Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1895-04-20

Executive Manson, Washington, D
e., April 13, 1S95.-Gentlemen: l am
much gratified by the exceedingly kind
ana complimentary invitation YOU have
rendered me on behalf of many citizens
OF chicago to be their guest at d gath
ellng in the interest of sound money
and wholesome financial doctrine. My
attachment to this cause is so great.
and l know so we'll the hospitality and
kindness OF the people of Chicago. that
my personal inclination is strongly in
favor Of accepting your t1atteling invi-
tation: but my judgment and my esti-
mate of the proprietes of my official
place ohlise me TO torego the enjoyment
OF participation in the occasion YOU
contemplate.
l hope, however, that The event will
mark the beginning of an earnest and
aggressive effort to disseminate among
! the people safe and prudent financial
ideas. Nothing more important can
engage the attention of patriotic citi-
zens. because nothing is so vital to the
! welfare OF our fellow count1ylnen and
TO the strength, prosperity and honor Of
/ our nation.
The situation confronting us demands
ance of this subject and those who ought
! TO be the first to see the impending dan
i ger should not remain indifferent or
| oVercontiGent. If the sound-monoy
sentiment abroad in the land is to save
! us from mischief and disaster. it must
/ be crystaliiZed and combined and made
/ Immediately active. 1t is dangerous to
! overlook the fact that vast number of
! our people with scant opportunity thus
! far to examine the question in all its
| aspects, have nevertheless been ingen-
/ ious1y piled With suggestions which, in
this time of misfortune and depression.
| find willing listeners, prepared to give
audience to any scheme Which is plau-
! slbly presented as a remedy for their
! unfortunate condition. What is now
needed more than anything else is a
F.! plain and simple presentation Of :he
| argument in favor of sound money. In
! other words 1t is trne for the Ameri-
/! can people to reason together as mem
! bers of a great nation. which can prom
| Use them continuance of protection
and safety only so long as its solyency
is unsuspected, its honor unsuliied and
the soundneSs of its money unques-
toned. These things arr lily exchanged
! for the illusions Of a debased currency
and eroundiess hope of advantages
to be gained by q disregard of our
financial credit and commercial stand
ing among the nations of the world.
sHOP-WORN ARGUMENT.
If our people We're isolated from all
others, and if the question of our cur
rency could be treated without regard to
our relations to other countries, it's char
acter would be q matter of conlparatiy,1y
| little Importance If the American people
were only concerned in the maintenance
of their precious life among themselves
! they might return to the old days of bar
ter, and in this primitive manner acquire
from each other the materials TO supply
/ the wants of their existence, But if Ameri-
can civilization were satisfied with this il
would abjectly fail IN its high and noble
mission In these restless days the far
mer Is tempted by the assurance that
though our currency may be debased, re
dundant and uncertain, such a situation
will improve the price of his 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 if the price
OF things he has to sell is nominallv en-
HANGED, the cost of the things he must
buy will not remain stationary; that the
best prices which cheap money proclams
are unsubstantial and elusive; that even
If they were real and palpabIe, he must
necessarily be left far behind in the race
for their enjoyment
1T ought not to be difficult to convince
the wage Garner that it would reach him |
least of all and last of all. In an I'M
healthy stimulation of prices, an increased |
count of all the needs of his home must
belong to his portion, while he is at the |
same time veXed with vanishing visions
OF increased wages and an easier lot The
pages Of history and experience are full
of this lesson.
DEFENSE OF CAPITAL.
AN insdious attempt is made to Gre
ate a prejudice against the advocates of /
a safe and sound currency by the insinua-
ton, more or less directly made, that
they belong to financial and business |
classes, and are therefore not only out
of sympathy with the common people of
the land, but for selfish and wicked pur-
poses are willing to sacrifice the interests
Of those outside their circle [ believe
that capital and wealth, through conbina-
ton and other means, sometimes gain an
undue advantage and 1t must be con-
ceded that the maintenance of a sound
currency may, in a sense, be invested with
a greater or less Importance to individu-
ais, according to their condition and cir
cumstances. 1t is, however, only diff
erence in degree. since it it utterly inlpos-
sible that any one in cur broad land rich
or poor, whatever be his occupatio |
whether dwelling in center OF commerce
and finance or in a remote corner of the |
domain, can be really benefited by a fl |
nancial scheme not alike beneficial to all
our people, or that any one should be eX-
cluded from a common and universal in
terest in the safe character and stable |
value of the currency of the country |
In our relation to this question we are |
all In business, for we all buy and sell; |
so we all have to do with financial opera
tions, for we all earn money and spend |
Y1 rsr+ i,-4-
ence Merchants and dealers are in each
neighborhood and each has it's shops and
manufactures Wherever the wanrs o,
to those whose wants they supply, |
man exist. business and finance in some
degree are found rela ted in one direction
and in the other to the more extensive |
business and finance to which they are |
tributaries. A fiuctuation in price at the |
aboard is known the same day or hour |
in the remotest hamlet. The discredit or
depreciation in financial circles Of any |
form of money in the hands OF the people |
Is signal Of immediate loss everywhere. !
If reckless discomfort and wild expert |
ments should sweep our country from its |
safe support, the NOSE defenseless Of all |
who suffer in the time of distress and ma
tional discredit would be the poor. as they
reckon in their loss their scanty support,
and the laborer and working man will
suffer as he sees the money received
for his toll shrink and shrivel In mis- hand
when he tenders 1t for the necessaries to
supply his humble home.
Disguise it as we may. the line of battle
is drawn between the forces Of safe cur
rency and those Of silver monometallism.
| will not believe that If our people are af-
forded an intelligent opportunity for So
Der second thought they will sanction
schemes that. however cloaked, mean dis
aster and confusion, nor that they will
consent, by undermining the foundation
of a safe currency. to endanger the be-
Inefficient character and purposes of their
government. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
man Of integrity will never listen to