value of a
system which shall furnish to all citizens con.
venient opportunity to deposit even small saw.
ings with assurance of absolute safety and
some increase independent Of the Incl
dental advantage of distributing further por-
ton OF our public Indebtedness among our
own people.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
During the year just closed republican in
situations and the permanency Of our govern
rnent was subjected to new aHd unexpected
trials. For the first time in our history the
question as 10 who was legally elected pres
ident was left in great uncertainty. The. po-
htical Campaign had been one of unexampled
activity and enthusiasm and il should occaa-
sion no surprise that men formed opinions
and were governed more by prejudice than
reason. The experience Of other nations UNI
der similar circumstances were well calcutta
ted TO inspire grave concern in the minds of
all rejecting men. II was therefore not
without reason that the action of congress
in organizing the electoral commission was
hailed by the great majority OF the patriotic
citizens as a benifcent deiversnce from a
great peril. They felt that i. was vastly i'm
portant that some settlement should be had
under the form of law, which all coed citi-
zens would accept and recognize as conclu.
siye. A decision was rendered, and il be-
came the duty of every citizen to accept it
and abide thereby. Any attempt therefore,
TO throw discredit upon the decision made or
to impugn the motives or integrity OF any Of
the eminent gentleman composing that .rionn-
al tends 10 weaken the public respect for
law, AMI should be unres eryedly discounie-
naaced. H al
No little uneasness is felt in regard to the
possibility of recurrence Of circumstances
similar 10 those which necessitated the APP
pointment ofthe electoral commission, and
doubt not you will agree with me in the ex-
preston OF the opinion that it is the lmpefi-
tive duty of congress, to provide such meth.
DDS of procedure for conducting the future
presidential elections as will allow the will OF
the people TO be both freely and fairly ex-
pressed at the ballot box, and, as thus ex-
pressed, ascertained with certainty and With
out suspicion of fear, favor, or hope Of re-
ward.
CONCLUSION.
should be doing myself injustice to close
this communication without an expression Of
my earnest convict on that the President OF
the United States, with the purest and ixhest
motives, is striving to execute the high trusts
committed to him in the interests Of the whole
people, and that in the efforts he has made for
the pacifcation oil the south, the correction OF
abuses in the civil service, and return 10 a
stable currency, he is peculiarly entitled to
the generous and discriminating confidence
Of his fellow citizens.
Yielding to no man in devotion 10 the party
of my choice, nevertheless most heartily sub.
scribe to the maxim that he serves his party
best who serves his country best. Guided BY
the spirit of this maxim, which is only less
applicable in state than in national affairs your