Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-04-18
OUR CURRENCY.
President Cleveland Writes a Let
Tor ON the Money Question.
TIE SITUATION CONFRONTING Us.


qais Support the Working
man Would suffer
CHICAGO, April lS.-The citizens who
invited President Cleveland to come
here and address q meeting on the
monetary question have received the
following letter on the subject:
Tokessss. william T. Baker George ". Smith,
John A. Roche, 7. W. Harvey. David Kelly
aad Henry 8 Robbins.
Executive Mansion. Washington, April lS.-
Qentlemen an much gratlfed by the ex-
ceedinsly kind spd complimentary invitation
YOU have rendered me On behalf Of many cltl-
sens Of Chicago 70 b their guest Ut gathering
Ia ~ interest Of sound money and wholesome
nnAaeial doctrine My attachment to this cause
hso great and know 20 well tho hospitality
and Kindness 81 tho people Of Chicago that
my personal iaclnstion Is strongly 10 favor
Of soospsing your flattering invitation but
ny Judgment and estimate OF the proprieties
d ny odlcial place oblige me TO forogo the
enjoyment Of participating In the occasion YOU
contemplate thope, however, the event Will
mark the beginning Of ~ earnest and agrees
sIye effort 70 disseminate among the people
ssfe and prudent financial ideas Nothing
more important can engage tho attention OF
patriotic citizens. because nothing Is so VITAL
to tho welfare Of our el)ow-countrymen and TO
Tho strength, prosperity and honor Of our M
tion
fhs situation confronting Us demands mat
those who appreciate the Importance o. ms
subject and shose who ought 10 be first 70 see
impending danger should no longer remain IN
different or overoonfdent. II the SOUND
money sentiment abroad Ii the land Is 70 save
u from mischief and disaster, 1t must DO crys-
tallized end combined aud made Immediately
active, II Ia dangerous To overlook the lact
that vast number Of our people With seant
opportunity, thus for, to examine the question
Ia oil Ito aspects. have nevertheless been IN
genlously pressed with speclous suggestions
which 10 this time Of misfortune and deprcs-
sion fnd willing listeners prepared TO give
crsdsnoe to any scheme which Is plausioly
presented - remedy for their unfortunate
condition.
What 10 now needed more than anything else
Is plain and simple presentation OF the aERn-
meut In favor Of sound money In other words
II Il . time for the American people to reason
tossthsr ~ members Of a great nation which
oan nrorniea them a continuance Of protection
ana ssfetv oniv 40 long A. It's solycncy IL un-
suspectad III honor unsulled and the sound
ness az lts money unouestioned. These things
Are III exohsnsed for tho Illusions Of debascd
currency and sroundless hope Of advantages to
he rainad nv a disrecard OF our financial
credit and commercial standing among the
nations ~ TIA world
II onr neonie ware isolsted from oil others
and II the question Of our currency could be
troated vithout reuard TO our relations 10 other
countries its character would be matter Of
romparativelv little Importance. II the
Amerioan usonle were only concerned In the
maintennnoo ~ their precious life among
themselves thev might return to the old days
NJ hartar ana IN thIs primitive manner acquire
,rom aach other the materials 10 supply the
wants NJ THAR axlstence. Hut II American
civlli,ation werc satisfied with this II would
ah,sctlv al, in Its hiuh and noble mission.
In thsse rastiess davs the farmer ia tempted
nv ina assurance that though our currency
NAV ha dehnscd. redundant md uncertain.
such A situation viii imuroye tho price Of his
products. Let us remind him that he must
buy az veil AZ sell; that his dreams Of plenty
ara .hsded nv tina cartainty that II tho price Of
tha thInoa hs has Ia sall il nomIualy enhanced
tha cost NJ tho things he must buy will not re-
main stationary. that tho host prices which
chean monev nroclnims are unsubstantIal and
eiusive and that eyen II thew were real and
nalnahlc' he must necessarily be left far b.
bind In Tho raco FOR their enjoyment,
n ouvht moi 10 be dl0lcult TO convince the
ware-earner that II thore were benefits arising
from dauenerated currency they would reach
him least az nil and last of all In an un-
henlthv stimulatIon OF prices an Increased cost
az iii needs al his home must belong to hts por-
ton while ne Is at the same time vexed with
vanishing visions OF Increased wages and an
easier lot. The pages Of history and experience
ara full Of this lesson An insidIous attempt
ia made to create prejudice against the adyo.
Gates Of safc and sound currency by tho iu-
sinuation. more or less directly made, that
thev helonu To financial and business classes
and are therefore not only out of sympathy
with the common peoplo OF the land, but for
selfish and wicked purposes nre Willing to
sacrifice tina interests OF those outside their
circle.
I belieye that capital and wealth, through
oombnation and other means, sometimes gaiu
an undue advantage. and It must be conceded
that the maintenance Of d sound currency may,
in sense, be invested with a greater or less
inheritance to individuals according to their
eonditlou and circumstances. II ia, how
aver. only n difference in derreo. since
II IA utterly impossible that anyont
In our broad land rich or moor
whatever NAV bo his OCCUPATION and whether
dwelling in n oenter OF finance and commerce
or in A remote corner Of our domain cnn be
really benefited by a financial scheme, uo,
alihc benencIaI To nil our peonle. ar TINT anv
ono should be excluded from, n common and
universal interest in tho safe charncter and
stable value Of tho currency Of tho country.
In o,r RELATION To this question we nre MI in
busincsa for We MI Inv and seli, "a ,ve NIL
hnvc IN do with financial onerntions for we MI
earn monev and sncnd IL Wa cannot osca No
eur inter.depondonco, MERCHANTS and dealers
ara in eyery neiuhborhood and each has IN
shops and rnunuiact ,rles, Wherever ,ho wants
~ man exiSl business and finance in soma IA.
sreo ara found related in ono direction Ia those
whose wants they SUNNY. and In nno,her IN ,hs
mora extensive business and tlnanco tn which
tucy hre Tributary huVtuhllOH IN prices
Ut the seaboard Is known tho same day or