The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-03-05
THE SILVER DOLLAR.
Mr.. Cleveland's Views on the Continua
ton of Silver Coinage.

CIeSclanO's views on the COntfnuA-
tion OF silver Coinage.
ALBANY, y. Y, February 2s.-The fol-
lowing is the reply addressed by President
elect Cleveland to the silver coinage advo-
Gates in Congress:
To Hon. A. J. Warner and Others Members
of the Forty-eighth Congress-:
GENTLENEN:-The letter which have bad
the honor to receive from you invites, and
indeed, oblges me to give expression to
some grave public necessities, although in
advance of the moment when they would be-
come objects of my official care and partial
responsibility. Your sohcitude that nv
Judgment shal have been carefully aud de-
liberately formed is entirely just, and | ac-
cept the suggestion in the same friendly
spirit in which il has been made. IL is also
fully justified by the nature of the financial
crisis which, under the operation of
ISIS. is now close at hand. BY compliance
with the requirements OF that law
all the vaults of the Treasury have been
and are heaped full of silver coins. which are
now worth less than eighty-five per cent. of
"A gold dollar prescribed as the unit OF
value" in section Il of the act of Febru-
arY L. 1913, and which with silver certificates
representing such coin are receivable tor al
public dues. Being thus receivable, while
also constantly increasing in quantity at the
rate of S2S.001.OJ0 year. IL has followed of
necessity, that the flow of gold into the treas
ury had been steadily diminished. Silver
and silver certificates have displaced and are
now diSplacing gold, and the sum of gold in
the Federal Treasury now available Tor the
payment of gold obligation of the United
States and for the redemption of United
States notes called "greenhackS." if not al
ready encroached upon. is perloU<lv near
such cncrOachment. These facts, while they
do not admit of difference OF opinion. call
for argument. They have been forwarded
| to us in the official reports of every
TIL now. They are plainly affirmed
in the last December report of the
present Secretary to the Speaker of the pres
eat House of Representatives They appear
in the official documents of this Congress
and in the records of the New York Clearing
House. of which the Treasury is a member.
and through which the bulk of the receipts
and payments of the Federal Government
and country pass. These being the facts of
our present condition, our danger and our
| duty to avert that danger would seem TO be
/ plain. | hope YOU concur with me and with
| the majority of our fellow citizens in deem
| ing it most desirable at the present juncturc
| to maintain and continue in use the mass of
/ our gold coin. as well as the mass of silver
/ already coined. This is possible by the pres
| ent suspension of purchase and coinage OF
| silver. | am not aware that by any other
method il is possible. 1t Is of mo-
/ mcntOuS Importance to prevent the
| two metals parting company; to pre-
! vent increasing the displacement or
| gold by increasing the coinage OF silver; TO
| prevent the disuse of gold in the custom
| houses of the United States in the daily busi-
ness of the people; to prevent the ultimate
] q a)ulSlOn pl EOlu bN SilNtl a
/ crisis these events would certainly precipi-
/ tate were il now to follow on so long n pc
| 'iOd of commercial depression. would in
! olive the people of every city and every
| tate in the Union in IL prolonged and dis
| astrouS trouble. The revival of business.
| enterprise and prosperity SO ardently de-
| sired and apparently so near would be hope
| leSSlv postponed. Gold would be withdrawn
| To its boarding place. and an unprece-
| dentcd contraction in the actual vol
| Ime of our currency would speedily take
! place. The saddrSt of all in every workshop,
| mill, factory, store and on every riIilrOUd and
| larIr, the wages of labor already depressed
| viii suffer still greater depression by the
| sealing down of the purchasing power OF
| every SO-Callcd dollar pa Il INTO the hand of
| toll From these impending c;lamitiCS II =
| surely the most putr;o:ic and grateful duty
J of representatives of The people to deliver
them. ! am. gentlemen. ". tn sincere respect
| YOUR fellow citizen. GROVER CLEVELAND.
| ALBANY. February II, lSNj.