Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-04-18
ON SOUND INANCES.
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND WRITES
A LETTER TO CHICAGO MEN.
I'm Replying to an Invitation to
Make a Speech I'm Chicago, the
p-esident Makes q Plea I'm Behalf
of sound n

Washington, April 16. - President
cleveland has written a reply to the
Invitation to attend a. reception in
Chicago to express appreciation of the
presidents stand on financial ques-
tons. The president, after regretting
his inability to be present, says In
part:
II hope the event will mark the be-
ginning Of an earnest and aggressive
effort to disseminate among the peo-
ME safe and prudent financial ideas.
Nothing more important can engage
the attention of patriotic citizens, be-
cause nothing Is so vital to the wei
fare of our fellow countrymen and to
the strength, prosperity n homo of
our nation. The situation demands
that those who appreciate the impor-
lance Of this subject and those who
ought to be the first to see impending
danger should no longer remain in
different or o~ver-confident. If the
sound money sentiment abroad in the
land is to save us from the mischief
and disaster it must be crystalized
and combined and made Immediately
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 In
geniously pressed with specious sug-
g~estions which in this time of mis-
fortune and depression find willing
listeners prepared to give credence to
any scheme which is plausibly pre-
scented as a remedy for their Lnfortu-
nate condition. What Is now needed
more than anything else is a plain and
.-l -rnnA-Nn&s~, - khA nnnt
In Favor of Sound Money.
In other words, 1t is a time for the
American people to reason together
as members of a great nation which
can promise them a continuance of
protection and safety only so long as
its sOlvency is unsupported, its honor
unsuilied and the s%oundneSs of it's
money unquestioned. These things are
all exchanged for the illusion of a de-
based currency and groundless hope
of advantages to be gained by a dis
regard of our financial credit N COM
mercial standing among the nations Of
the world. In these restless days the
farmer is tempted by the assurance
that though our currency may be de-
based, redundant and uncertain, such
Il situation will improve the price of
his products, let us remind him that
he must buy as well as sell; that his
dreams of plenty are shaded by the
certainty hat If the prices of the
things he has to sell is nominally en-
hancei. the cost of the things he must
buy will not remain stationary; that
the best prices which cheap money
proclaims are unsubStantial and elu'
Sive, and that even If they We're real
and palpable, he must necessarily be
left far behind in the race for their
enjoyment. 1t ought not to be diff
cult to convince the wage-earner that
il there were benefits arising from a
degenerated currency they would
reach him least of all and last Of all,
1t is utterly impossible that any one
in our broad land, rich or poor, what
ever may be his occupation, and
whether dwelling in a center OF
finance and commerce, or in a remote
corner of our domain, IA be really
benefited by
A Financial scheme.
not alike beneficial to all our people
or that any one should be excluded
from "A common and universal inter.
est i'm the safe character Inc stable
value OF the currency of the country
The discredit or depreciation In finan'
tldi CeHteTS u any 10TH IL ulputy III
the hands of the people is a signal OF
immedi9 70 loss everywhere. If reck'
less discomfort and wild experiment
should sweep our currency from its
safe support the most defenseless OF
all who suffer in that time of distress
and national discredit will be the
poor, as they reckon the loss in their
scanty support, and the laborer and
workman as he sees the money he has
received for his toll shrink and shriveI
in his hand when he tenders it fol
the accessories to supply his humble
home. Disguise il as we may, the
line of battle is drawn between the
forces Of safe currency and those OF
silver monometallism. / will not be
iieve that il Il people are afforded an
Intelligent opportunity for sober sec
ond thought they will sanction
schemes that however cloaked mean
disaster and confusion. nor that they
will consent, by undermining the
foundation Of a safe currency, to en-
danger the beneficent character and
purposes of their government"