The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-25
CLEVELAND NOT THERE.
But He Writes in His Placid
Style on Sound, Safe"
Money.
SAYS IT rs TIME TO PROTEST.
Senator Hill and COMPTROLLER EckIes
Also Raise Their Voices for
Their Party.

NEW YORK, N. Y, May 24.-At to-
days session of the Democratic Editorial
Association of New York, resolutions were
| adopted that the Democratic press of this
State pledge itself to oppose any legisla-
ton looking to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver. There was only one
negative vote.
The stay of the Democratic editors came
to an end tonight, when a banquet was
rendered them at Delmonico's. Colonel
William Brown was POSTMASTER. He in
troduced John A. Mason, who thanked the
Democrats of Gotham for their hospitality
% the visitors. Mr.. Mason then read a
letter from President Cleveland, which
evoked tumultuous applause. After ex-
pressing regret at his inability to be
present, the President in his letter said:
When campaign is actively on foot to force
the Tree, unlimited and independent coinage
OF silver at ratio which will add to our circu-
lation unrestrained millions of so-called dol
lars, intrinsically worth but half the amount
they purport to represent, with no provision or
resource to make good any deficiency in value
and when 1T is claimed that such proposition
has any relation to the principles OF Democ-
racy 1t is time for all who may in the least de-
gree influence Democratic thought to realize
the responsibility.
Our party is the party of the people, because
1t is drifted hither and thither by every wave
OF popular excitement and misconception, but
because while it tests every proposition by the
doctrines which underlie it's organization, in
sists that all interests should be defended in
the administration of the Government without
special favor or discrimination.
Our party is the party of the people because
in its careful welfare of all our countrymen it
resists dangerous schemes born of discomfort,
advocated by appeals to sectional or class pre-
JUDGES and reinforced by their insiduous acts
OF private selfshness and cupidity.
Above all our party is the party of the people
when it recognizes the fact that sound and alb
solutely safe money is the life blood of our
country's strength and prosperity and when it
teaches that, none of our fellow citizens rich
or poor, can escape the consequences of a de-
generation of our currency. Democratic con-
servatism dictates that if there exists incon-
venience and hardship resulting from the con-
gestion or imperfect distribution of our circu-
lating medium, remedy should be applied
which will avoid the disaster that must follow
in the trail of silver monometallism.
Letters of regret were also received from
Secretary Lamont, Postmaster General
Wilson and others.
Toastmaster Brown introduced Senator
that is pure and grand in Democratic pol
itics." The Senator was accorded perfect
ovation as he rose to speak to the toast
of Democracy" Senator Hill said in
part:
The most important recent event in our Ma
tional affairs is the decision by the Supreme
Court that Federal tax on rents or the income
on personal property laid by the last Congress
is the direct tax and must be apportioned
among the States according to the census. For
that event we should congratulate ourselves
and render hearty the next.
Referring to the silver question he said /:
I am not in the council of the gold mono
metallists, but if 1 were would suggest that
they are prejudiced against the cause of sound
and safe currency at this moment by nagging
over false and immaterial subjects as whethe r
under the coinage law of 1872 the silver
dollar was the unit of value. If New York can
be carried by the Democrats this fall it can be
carried in 1896, and with it the country and
the Presidency. Another defeat here fore
bodies National disaster"
Comptroller of the Curr ency James H.
Eckels spoke to the toast 'Sound Money a
Fundamental Principle of True Democ-
racy."
After referring briefly to the Justice and
expediency of free press, and speaking
eloquently for the great principles for
which the Democratic party stands, Mr..
Eckles turned to the financial question of
the day. Sound money he declared to be
fundamental principle of true Democ-
racy. Referring to the attitude of Presi-
dent Cleveland, the speaker asserted that
the signs of returning prosperity demon
strated the wisdom of the Government
recent acts and the confidence of the peo-
pie in the administration. He argued that
the future fortune of the Democratic party
demanded that it should avert all sham
and Illusion in dealing with the money
question. He said in part:
In the light of the present situation I am
sure Democrats bent upon advancing their
party's interest and the country's prosperity
can do no better service than objection from a
distinctively Democratic standpoint to the
position which the advocate of the free coin
age of silver r, it is now presented, would
com NIT the party. The gravest indictment
Democrats presented against the protectionists
was that they were aiding and abetting class
legislation in maintaing protective tariff laws
upon the statute books, yet the attempt is now
being made to place the Democrats in the posi-
ton OF advocating for the politics there is
in it legislation that is most distintively
| class legislation as the most extreme measure
j ever conceived by the warmest adherent of
protection. do not overstate when say the
| present agitation OF the free coinage of silver
is due in the first instance to the silver-pro-
ducing class, who, complaining that their
mining Interests are languishing, claim it to
| be the duty of the Government to revive them
| by affording market for all the silver bullion
| they can deposit at the mints and to make
| them more profitable by coming for them free
OF charge all such bullion into dollars contain
| ing less than one dollars worth of metal en-
dowed with full legal tender properties.