Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-03-17
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
The following is President Cleve-
lands inaugural address, delivered
March 4, 1898
My BELLow CITIZENs-In obedi-
ence to the mandate Of my country
men, l AIN about to dedicate myself
to their service under the sanction of
a solemn oath. Deeply moved by the
expression Of confidence and personal
attachment which has called me TO
this service, / AIN sure my gratitude
can make no better return than the
pledge l now give, before God and
these witnesses, Of unrsserved and
complete devotion to the interests and
welfare of those who have honored
me. deem il fitting on this occasion,
while indicating the opinions hold
concerning public questions OF
present Importance, to also briefly
refer to the existence Of certain con
ditions and tendencies among our
people which seem to menace the in
tegrity and usefulness OF their gov
ernment.
While every American citizen must
contemplate with the utmost pride
and enthusiasm the growth and ex-
pansion ofour country, the sufIicisncy
Of our institutions to stand against
the rudest shocks of violence, the
wonderful thrift and enterprise Of
our people, and the demonstrated
superiority of our free government,
it Eehooves us 10 constantly watch
for every symptom of any insidious
infirmity that threatens our national
vigor The strong man who, in the
confidence Of sturdy health, courts
the sternest activities of life, and re-
joices in the hardihood Of constant
labor, may still have lurking in his
vitals the unheeded disease that
dooms him to sudden collapse. 1t
cannot be doubted that our stupen-
dous achievements as a people, and
our country's robust strength. have
given rise TO a heedlessness OF those
laws governing our national health
which we can no more evade than
human life can escape the laws OF
liod and nature.
A STABLE CURRENCY IS VITAL.
Manifestly nothing is more vital to
our supremacy as a nation, and to
the beneficent purposes Of our govern
ment, than a sound and stable cur
rency. It's exposure to degradation
should at once arouse to activity the
most enlightened craftsmanship;
aud the danger OF depreciation in the
purchasing power of the wages paid
to toll should furnish the strongest
incentive to prompt and conserva-
tive precautions.
In dealing with our present EN-
barrassing system rs related TO this
subject we will be wise if we temper
our confidence and faith in our ma
tional strength and resources with
the frank concession that even these
will not permit us to defy with i'm
punity the ineXorable laws Of finance.
At the same time, in our efforts to
adjust differences OF opinion, we
should be free from Intolerance or
passion, aud cur Judgments should
be unmoved by alIuring phrases and
unvexed by selfish interests.
| am confident that such an APP
proach to the subject will result in
prudent and effective remedial legis-
lation. In the meantime, so far as
the executive branch Of the govern
ment can intervene, none Of the
powers with which it is invested will
be withheld when their exercise is
deemed necessary to maintain our
national credit or avert financial dis
asteT.
TARIFF REFORM AGAIN ADVOCATED.
Closely related 10 the exaggerated
confidence in our country's greatness,
which tends to a disregard OF the
rules OF national safety, another
danger confronts us not less serious.
| refer to the prevalence OF a popular
to expect from the opera
ton of the government especial and
direct individual advantages. The
verdict of our voters, which con
demned the injustice OF maintaining
protection for protection sake, en-
joins upon the peoples servants the
duty Of exposing and destroying the
brood of kindred evils which are the
progeny OF paternalism.
This is the bane OF Republican institu-
tions. and the constant peril OF our
by the people.
1t degrades TO the purposes OF willy
craft the plan of rule our fathers es-
tablished aud bequeathed to us as an
object OF our love and veneration.
1t perverts the patriotic sentiment oi
our countrymen and tenpts them to
q pitiIul calculation OF the sordid
gain to be derived from the govern
ment's maintenance. 1t undermines
the self-relianee of our people, and
in its place dependence
upon governmental favoritism. 1t
stiles the spirit Of true Americanism,
and stupefies every ennobIiag trait OF
American citizenship. The lessons et
ought to be unlearned
and tie better lesson taught, that
nb;Ia +ba oaonIa should DAtriotically