Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-05-31

l CLEVELAND'S LETTER 70 DEMO
CRATIC EDITORS.
; Eckeis Makes Them a Speech-H
. Says the silver Agitation IL Du
, I'm the First Instance 20 the Silve
Producing Class.
/ The days stay OF Democratic edi
J tors came to an end in New York, las
| Friday night, when a banquet wa
J rendered to them at Delmonico's =
. Col. William Brown was toastmaster
He introduced John A. Mason, wht
thanked the Democrats OF Gotham fo
their hospitality to the visitors. Mr.
Mason then read letter from Presi
dent Cleveland, which evoked tumult
uous applause. After expressing re-
gret at his inability to be present, the
President in his letter said
When campaign is actively on
foot to force the free, unlimited and
independent coinage of silver, at q
ratio which will add to our circulation
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 it is claimed that such propo-
sition has any relation to the prin-
ciples OF Democracy, it is time for all
who may in the least degree influence
Democratic thought, to realize their
responsibility.
Our party is the party OF the peo-
pie, not because it is drifted hither
and thither by every wave Of popular
excitement and misconception, but
because, while it tests every PROPOSE
tion by the doctrines which underlie
its organization, it insists that all in.
terests should be defended in the adj.
ministration of the government with
out especial favor or discrimination.
Our party is the party of the people
because in its care for the welfare OF
all our countrymen, it resists danger
GUS schemes born of discomfort, ad-
vocated by appeals to sectional or class
prejudices, and reinforced by their in.
sidious acts of private selfishness and
cupidity. Above all, our party is the
party of the people when it recognizes
the fact that sound and absolutely
safe money is the lifeblood 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 degeneration of
our currency.
Democratic conservatism dictates
if there exists inconvenience and hard
ship resulting from the congestion or
imperfect distribution OF circulating
medium, remedy should be applied
which will avoid the disaster that
must follow in the trail of silver mono
metallism."
Senator Hill was accorded a perfect
ovation rs he arose to speak to the
toast Democracy" In referring TO
the financial question he said:
"I am not in the councils of the
gold mono-metallists, but if / would
suggest that they are prejudicial
against the cause OF sound and safe
currency at this moment by nagging
over false and immaterial subjects, as
whether before the coinage law of
1873 the silver dollar was the unit of
value.
" Ii New York can be carried by the
Democrats this fall it can be carried in
lS96, and with it the country and the
presidency. Another defeat here FORE
bodies national disaster"
Comptroller of the Currency Eckels
spoke to the toast "Sound money a
fundamental principle OF true Democ-
racy." Referring to the attitude of
President Cleveland on the financial
question, he asserted that the signs of
returning prosperity demonstrated the
wisdom OF the Governments recent
acts, and the confidence of the people
in the administration. He said, in
part: al do not overstate when l say
the present agitation of the free COIN
age of silver is due in the first instance
to the silver-producing class, who,
complaining that their mining inter
ests are languishing, claim it to be the
duty of the government to revive them
by affording a market for all the silver
bullion they can deposit at the mints
and to make their mines profitable by
coming for them free of charge all
such bullion into dollars containing
less than 81 worth of metal, endowed
with full legal tender properties"