Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-09
WHAT OUR PEOPLE THINK.
Views of Richmond Bankers and Bier
chants on the Presidents Message.

The Presidents message was awaited
with great interest III commercial ana
financial circles here. and the skeIeton OF
IL bulletined by the DISPATCH yesterday
afternoon seemed to give decided saisfac-
tiOn to the crowds that gathered around
tho bulletin-board. The full contents OF
the document were not known, however,
until after business hours. and even then
n number of persons who were sought by
the DIsPArCH with "A view OF getting their
opinion regarding the paper, sall they
had not read 1t with that careiulness
which would Justify talking for pubiica-
ton. Others. however had carefully read
ana dIgested IT,
AN ADMIRABLE PAPER.
Mr.. Aubin Bouware. president of tho
First National Bank, when asked what he
thought of the message, said: II IS, IN
my Judgment en- admirable paper and
puts The whole situation in dlgnihed'
strong. and calm manner. L don't tnlnk
that Mr.. Cleveland could have said more
and did not expect him to say less"
MIR. l.. ID. Christian SAID: " 1t l. very
strong presentation OF the case, ana
coming from Mr. Cleveland will, ! think,
carry conviction. 1t speaks with no IN
certain sound and does not comphcate
matters
Major W. j. Johnson, president Of the
Citizens Bank, expressed himself as iOl-
lows: 1T is q splendid message and IS
right 10 the point. Ii you repeal the
Sherman act you will have within short
time as much money in circulation as you
had before the financial disturbance, Tor
the reason that confidence Will be re,
stored" Major Johnson further remarked
that the country was in hnc condition
commercially. He did not pretend TO say
that more currency was not needed, but
he thou0bt provision for the necessary
stable CURRENCY could be made hereafter.
on the other hand, it would not DO TO
have too much currency, for when money
took the place of checks and drafts and OF
the confidence III that method OF dong
business II would depreclate III Vaiuei
DIErCT TO TUE MAIN ISSUE.
Mr.. Gideon Davenport, of the firm Of
Davenport 4 Co., insurance and brokers,
sad the message went direct TO the nam
issue. and advised the immediate remedy
needed winch was the repeal OF the
Sherman act. As he understood 1t, Ar.
cleveland was wise in not obseurlng this
pOlnt with other accommodations.
CAPTAIN William Allison. OF tho firm OF
Allison ~ Addison, said he thought the
message fine document ana that u "ouid
have agood effect upon the business ot the
country and loosen up money.
AIr. Charles Watkins expressed the
opinion that the message was good
SENSE c.,
Mr. Silas Shelburne, proprietor of Shell
burne's Warehouse, thought the message
would have q good effect.
KFrFAL DOES NOT SETTLE.
Mr.. Lewis II. Blair said: The President
Is correct IN urging the repeal OF the Sher-
man law. There are, however, so many
causes for the present financial chaos 1t Iss
doubtful whether the repeal of one of
these causes will have the expected re-
suit. While repeal IS desirable 1t IS ques-
| tonablc whether repeal will shoot back
| wards or forwards. Repeal by no means
! settles the financial question"
MAJOR Fred Scott, Colonel William II.
Palmer. and Major JamesII. Dooley were
! s0u0ht by DfsPATCH reporters, but were
! ont OF town, and others whose views were
| desired could not be found.