Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-08-17

United States will not be in position
to gain hearing in favor Of such ;rn
arrangement so long as we are willing
to continue our attempt to accomplish
the result singlc-handed.
The knowledge in business circles
among our own people that oar govern
ment cannot make its fiat equivalent to
intrinsic value, nor keep inferior money
on a parity with superior money, by Its
oMse3independcnt efforts has resulted in
sucR lack of confidence at home. in the
stability of currency values, that capital
refuses its aid to new enterprises. while
MILLIONS are actually withdrawn from the
chalnelS of trade and commerce. to be-
come idle and unproductive In the hands
of their tinid owners. Foreign investors,
equally alert not only decline to pur-
chase American securities, but make
haste to sacrifice those which they al
ready have 1t does not meet tn" Sltua-
ton to say that the apprehension III re-
gard to the future OF our tlnances Is
groundrss. and that there IS no reason
for lack of confidence i'll the purposes OF
power of the government in the premises.
The very existence of this apprehension
and lack of confidence. however caused,
IL Menace.
which ought not for Il moment to be dis
regarded. Possibly if the undertaking
we have in hand were the Dalnt;llnance
of Il specific, known quantity or SILVER
at parity with gold. our ability to do 50
might he estimated and gauEcd. and per
hups. in view of our unpnr;llIeu growth
and resources. might be tavorably passed
,lpon But when our avnwrd cnheavor
is TO maintain such parity i'll regard to
an amount of silver increasing at the rate
of $JO. 900. 900 yearly. with no fixed ter
mination to such increase. 1t can hardly
be said that a problem is presented whose
solution is free from doubt:
The people of the United tatcS are en-
titled to
Sound and Stable Currency
and to money recognized rs surf on c'-
cry exchange and in every market III the
world. Their government has no right
to injure them by financial experiments
opposed to the policy and practice of
other civilized states. nor is 1t JuStlilcd
in permitting an exaggerated AND un-
reasonable reliance on our national
strength and ability to. jcopardlzc the
soundnr>S Of the peoples, money. Inns
matter rises above the plane OF party
politics. 1t vitality concerns every bust
ness and calling and enters every house
hold in the land There is one important
aspect of the subj which especially
should never be overlooked.
LabOrinG Man the Sufferer.
At times like the present. when the
evils of unsound finance threaten us. the
Spectator may anticipate Il harvest
gathered from the miSfOrtuncS of others.
the capitalist may protect himself by
boarding or may even find profit IN the
tluctuationOf values: but the wage
Garner, the first to be injured by Il drprr-
c;atcd currency and the last to receive
the benefits of its correction. is practi-
cally ,lrfensccSS. He relies for work up
on the ventures of confident and content
ed capital. This failing him his conli-
ton is without alienation, for he can
neither prey on the misfortllncS OF others
ror hoard his labor. One of the greatest
statesmen our country has known. speak
ing more than fifty years ago when a
arrangement of the currency had caused
commercial distress. said:
''Thr very man of all others who has
the deepest interest in a sound currency
and who suffers by misrhieyous legisla-
ton in monetary matters is the man
who earns his daily bread by his daily
toll
These words are is pertinent now as
on the day they wcl" uttered and ought
to imprrSsivrly remind us that Il failure
in the discharge of our duty at this time
must especially injure those of our coun-
trym"n who labor. and who. because of
their number and condition, are entitled
TO the most wutchf-:l care of their gov
crnncnt. 1t is Of the utmost importance
that such relief as congress can afford il!
the existing situation be afforded at once.
The maxim. He gives twice who gives
quickly is directly applicable 1t may be
true that the embarrassment IRON which
the country is suffering arises as much
from evils apprehcndcI as from those
actually existing We may hope, too. that
calm colnScls will prevail. and that nei-
Their the capitalist nor the wage Garner
will give way to unrcaSonlng panic and
sacrifice their property or their interests
under the influence of exaggerated fears.
Nevertheless. every days delay in remov-
ing one of the present state of things en-
larges the mischief already done and in
crrascs the responsibility of the govern
mcnt for its existence. Whatever the peo-
plc have Il right to expect from congress.
they may certainly demand tllatlegisla
ton. condemned by the ordeal of three
years disastrous experience. Shall be re-
moved from the statute books as soon as
their representatives can legitimatcly
deal with it. 1t was my purpose to sum-
mon congress in special session early i'll
the comm. September that we might en-
ter promptly upon the work of tariff re-
form which the true interests of the
cOunry clearly demand. which so large Il
ma iOrity of the people rs shown by their
SURFACES desire ana cNnpcT. anu 10 the ;lc-
rompisbmcnt of which every effort of
the present administration is pledged.
But while tariff reform has lost nothing
of its immediate and permanent import
ance: and must in the near future en-
gage the attention of congress. it has
seemed to me that the financial condi-
ton of the country shoulr! at once and
before all other subjects. be considered
by your honorable body.
earnestly recommend the prompt re-
peal of til" provisions of tho act passed
July n. 1880. authorizing the purchase
of silver bnlliOn and that other lprisn-
five action may be put beyond all doubt
or mistake the intention and the ability
of tn" government to fulfill its nrcuniary
obligations in money universally reco.-
niZcl by all civilizcd countries.
GROVER CLEVELAND
Executive Mansion. Aug. I. 1893.