Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-04-18

Chicago, April 16.-The following is
the text Of President Cleyeland's reply
10 the Chicago committee:
q Executive Mansion, Washington,
April l.. To Messrs William T. Ba
ker, George ". Smith, John A. Roche,
I. w. Harvey, David Kelly and Hen
ry S Robbins. Gentlemen:-I am
much gratiIied by the exceedingly kind
and complimentary invitation you have
rendered me ON behalf OF many citi-
zens Of Chicago to he their guest at
a gathering III the interest of sound
money and wholesome financial doc
trine. My attachment to this cause is
so great, and | kl)W SO we'll the hos
pitality and Kindness of the people of
Chicago, that my personal inclination
is strongly in favor of accepting your
fiattering invitation, but my judgment
and my estimate Ct the proprietieS of
my official place oblige me to fOrego
the enjoyment of participating in the
occasion you contemplate.
Il hope, however, the event will
aggressive effort to disseminate among
the people safe and prudent financial
ideas. Nothing more important can en-
gage the attention of patriotic citi-
Zens, because nothing is SO vital to the
welfare of our countrymen and to the
strength, prosperity and honor of our
nation. The situation confronting us
demands 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 overconfident.
''If 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 q vast number
of our people with scant opportunity,
thus far, to examine the question in
all it's aspects have nevertheless been
ingeniously pressed with specious sug-
gestions, which i'll this time of mis-
fortune and depression find willing
listeners, prepared to give credence to
any scheme which is pIausibly pre-
scented as a remedy for their ulnfortu-
nate condition.
What is now needed more than any
thing else IS Il plain and simple pres
entatiOn of the argument in favor of
sound money. In other words, it is
time for the American people to rea-
son together as members of a great ma
ton which can promise them con-
tinuance of protection and safety only
SO long as its solvency is unsupported,
its honor unsullied and the soundness
of its money unquestioned. These
things are i'll exchanged for the illu-
sions OF Il debased currency and
groundleSS hope of advantages to be
gained by disregard of our financial
credit and commercial standing among
the nations of the world.
If our people We're isolated from al
others and if the question of our cur
rency could be treated without regard
to our relations to other countries, it's
character would be Il matter of COM
paratively little Importance. If the
American people were only concerned
in the maintenance of their precious
life among themselves they might re
turn 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 il
American civilization were satisfied
with this it would abjectly fail in its
high and noble mission.
In these restless days the farmer
is tempted by the assurance that
though our currency may be debased
redundant and uncertain, such a stu
alton will improve the price of its
products. Let us remind him that he
must buy as we'll as sell; that his
dreams of plenty are shaded by the
certainty that il the price OF the things
he has 10 sell is nominally enhanced,
the cost of things he must buy will
not remain stationary; that the best
prices which cheap money proclaims
even if they were real and palpable he
must necessarily be left far behind in
the race for their enjoyment.
1T ought not to be difficult to con-
vince the wage Garner that if there
We're benefits arising from a degen-
Grated currency they would reach him
least of all and last of all. In an I'M
healthy stimulation of prices an in
creased cost of all the needs of his
home must surely be his portion, while
he is AT the same time veXed with van
fishing visions of increased wages and
an easier lot The pages Of history
and experience are full Of this lesson.
An insidiouS attempt is made to ere
ate prejudice against the advOca ties
Of safe and sound currency by the
inSinuatiOn, more or less directly made.
that they belong to financial and bus
mess classes and are therefore not only
out of sympathy with the common peo-
pie of the land, but for selfish and
wicked purposes are willing TO sacri-
fee the interests of those outside their
circle.
Il believe that capital and wealth.
through combination and other means
sometimes gain an undue advantage,
and it must be conceded that the main
tenance of a sound currency may. in a
sense, be invested with a greater or
less Importance to individuals accord
ing to their condition and circum-