The morning call., 1891-10-23
OHIO CAMPAIGN.
Speech Of Secretary Foster at a
Republican Meeting.
Democratic Scheme to Elect Presidential
Electors by Districts.
Benefit Of the Mckinley Law Reciprocity
POliCy-FalSe Assertions Of the COndl-
tiOn Of the National Treasury.
Epecial TO THE MORNING CALI

FINDLAY (Ohio), Oct. %. - Secretary Of
the Treasury Foster made his first speech
for the Republicans in the Ohio campaign
al the Wigwam in this city tonight About
5000 people listened to the speech and fire.
quently interrupted the Secretary with
vocferous cheering. The Secretary devoted
some time to Democratic gerrymanders in
the various States and particularly their
scheme, newly introduced in Michigan, to
elect Presidential Electors By Congressional
districts. II successful in Iowa. Ohio and
New York this fall they will INTRODUCES the
same plan in those States; thus, although
those States give a Republican majority,
two-thirds of the electors would be Demo-
Gratis. Thus the solid South and Tammany
Hall, although largely in the minority,
would rule the country under forms OF law.
"How long could free institutions endure
this %
The Secretary devoted much attention to
the dangers of free and unlimited coinage
of silver. His Investigations lead him to
believe that there is in European countries
more than two hundred million dollars of
silver, TO say nothing of the hordes in
Mexico and South America, that would
come to this country the moment we were
ready to pay 81 30 per ounce for it. We
could not maintain ourselves against such
an enormous strain and would soon be
placed by the side of Mexico and Asiatic
countries, with currency tluctuating in
value and with an eVer-increasing down.
ward tendency. Let no one delude himself
into the belief that the world would not
deluge US with silver. The Secretary said
the Republican party has, in his opinion,
gone as far as prudence will permit in the
matter Of silver legislation. He has made
in a quiet way careful Investigation of the
feeling of foreign countries upon the sub
jeet of an International agreement between
them and our country, by which gold and
silver, upon some acceptable basis, can be
maintained at parity. have but little
hesitancy in saying" he added, that but
for the fear existing abroad as to public
sentiment in this country an international
agreement might soon be reached. The
success of the Democratic party in Ohio this
fall means that unlimited free coinage will
be the platform of tnat party in 1882 and
Democratic success in the national cleo
tion means that this country must
go on a silver bas g. Let US con-
tinue TO pursue the Republican pol
ley OF conservatism. Let US convince
Europe that we ara not going on the silver
standard. My word for it, whenever Eu-
rope is convinced we will not adopt policy
of free and unlimited coinage, or in other
words that we will not place ourselves upon
a silver basis, we will be able to come to
some agreement for the better use Of silver,
if net at once to come 10 an international
agreement by which parity of the TWO
metals upon an agreed rate may be main
taned"
Secretary Foster dwelt at length on the
Mckinley law, citing statistics TO reiute
Democratic assertions, etc. lie asserted
that the first five years Of the Mckinley law
will show an increase of more than SlO00O
COO paid in wages to our people, with cor
responding home market for the produce OF
our farmers. He also warmly eulogized the
reciprocity policy.
Turning to the condition of the Treasury,
the Secretary spoke of the stories OF
"critics on the other side during the past
year; about their assertions that various
payments could not be met; how the con-
veTtlng OF bonds was sign Of bankruptcy,
etc, and how their assertions had been re-
futed. "By the conversion of bonds We
have illustrated that this country enjoys the
highest credit of any nation on the earth.
We prevented the withdrawal of S23O00,000
Of National Bank notes, in fact added
nearly S5,000,000 of these notes tn the curren-
cy. We have taken and will take $50, coo, 900 OF
money out of the Treasury to pay
non-extended bonds, which. added to about
S27O, 100000 paid out for bonds by my pre-
decessor, Mr. Window, makes the enormous
total of about $500, 100000 paid out of the
Treasury in cash since the administration
of President Harrison began. With this
money there has been and Will be Cancelled
over S259,000,G00 OF the bonded debt, and
notwithstanding all this we still have
left sufficient sum to disarm all fear OF an
empty Treasury. 1t has been falsely
charged that the Secretary instructed his
subordinates to delay settlements and in
every conceivable manner avoid the pay
menu of money out OF the Treasury, so
anxious are they to convince the country of
the extravaganza of the billion dollar Con-
grrss.' No such order was given and my sub
ordinates will SO testify. By attention TO
the needs of the country we have also been
able to furnish the West and South with
small bills at cheap rates, to the full extent
of their wants, and in quantity perhaps
d0uble the amount ever before sent"
Tie Secretary spoke )f the unique sys-
TEN Of bookkeeping" made use OF by the
Democrats when they had control OF the
Treasury, by which the Treasury was shown
10 possess much larger sum of money than
IL did. This method was changed TO style
that is perfectly fair and ineligible, yet
the critics charge me with the juggling of
figures. If the Democrats could convince
the people that they are on the verge of
bankruptcy; that new industries, like tin
plate, cannot be made a success in this cOun-
try, and that the Treasury is bankrupt,
they would be in heaven of delight. The
Republican party breaches the doctrine of
hope and not OF calamity and despair 1t
does not delight in the unpatriotic occupa-
tion of deriding the Cabinets of our people
or of falsifyng facts in regard to the inan-
cial condition of the Treasury"
In conclusion Secretary Foster euogZed
the administration of President Harrison,
aud expressed confidence In the election of
Major Mckinley.
WITHOUT PRECEDENT.