Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-09


single handed.
The knowledge in business circles among our
own people that our government cannot make
its fat equivalent 20 intrinsic value. nor keep
Inferior money On a parity with superior money
by its own ind pendent efforts, has resulted
IN such a lack of confidence at home. in
the stability Of currency values that capital
refuses its aid to new enterprises while
millions are act Ially withdrawn from the
channels Of trade and commerce 20 become
idle and unprodUctive in the hands Of tinid
owners Foreign investors equally alert not
only decline 70 purchase American securities
but make haste 20 sacrifice those which they
already have IL does not meet the situation
70 say that app 7ehension in regard 10 the
future OF our finances IS grOundle>s and that
there Is no reas n for lack Of confidence
In the purposes u power Of the government IL
the premises The very existence Of this ap-
prehension and ack OF confidence. howeve-
caused. = ule:.afe - h:ck ought not tor mo
ment be disregaroed Possibly. If the Under
taking X have IN hand were the main
teEance o: specific known qIaC-:-v %
silver a. parity with gold. our ability %
do SO might os estimated and gs-ged, and
perhaps II view .; our unparalleled growth
and resources. might b favorably passed upon
But when our ave we'd eudeavor Is 70 caai2ta. I
such parity IN regard 70 an amount q silver
increasing a. the ate OF SjDODlOD yearly TtA
% fixed terrniLati IN 70 such Increase, 1t can
hardly be sid hat a problem :. Vrese1: I
The people Of the United States are entitled
to sound and stable currency and 10 money
recognized as such on every exchange ana in
every market OF tie world. Their government
periments opposed to the policy and practice
Of other civil Zed states nor is il
5gs5fiii g-. IN e. hitting an exaggerated
strength and ability 70 leOpardiZe the sound
ness OF the people money. This matter rises
above the plane, Of party politics It vitality
bt and I
every household in the land. There Is
one important aspect Q; the subject
overlooked At times ike the present. when
the evils OF unSOuni finance threaten rs. the
Spectator may anticipate harvest gathered
from the mlsfortuI Of others, the capitalist
may protect hImse by boarding or may ever
find profit in the iuctuation Of values; but the
wage-earRer-the first 70 be injured by a
the benefit of its correction practically de
tenseiess He relies for work upon the vent
urts OF confident and contented capital. This
ta-lng him his condition is without allevia
ton. Tor he can neither prey the misfort-
1res Of Others. ror hoard his labor. One OF
the greatest sta esmen our country has
known, speaking more than fifty years ago,
When deTangem mt OF the currency had
caused commercial distress said: The very
man Of al. others who has the deepest interest
IN sound currency and who suffers most by
ms 'hlevOus leglSla ion in money matters, Il
toll"
These words are pertinent now as on the day
they were uttered. and ought TO impressively
remind us that failure in the discharge OF
our duty AT this time must especially injure
those OF our cOuDtr-z -rI.e1 who labor, and who
becauSe OF ilr:r number and condition are en-
titled 70 the most wttChful care of their gov.
eminent II l. OF the utmost importance that
n S e fTfi a Gan AFFORD n the exist
He gives twice who gives quickly" is directly
applicable Ii may De true that the eInbar-
EASEMENTS from watch the business Of the
country Is suffering arise as much from evils
unprecedented a from those actually
existing. We may hope, too. that
calm cOunselS will prevail and that neither the
capitalists nor the wage earners will give way
10 unreasOnine panic and sacrifice their prop
erty or their lnteres under the influence of ex
Delay IN removing ole Of the plain and prin-
cipal causes of the p esent state of affairs en-
larges the mischief already done and increases
the respoLsl bllty OF the government for its ex-
lstence. Whatever else the people have a right
70 expect from col Zress they NAV certainly
demand that legislation condemned by the
ordeal OF three yetrs' disastrous experience
shall DC removed from the statute books as
soon as their representatives can legitimately
ceal with il.
II was my purposo TO summon congress in
specia! session early n the coming September
that we might enter promptly upon the work
OF tariff reform, which the true interests Of the
country clearly demi nd-which so large a ma
lority OF the people as shown by their suf-
TRACES, desire and expect and TO the accom-
administration Is pie iged But while tariff re
form has lost nothing Of its immediate and
permanent importan e. and must in the near
future engage the at eItlOn OF congress, il has
seemed 10 me that The financial condition OF
the country should a once and before all other
body
! earnestly recommend the prompt repeal OF
the provisions Of the act passed July Il 1890
authorizing the pure base of silver bullion and
that other legislative action NAV put beyond
all doubt or mistake the intention and the
ability OF the government TO I'll its pecuniary
obligations in money universally recog uized by
all civilized countries
(Signed) GROVER CLEVELAND
Executive Mansion, Aug. = 1893
There probably never was a message
read that was listened to with closer at
tention by all the senators, regardless of
their political affiliations, and the silver
men were particularly attentive. The
message was referred 10 the finance com
mittee at once ani the next order Of i'm
p0rtance was reached in the announcement
TINT hills rnnll my. he intrndrcnI