Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-09

q crime which. If persisted in will
destroy the government itself. Suicide is not
remedy. II in other lands it be high treason
to compass the death of the king, it should be
counted no less a crime here to strangle our
sovereign power and stife its voice. 1t has been
said that unsettled questions have no pity for
the repose of nations. 1t should be said with
the utmost emphasis that this question of suf-
frage will never give repOSe or safety to the
states or to the nation until each within its own
jurisdiction makes and keeps the ballot free
and pure by the strong sanctions Of the law.
But the danger which arises from ignorance
In the voter, cannot be denied. 1t covers
field far wider than that of negro suffrage and
the present condition of that race. 1t is dan
ger that Turks and hides in the sources and
fountains OF power in every state. We have
no standard by which to measure the disaster
that may be brought upon us by ignorance and
vice IN citizens, when joined to corruption and
fraud on suffrage. The voters of the Union, who
make and unmake constitutions, and upon
whose will hangs the destiny of our govern
ment can transmit their supreme AUTHORITY to
no successor save the coming generation of
voters who are the sole heirs of the sovereign
power. Ii that generation comes to it's inherit
ance, blinded by ignorance and corrupted by
vice, the fall of the republic will be certain and
remedlless. The census has already sounded
the alarm in appalling figures which mark how
dangerously high the tide of illiteracy has
To the south the question is Of supreme i'm
portance, but the responsibility for the
existence of slavery did not rest upon
the south alone. The nation itself is
responsible for the extension of suffrage and
is under special obligations to aid in removing
the iliteracy which it has added to the voting
population of the north and south alike There
is but one remedy. All the constitutional
power of the nation and of the states, and all
the volunteer forces of the people should be
summoned to meet this dargery by having the
influence of universal education. 1t is the high
privilege and sacred duty of those now living to
educate their successors and fit them by ntell-
gence and virtue for the Inheritance which
awaits them. In this beneficient work sects
and races should be forgotten and craftsmanship
should be unknown. Let our people find new
meaning in the divine oracle which declares
that "A little child shall lead them," for our
little children will soon control the destinies of
the republic. My countrymen, we do
not now differ in our Judgment
concerning the controversies of past genera
tons, and fifty years hence our children will not
be deceived in their opinions concerning our
controversies. They will surely bless their
fathers and their fathers God that the Union
was preserved, that slavery was overthrow,
and that both races were made equal before
the law. We may hasten or we may
retard, but we cannot prevent the final recon-
Citation. Is it not possible for us now to make
its inevitable verdict? Enterprises of the
highest Importance to our moral and material
well-being invite us and offer ample scope for
the employment of our best powers. Let all
our people, leaving behind them the battle
fields of dead issues, move forward and, in
strength and liberty and restored Union win
the grander victories of peace
The prosperity which now prevails is without
parellel In our history. Fruitful seasons have
done much to secure 1T, but they have not done
all. The preservation of the public credit and
the resumption of specie payment SO success
fully attained by the administration of my
predecessor has enabled our people to secure
the blessings which the seasons brought. By
the experience of commercial nations in all
ages 1T has been found that gold and silver af-
ford the only safe foundation for monetary
system. Confusion has recently been created
by variations in the relative value of the two
metals, but L confidently believe that arrange
ments can be made between the leading COM
mercial nations which will secure the general
use of both metals. Congress should provide
that the compulsory coinage of silver now re-
quired by law may not disturb our monetary
system by driving either metal out of
circulation. If possible. such adjustment
should be made that the purchasing power
of every coined dollar will be exactly equal to
its debt-paying power in all the markets of the
world. The chief duty of the national govern
ment in connection with the currency of the
doubts have been entertained whether congress
is authorized by the constitution to make any
form of paper money legal tender. The present
issue of United States notes has been sustained
by the necessities of war; but such
paper should depend for its value and
and its prompt redemption in coin at the will of
the holder and not upon its compulsory circula-
ton. These notes are not money, but promises
to pay money. If the holders demand it, the
promise should be kept. The refunding of the
national debt at lower rate of interest should
be accomplished without compelling the with
drawal of national bank notes, and thus dis
turbing the business of the country. I venture
to refer to the position have occupied on finan-
cial questions in long service in congress, and
to say that time and experience have strength
ened the opinions have so often expressed on
these subjects. The finances of the government
shall suffer no detriment which it may be posi-
BILE for my administration to prevent.
The interests of agriculture deserve more at
tention from the government than they have
yet received. The farms of the United States
afford homes and employment for more than
one-half of the people and furnish much the
largest part of our exports. AS the govern
ment lights our coasts for the protection of
mariners and the benefit of commerce, so should
it give to the tillers of the soil the
lights of practical science and experience. Our
manufactures are rapidly making us indus
independently duo OpcUuS W Cdp1Udl
and labor new and profitable fields of employ
ment. This steady and healthy growth should
still be maintained. Our facilities for trans
portatlon should be promoted by the
continued improvement of our harbors
and great interior waterways, and by the in
crease of our tonnage on the ocean.
The development of the worlds commerce
has led to an urgent demand for Shorten
ing the great sea voyage around Cape Horn,
by constructing ship canals or railways across
the Isthmus which unites the two continents.
Various plans to this end have been sug-
gested, and will need consideration, but
none of them have been sufficiently matnred
to warrant the United States in extending
pecuniary aid 1t is a subject which will i'm
mediately engage the attention of the govern
ment with view to the thorough protection of
American interests. We will urge no narrow
policy nor seek peculiar or exclusive privileges
in any commercial route, but in the language of
my predecessor L believe it to be. "The
right and duty of the United States
to assert and maintain such supervision
and authority over any inter-oceanic canal
across the isthmus that connects North and
South America as will protect our national in