The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-02-01
TUE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The President 5 message to Congress is
SO strong. SO clear and SO earnest. it is inn
possible to believe that it will fail in eff
feet As he truthfully says, no party can
expect to promote its interests by permit
ting disaster to come upon the people, nor
can it be ina gined that men with any pro-
fession of patriotism will continue to al
low their preconceived ideas of financial
policy to interfere with united action in
an emergency like this.
1t is worse than foolish, it is criminal, to
pirate about the revenue laws, when it is
not deficiency of revenue, but simply Il
distrust of the ability of the government
to maintain its currency on the gold stand
ard, that has brought about the present
crisis. The surplus of nearly $4,000, 600
in the Treasury is ample for any immedi-
ate demand to meet the expenses of the
government, bnt the process of convert
ing Treasury notes into gold, which has
now assumed the proportions of a run"
can only be stopped when the assurance is
given that the supply of gold in the Treas
ury cannot be exhausted
If Congress had acted promptly upon
the recommendations made by the Presi-
dent in his annual message it is probable
that this crisis would have been avcrted.
IL
measure of relief that accelerated the pres
ent drain of the gold reserve, and prompt
action now is imperativelv required to
avert the entire exhaustion of the reserve,
and the suspension of gold payments,
with all its inevitable consequences of
financial disturbance and disaster
To some extent the Presidents message
will in itself have steadyin" effect, since
it shows that so far as the authority of
the Executive can extend. it will be exert
ed in defense of the national credit: but
anv measures taken under the existing
laws. whereby the obligations of the Treas
urv are returned again and again to be paid
over and over. can at best he only palli-
ative. 1t is the duty of Congress at once
to provide that the notes once redeemed
shall be cancelled. and to accomplish this
an issue of bonds is essential which
should be authorized upon the lines pro-
vidcd in the Srin=er bill Their place
would be readily supplied by an increased
use of silver certificates of small drnom-
nations. and when Il revival of trade
should call for an increased volume Of
currency the new bonds would form IL
basis for an addition to the national bank
circulation to meet all natural demands
The Springer bill seems to provide eX-
actly the legislation that is required at
this time. and it ought to be passed at
once. 1t will bc opposed Nv the silver
extremists, VINO are persistenily seeking
the substitution of silver for gold as the
single basis or monetary system. but for
that very reason it should all the more
receive the earnest support of every friend
of honest money. Let honest and patriotic
Republicans join with honest and patrio-
tic Democrats to pass this bill without
delay. BY doing so grave financial
crisis may be averted. Failure So to
unite can bring only disaster to the
country, and the people will not fail to
recognize where the just responsibility
will lie-PhiIadelphia Times.