The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-04-18
President Cleveland
Writes on Finance.
His Reply to the Chicago
Business Hen.
No One Nation Can Fix
the World S Currency.
S0UNDNESS OF OUR
MONEY MUST BE UN-
QUESTIONED
The Fight Lies Between
Safe Currency and Sill
yer MonOmetalism
The letter in Full.

Special Lispateh to Commercial Gazette.
WASHINGTON. April 14.-President
Cleveland has written the Chica 90
/ Committee which invited him to at
tend a reception in that city in honor
of his stand for sound money, declin-
ing to come. Mr.. Cleveland in his
reply discusses the money question
at great length,
Following is the text of President
Clevelapd's reply.
EXECUTIVE MANSION"
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 13.
"To Messers. VIM. T. Baker,
George W. Smith, John A. Roche, I.
W. Harvey, David Kelly and Henry
S. Robbins:
"Gentlemen-I am much gratiiied
by the exceedingly kind and compli
mentary invitation you have rendered
me on behalf of the many citizens of
Chicago to be their guest at a gather
ing in the interest of sound money
and wholesome financial doctrine.
My attachment to this cause is so
great, and ] know so we'll the hospi-
tality and kindness of the people Of
Chicago, that my personal inclina-
ton is strongly in favor of accepting
your flattering invitation, but my
judgement and my estimate of the
proprioties of my official place oblige
me to forego the enjoyment of par
ticipating in the occasion you contem-
plate.
AGGREssIveNEss ADVISED.
81 hope, however, the event will
mark the beginning of an earnest and
aggressive effort to disseminate
among the people safe and prudent
financial ideas Nothing more i'm
portant can engage the attention of
patriotic citizens, because nothing is
so vital to the welfare of our fellow
countrymen, and to the strength, pros
perity and honor of our Nation. The
situation confronting us demands
that those who appreciate the impor-
tance of this subject, and those who
ought to be the first to see impending
danger, should no longer remain in
different or over confident.
eff the sound money sentiment
abroad in the land is to save US from
mischief and disaster, it must be crys-
tallized and combined and made i'm
mediately active. 1t is dangerous to
overlook the fact that vast number
of our people, with scant opportuni-
ties thus far to examine the question
in all its aspects, have, nevertheless,
been ingepiously pressed with spa
cious suggestion which, in this time of
misfortune and depression, find will
ing listeners, prepared to give Gre
dence to any scheme which is plausi-
bly, presented as a remedy for their
unfortunate condition.
WHAT Is NEEDED
"What is now needed more than
anything else is plain and simple
presentation of the argument in favor
of sound money. In other words, it
is time for the American people to
reason together as members of a grea
Nation, which can promise them a
continuance OF protection and safety
only SO long as its solvency is unsus-
pected, its honor unsullied and the
soundness of its money unquestioned.
These things are ill exchanges for
the illusions of a debased currency,
and groundless hope of advantages
to be gained by disregard of our f.
nancial credit and commercial stand
ing among the nations of the world.
"If our people were isolated from all
Others, and if the question of our cur
rency could be treated without re gard
to our relations to other countries, ifs
character would be a matter of COM
paratively little Importance. If the
American people were only concerned
in the maintenance of their physical
life among themselves, they might
return to the old days of barter, and
in this primitive manner acquire from
each other the materials TO supply the
wants of their existence. But if
American civilization were satisfied
with this it would abjectly fail in its
high and noble mission.
THE FARMER Is TEMPTED.
sIu these restless days the farmer
is tempted by the assurance that
though our currency may be debased,
redundant and uncertain, such sit
uation will improve the price of his
products. 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 en-
hanced, tie cost of the things he !
must buy will not remain stationary; |
that the better prices which cheap
money proclaims are unsub bstantlal
and elusive. and that even IL they