Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-08-06
OUR NATIONAL HONOR.

OUR NATIONAL HONOR.
Mr.. Mckinley, in His Speech to the
Notification COMMITTEES, Says
1t 10 Involved In the Cur
rency Question.
Senator Thurston and Gentlemen Of
the Notification Committee of the Repub-
lican National Conventions: To be select
ed as their Presidential candidate by a
great party convention, representing 80
ed States, is a most distinguished honor,
for which ] would not conceal M high
appreciation, although deeply sensible of
the great responsibilities of the trust and
my inability to bear them without the
generous and constant support OF my fell
low countrymen.
"Great as is the honor conferred, equal
" arduous and important is the duty i'm
posed, and in accepting theo one l assume
the other, relying upon the patriotic
devotion Of the people to the best inter-
ests of our beloved country, and the sus-
tanning care and aid of him without
whose support all we do is empty and
vain. Should the people ratify the
choice of the great convention for which
you speak, my only aim will be to pro-
mote the public good. which in America
il always the good of the greatest num-
Der, the honor of our country, and the
welfare OF the people.
''The questions to be settled in the ma
tional contest this year are as serious
and important as any of the great gov
ernmental problems that have confronted
us in the last quarter of the century.
They command our sober Judgment and a
settlement free from partisan prejudice
betting the honor and grandeur of the
republic. They touch every interest of
our common country.
Much Il Involved.
sour industrial supremacy, our pro-
ductive capacity, our business and COM
mcrcial prosperity, our tabor and its re-
wards, our national credit and currency,
our proud financial honor, and our splen-
did free citizenship-the birthright of
every American-are all involved in the
pending campaign. and thus every home
in the land is directly and intimately con-
nected with their proper settlement.
Great are the issues involved in the COM
ing election. and eager and earnest are
the people for their right determination.
Our domestic trade must be won back
and u idle workingmen employed in
gainful occupations at American wages.
Our home market must be restored to its
proud rank of first in the world, and
our foreign trade, so precipitately cut off
by adverse national legislation, %reopened
on fair and equitable terms for our sur
plus agricultural and manufacturing
products.
Protection and reciprocity. twin meas
ures OF a true American policy, should
again command the earnest encourage
ment OF the government ut Washington.
Public confidence must be resumed and
the skill. the energy and the capital of
our country find ample employment at
home, sustained, encouraged and defend
ed against the unequal competition and
serious disadvantage with which they
are now ~contending.
Must Raise Sufncient Revenue.
"The government of the United States
must raise enough money to meet both
its current expenses and increasing needs.
Its revenue should be SO raised as to
protect the material interests Of our
people. with h lightest possible drain
upon their resources, and maintain that
high standard of civilization which has
distinguished our country for more than
a century of it's existence. The income
Of the government. l repeat, should equal
it's necessary and proper expenditures.
A failure to pursue this policy has com
PEELED the government to borrow money
in q time of peace, to sustain its credit.
and pay it's daily expenses. This policy
should be reversed, and that, too, as
speedily as possible.
1T must be apparent to all, regardless
of past party ties or affiliations, that it il
our paramount duty to provide adequate
revenue for the expenditures of the gov
eminent economically and prudently nd
ministered. The Republican party has
heretofore done, this, and this l conf
IDENTIFY believe it will do in the future,
when the party is again intrusted with
power in the executive and legislative
tional credit, which has thus far fortn-
nately resisted every assault upon il,
must and will be upheld and strength
ened. If sufficient revenues are provided
for the support Of the government there
will be no necessity for borrowing money
and increasing the public debt.
Policy II 1t fault.
'"The complaint Of the people is not
against the administration for borrowing
money and issuing bonds to preserve the
ru uiua, ~ pol iny which vIicb'f has vI made dsa t \ n .ne
essary. 1t is but an incident, and a nec-
essary one, to the policy which has been
inaugurated. The inevitable effect of
snch a policy is seen in the deficiency of
theC United States treasury except as it il
~replenished by loans, and in the distress
Of the people, who are suffering because
of the scant demand for either their labor
or the products of their labor. Here is
the fundamental trouble, the remedy for
which is Republican opportunity and
duty.
During all the years of Republican
control following resumption there was
a steady reduction of the public debt.
while the gold reserve was sacradly
maintained and our currency and credit
preserved without depreciation, faint. or
suspicion. If we would restore this mol
icy. that brought us unexampled pros
perity for more than thirty years, under
the most trying conditions ever known in
this country, the policy by which we
made and bought more goods at home
and sold more abroad, the trade balance
would be quickly turned in our favor.
and gold would come to US and not 20
from us in the settlement of all such
balances in the future. The party that
supplied by legislation the vast revenues
for the conduct of our greatest war. and
promptly restored the credit Of the coun-
try at its close, and that from it's abnnd.
ant revenues paid OF q large share IF the
debt incurred in this war, and that re-
sumed specie payments and placed onr