Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-09-29
PRESIDENTS LETTER.
nENJAMIN HARRISON ON THE ISSUES
OF THE DAY.
Advantages OF Reciprocity and Pro-
lection Shown = Forcible Discus
sion OF the Tariff-A Firm
Stand Against Free
Coinage.

from public duties TO respond to the Motif
cation which you brought to me on June 20
on the nomination of President of the
United States by the Republican National
convention held at Minneapolis. accept
the nomination and am grateful for the
approval expressed by the convention of
the acts Of the administration. / have en-
deavored without wavering, so far as tie
direction of public affairs was committed
to me, 10 carry out the pledges made to the
people in 1888 II the policies of the adj
ministration have not been distinctively
and progressively American and Republic
can policies, the fault has not been in the
purpose but in the execution. / shall
speak frankly of the legislation Of congress
and the work of the executive depart
ments, for the credit of any successes that
have been attained is in such measure due
to others, senators and representatives and
to the efficient heads Of the several execu-
tive departments, that may do so without
improperly. A vote of want of conf
dence is asked by our adversaries, and this
challenge TO a review of what has been
done we promptly and gladly accept.
The great work of the Fifty-first con-
gress has been subjected to the revision of
a Democratic house of representatives and
the acts of the executive department to its
scrutiny and investigation. A Democratic
national administration was succeeded by
Republican administration and the fresh
ness Of the events gives unusual facilities
for fair comparison and judgment. There
has seldom been a time, think, when a
change from the declared policies of the
Republican to the declared policies of the
Democratic party involved such serious re-
suits to the business interests of the coun-
try. A brief review of what has been
done and Of what the Democratic party
proposes to undo will justify this opinion.
NATIONAL CURRENCY.
The Republican party, during the civil
war, devised a national currency consist
ing of United States notes, issued and re-
deemable by the government, and of
national bank notes based upon the Sc
curity of United States bonds. A tax was
levied upon the issues of state banks and
the intended result that all such issues
should be Withdrawn was realized. There
are men among us now who never saw
state bank note The notes furnished d.
rectly or indirectly by the United States
have been the only and the safe and accepta-
bic paper currency of the people. Bank
failures have brought no fright, delay or
loss to the billholders. The note of an in
solvent bank SIS good ard as current as
treasury note, for the credit of the
United States is behind it. Our money is
alI- 4 81.
ternational, for these bills are not only
equally and Unfortunately accepted at
par In all states but in some foreign coun-
tries.
The Democratic party, if entrusted with
the control of the government, Is now
pledged to repeal the tax on state bank is
sues, with view to putting into clrcula-
ton again, under such legislation as the
state may adopt, a flood Of local bank is
sues. Only those who in the years before
the war experienced the inconvenience
and losses attendant upon the use of such
money can appreciate what return to
that system involves. The denomination
OF bill was then often no indication of its
value. The Bank DetectOr of yesterday
was not safe guide to-day as to credit or
values. Merchants deposited several times
during the day-leSt the hour of bank
closing should show depreciation of the
money taken in the morning. The trav-
eler could not use in journey to the East
the issues of the most solvent banks of the
West; and In consequence money chang
erS Office was the familiar nelghbOr of the
ticket office and the lunch counter. The
farmer and the lab0rer found the money
received for the products of their labor de-
preciated when they came to make their
purchases, and the whole business of the
country was hlndered and burdened.
Changes may become necessary, but Ma
tionai system of currency-safe and ac-
Aceptable throughout the whole country is
the good fruit of bitter experiences, and
hm sure our people will not consent to the
teactionary PROPOSAL made by the Demo
cratic party.
OCEAN COMMERCE.
lFew subjects have elected more discus
Sen or excited more general interest than
lat OF recovery by the United States of
Inappropriate share of the ocean carry
inAtrade. This subject touches not only
ounpockets but our national pride. Prac-
tlcally all charges for transporting to
Europe the enormous annual supplies of
provisions furnished by this country and
for the large return of manufactured pro-
ducts have for many years been paid to
foroIgh shipOwners. Thousands of inn
migrants annually, seeking homes under
our nag, have been denied the sight of II
creasing thousand Of American citizens,
Dent upon European travel, have each wear
stepped into foreign jurisdiction at the
New YORK docks. Tho merchandise bal
ance OF trade which the treasury books
show, Is largely reduced by the annual
tribute which we pay for freight and pas
sage moneys. The great ships-the fast
est upon the sea-whlch are now i'm peace
protitlng by our trade, are in secondary
sense war ships of their respective govern
ments and In time of war would, under ex-
listing contracts with those governments,
speedily take on the guns for which their
decks are already prepared and enter with
terrible efficiency upon the work of de-
stroyinR our commerce. The undlsputed
fact Is that the great steamship lines of
Europe were built up and are now IN part
sustained by direct or indirect government
aid, the latter taking the form of liberal
pay for carrying the mails or of an annual
bonus given IN consideration of agreements
TO construct ships so as to adapt them for
carrying an armament and to turn them
over to the government on demand upon
specified terms.
1t was plain to every intelligent Amer
lean that II the United States would have
such lines, a similar policy must be entered
upon. II , FiftY-first congress enacted
such law, and under its benefcent in
nsas 80.