The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-04-17
AN HONEST CURRENCY.
President Cleveland Writes a Let.
ter on the Money Question.
He Says that the Advocates of BimetaI
lie Policy Are Trying to Deceive
the People and Claims that
Free Coinage Would Re-
suit in Disaster.

Chicago to attend public reception
here to himself and Mrs. Cleveland. In
the course of his letter the president
gives his views on the currency ques-
tion. He says:
Gentlemen: I am much gratiicd by the ex-
ceed1ngly kind and complimentary invitation
you have rendered me on behalf of many cfti-
zens Of Chicago to be their guest at q gathering
in the interest of sound money and wholesome
financial doctrine, My attachment to this
cause is so great and 1 know SO well the hospi-
tality and the kindness of the people Of Chicago
that my personal inclination is strongly In
favor of accepting your fattering invitation,
| but my judgment and estimate of the proprie-
| ties of my official place oblge me to forego the
enjoyment of participating in the occasion you
contemplate. -
l hope, however, the event will mark the be-
| ginning 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 citizens, be-
cause nothing is so vital to the welfare of our
fellow-countrymen and to the strength, pros
perity and honor of our nation. The situation
confronting us demands that those who appre-
ciate the Importance of this subject and those
who ought to be the first to see impending dam
ger should no longer remain Indifferent or over
confident.
II the sound money sentiment abroad in the
land is to save us from mischief and disaster 1t
must be crystalized and combined and made
Immediately active. 1t is dangerous to over
look the fact that vast number Of our people
with scant opportunity, thus far, TO examine
the question in all it's aspects, have neverthe-
less been ingeniously pressed with specious
suggestions which, in this time of misfortune
nd Cin nd Htuil lie
to give credence to any scheme which is plausi-
bly, presented as a remedv for their unfortunate
condition. What is now needed more than any,
thing else is plain and simple presentation
of the argument in favor of sound money.
In other words 1t is time for the American
people to reason together as members Of the
great nation which can promise them q contin-
uance Of protection and safety only so long as
its Solvency Is unsuSpected, its honor unsul-
lied, and the soundness OF its money unques-
toned. These things are i'll exchange for the
illusions of debased currency and groundless
hope of advantages to be gained by a disregard
of our financial credit and commercial standing
among the nations of the world.
II our people were isolated from all others,
and II the question Of our currency could be
treated without regard to our relations to other
countries its character would be o matter Of
comparatively little importance II the Ameri-
can people were only concerned In the mainte-
nance Of their physical life among themselves,
they might return to the old days of barter and
in this primitive manner acquire from each
other the materials to supply the wants of their
existence But If American civilization was
satisfied with this, it would abiectly fail in its
high and noble mission.
In these restless days the farmer Is tempted
by the assurance that though our currency may
ha oh ca6 rod nd rtoiu oh
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 II the price Of the things he
has to sell is nominally enhanced The. cost Of
the things he must buy will not remain sta
tionary; that the better prices which cheap
money proclaims are unsubstantial and elusive
and that II even they were real and palpable
he must necessarily be left far behind in the
race for their enjoyment. 1t ought not to be
difficult to convince the wage-earner that If
there were benefits arising from degenerated
currency they would reach him least of all, and
last Of all.
In an unhealthy stimulation of prices an In
creased cost of all the needs of his home must
long be 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. An in
sidious attempt is made to create prejudice
against the advocates Of safe and sound cur
rency by the insinuation, more or less directly
made, that they belong to financial and busi-
ness classes and are, therefore, not only out of
sympathy with the common people OF the land
but for selfish and wicked purposes are willing
to sacrifice the interests of those outside their
circle.
believe that capital and wealth. through
combination and other means, sometimes gain
an undue advantage, and 1t must be conceded
that the maintenance Of sound currency may
In q sense be invested with greater or less i'm
portance to individuals according to their con-
dition and circumstances. 1t is however only
a difference in degree since it Is utterly impos-
sible that any one in our broad land, rich or
poor, whatever may be his occupation, and
whether dwelling in center OF finance and
commerce or in n remote corner of our domain
can be really benefited by financial scheme
not alike beneficial to all our people, that any
one should be excluded from common and uni
versal interest in the safe character and stable
character Of the currency of our country
In our relation to this question we are all in
business, for we all buy and SELL 80 we all have
to do with financial operations, for we all earn
money and spend It, We cannot escape our in
Independence Merchants and dealers are in
every neighborhood and each has its shops and
manufactures. Wherever the wants Of man
exist business and finance In some degree are
found related in one direction to those whose
wants they supply and in another to the more
extensive business and finance to which they
are tributary. A fuctuation in prices at
the seaboard is known the same day
or hour in the remotest hamlet. The
discredit or depreciation in the financial CEN
ters Of any form Of money In the hands Of the
people is o signal Of immediate loss every
where. II reckless discomfort and wild expert
ment 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 worIingman as he sees the money he has
received for his toll shrink and shrivel in his
hands when he tenders it for the necessaries to
supply his humble home, EEL
Disguise 1t as we may the line of battle is
drawn between the forces Of safe currency and
those Of silver monometallism. / will not be-
neve that IL our people are afforded an intelli-
gent opportunity for sober second thought they
will sanction schemes that, however cloaked,
mean disaster and confusion, nor that they will
consent by undermining the foundation of o
safe currency to endanger the benehcent char
acter and purposes OF their government. Yours
very truly, GROVER CLEVELAND"
Mysteriously Disappeared.
STEUBENvILLE, o., April 15.-Three
weeks ago w. R. Johnson, editor of the
Steubenville Times, left the city ostens-
IDLY on business, going to Cincinnati.
Word was received from him the first
week at Columbus, Cincinnati and
Louisville, but as there has been no
word since, his friends here are becom-
ing exercised over his disappearance