Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-04-18
Answer to Chicago Business Mems Re
quest That He Be Present AT
Sound Money Demon
stration.

tality and kindness of the people of
Chicago, that my personal inclination
is strongly in favor of accepting your
flattering invitation; but my Judgment
and my estimate of the proprieties of
my official place oblige me 10 forego
the enjoyment of participating in the
occasion you contemplate.
hope, however, the event will mark
the beginning of an earnest and ag-
gressive effort to disseminate among
the people safe and prudent financial
ideas. Nothing more important can
engage the attention of patriotic citi-
zens, because nothing is so vital to
the welfare of our fellowcountrymen
and to the strength, prosperity and
honor of our nation.
The situation confronting us is de-
mand that those who appreciate the
importance of this subject and those
who ought to be the first to see i'm
pending danger should no longer re-
main indifferent or overcontident.
If the sound money sentiment
abroad in the land is to save us from
mischief and disaster it must be crys-
talized and combined and made i'm
mediately active. 1t is dangerous to
overlook the fact that large number
of our people with scant opportunity,
thus far, to examine the question in
all its aspects, have nevertheless been
ingeniously pressed with specious
suggestions, which in this time of
misfortune and depression find will
ling listeners, prepared to give cred
ence to any scheme which is plausibly
presented as a remedy for their nm
fortunate condition. What is now
needed more than anything else is a
plain and simple presentation of the
argument in favor of sound money.
In other words it is a time for the
American people to reason together
as members of a great nation which
can promise them a continuance of
protection and safety only so long as
its solvency is unsuspected and honor
unsullied and the soundness of it's
money unquestioned. These things
are i'll changed for the Illusions of a
debased currency and groundless hope
of advantages to be gained by a dis
regard for our financial credit and
commercial standing among the ma
tions of the world.
If our people were isolated from all
others and if the question of our cur
rency could be treated without regard
to our relations to other countries, its
character would be q matter of COM
paratively little Importance. If the
American people were only concern
ed in the maintenance of their pre-
cious life among themselves they
might return to the old days of barter
and in this primitive manner acquire
from each other the materials to sup
ply the wants of their existence. But
If American civilization were satisfied
with this it would abjectly fall in it's
high and noble mission.
In these restless days the farmer is
tempted by the assurance that though
our currency may be debased, re-
dundant and uncertain, such situa
ton will improve the price of his pro-
ducts. Let us remind him that he
must buy as well as sell; that his
dreams of plenty are shaded by the
certainty that if the price of the things
he has to sell is nominally enhanced,
the cost of the things he must buy will
not remain stationary; that the best
prices which cheap money proclaims
are unsubstantial and elusive and
that even if they were real and pal
pable, he must necessarily be left far
behind in the race for their enjoy
ment.
1t ought not to be difficult to con-
vince the wage Garner that if there
were benefits arising from a degener-
ated currency they would reach him
least of all and last of all. In an un-
healthy stimulation of prices an in
creased cost OF all the needs of his
home must belong his portion, while
he is at the same time vexed with
vanishing visions of increased wages
and an easier lot. The pages of his
tory and experience are full of this
lesson.
An insidious attempt is made to
create a prejudice against the advo-
Gates of safe and sound currency by
the insinuation, more or less, directly
made, that they belong to financial
and business classes, and are, there
fore, not only out of sympathy with
the common people of the land, but
for selfish and wicked purposes are
willing to sacrifice the interests of
those outside their circle.
| believe that capital and wealth,
through combination and other means,
gain an undue advantage;
and it must be conceded that the
of sound currency may,
i'll a sense be invested with a greater
or less Importance to individuals, ac-
cordiDg to their condition and circum-
stances.
1t is, however, only a difference in
degree, since it is utterly impossible
that anyone in our broad land, rich or
poor, whatever may be his occupa-
ton, and whether dwelling in center
of finance and commerce, or in re-
mote corner of our domain, can be
readily benefited by financial scheme,
not alike beneficial to all our people,
or that anyone should be excluded
from a common and universal interest
in safe character and value of the
currency of the country.
In our relation to this question we
are all in business, for we all buy and
sell; so we all have to do with finan-
cial operations, for we all earn money
and spend it. We cannot escape our
Merchants and deal
ers are in every neighborhood, and
each has its shops and manufactures. |
the wants OF man exist,
business and finance in some degree
are found, related in one direction to
those whose wants they supply, and in |
another TO the more extensive bust
ness and finance to which they are