The Portland daily press., 1895-12-04
Conquer all Competition.
CHICkERING s. SONS.

rights and interests almost incalculable.
| Those who advocate bold and head
| long plunge to free coinage in the name
IF bilnetallim and protesting belief con-
trary to all experience that we could thus
establish double standard and a concur
rent circulation of both metals in our
coinage. are certainly reckoning from
cloudy standpoint. Our present standard
of value is the standard of the civilized
world and permits the only bimetallism
possible, or at least that is within the indie
! pendent reach of any single nation, how
ever powerful that nation may be. While
the value of gold as q standard is steadied
by almost universal commercial and busl-
ness use, it does not despise silver nor seek
its banishment. Wherever this standard
is maintained there is at it's side in free
and unquestioned circulation d volume of
silver currency sometimes eqCalling and
sometimes even exceeding it IN amount,
both maintained at a parity, notwlth
standing "a depreciation or ductuation in
the intrinsic value of silver. There is
vast difference between standard of val
uo and @ currency for menetery use. The
standard must necessarily be fixed and
certain The currency may be in diverse
forms and of various kinds. No silver
standard country has gold currency in
circulation; but an enlightened and wise
system of finance secures the benefits Of
both gold and silver and currencv as cir
stable and all other currency at par with
it. Such a system and such a standard
also gives free scope for the use and ex
pansion of safe and conservative credit, SO
/ indispensable to broad and growing COM
mercial transactions and so well substi-
! tuted for the actual use of money. If a
! fixed and stable standard is maintained
such as the magnitude and safety Of our
commercial transactions ana business re-
qu1re, the use of money itself is conven-
iently minimized. Every dollar of fixed
and stable value has through the agency
of confident credit an astonishing capac-
ity of multiplying itself in financial work.
Every unstable and huctuating dollar
fails as basis of credit and in its use be-
gets gambling speculation and under
mines the foundations of honest enter
prise.
have ventured to express myself on
| this subject with. earneStness and plain
ness of speech because cannot rid myself
of the belief that there turks in the propo-
Sition Tor the free coinage OF silver so
strongly approved and so enthusiastically
advocated by a multitude of my country
men, a serious menace to our prosperity
and az insiduous temptation to our peo-
Pile to wander from the allegiance they
owe to public and private integrity 1t is
because do not distrust the good faith
and sincerity of those who press this
scheme that l have imperfeotly but with
zeal submitted my thoughts upon tn1S
,nomentous subject. l can not refrain
from begging them to re-examine their
views and beliefs in the light OF patriotic
reason ana familiar experience, and to
weigh again and again the consequences
of such legislation as their efforts have
invited The continued agitation of the
subject adds greatly to the difficulties of
a dangerous financial situation already
forced upon us.
AN APPEAL TO CONGRESS.
In conclusion especially entreat the
peoples representatives in the Congress,
who are charged with the responsibility
of 1naugurating measures for the safety
and prosperity of orr common country
to promptly and effectively consider the
ills OF our critical financial plight. L
have suggested a remedy which my iudg-
ment approves. l desire, however, TO as
sure the Congress that l am prepared to
cooperate with them in perfecting any
other measure promising thorough and
practical relief, and that l Will gladly
labor with them in every patriotic Ell
daavor To further the interests and guard
the welfare of our countrymen whom in
our respective places OF duty we have UNI
dertaken to serve.
GROVER CLEVELAND,
Executive Mansion, Dec >, 1854