New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-01
THE DEBT TO THE VETERANS
M'KINLEY SAYS IT MUST BE PAID IN
GOLD OR ITS EQUIVALENT.

DELEGATION or OLD SOLDIERS CHEERS THE
MAJOR AS HE CHAMPIONS AN HONEST
AND HONORABLE CURRENCY.
Canton Ohio. July 31.-A delegation OF about
400 old soldiers and workingmen, mostly en-
gagged in the tinpate industry. from Guernsey
County came to Canton this afternoon to call
on Major Mckinley. They came on a special
train and had a great deal OF trouble getting
here, the track below here being under water
in several places. This. however did not check
| the enthusiasm Of the visitors, and when Major
! Mckinley appeared on the veranda Of his house
to greet them he received with prolonged
| applause and the waving Of many flags.
Ex-Congressman ]. p. Taylor. who served In
the House with Major Mckinley. spoke first
He said in part:
We have come to-day, Major Mckinley. to
tender our personal regards and to add con-
gratulations to the many hitherto given you.
We have not come partisans. but as friends
and neighbors We have today before you In
this delegation members Of the G. A. X OF
/ Cambridge They are men who have learned to
| love you for your patriotic devotion to your
country in time Of and In time OF peace
These old comrades have come to pay tribute 70
your high personal character ard for the public
service you have rendered The old soldiers
want one thing remembered. and that Is that
thd honor and integrity OF the old flag must be
maintained
J You heard II said IN Congress many IL lHe,
! sir that we could not make tin in this country.
! I want to say TO you that We have In this crowd
! before you men who are employed IN the cam
bridge tin mill They work In tin mill which
has sent out 5000 tons or 12O,OD boxes or TIN
a year. and 1t Is as good as any tinplate MADE
across the water These men have come from
| Guernsey County from all walks Of life. We
have come to believe that the star or nope lot
the laboring man is resting in Canton. In be-
half Of the men and women In this delegation
for there are a number Of ladies who have come
T
Mrs Mckinley.
A WAR CHAPLAINS GLOWING WORDS.
After the cheering ended DR.. w. II. McFar-
land. pastor of the Presbyterian Church In Cam
bridge was introduced. He Is man bowed
under the weight Of years He was chaplain OF
the 9Sth Regiment during the war. and Is well
known throughout the State. He spoke briefly
saving that he had come to see and hear and
grasp the hand Of the most ustrious friend OF
labor In the United States.
Said Dr. Mcfarland: "He Is the man who has
done more for the laboring man than any other
man in this country-or in the world, for that
matter" Then. turning to Major Mckinley, he
added mo has put brighter crown OF
glory on the brow of honest toll than YOU" He
ended 10y grasping Major Mckinley by the hand.
MAJOR MKINLEY's ELOQUENCE
Major Mckinley spoke without manuscript and
with unusual emphasis. 1t was one Of the most
eloquent speeches he has ever made, and 1t
reused the enthusiasm Of the delegation to the
highest pitch. He said:
Colonel Taylor. Dr. Mcfarland. my comrades
and fellov-citzens: Ii gives ME great gratfca-
ton to receive this call from my oiG friends and
neghbors and fellow-citizens Of Guernsey Coun-
ty. | have made many visits TO your county In
years gone by. l know most of you personally. l
know some hing of the quality of your popula-
tion. know something Of the spirit Of your
people I know something Of your loyalty and
devotion to the Union in war and know much
Of your loyalty and devotion to patriotism and
good government In peace. (Cheers) And.
knowing you az we'll as do know you. am Ger
tain that neither food nor fire would stop you
from doing what you had proposed to do
daughter and appause)
GAVE EMPLOYMENT TO AMERICAN LABOR |
I am glad to meet the representatives Of labor !
who assembled here this morning. I con- |
gratnlate them upon the advance that has been !
made in the tnpate industry to which Colonel ,
Taylor has referred. I am glad 10 know that Re- |
publican legislation gave to this country an In
dustry that gives work and wages to American !
workingmen. and brings happiness to American |
homes. Great cheering and applause)
am glad my fellow citizens, to meet my old !
comrades of the Grand Army OF the Republic
my comrades 81 thirty five years ago. for the war
began thirty-fve years ago, and II is nearly |
thrty-two years since It's close. II seems not |
long far away but as I look into the
faces Of the old soldiers before me to-day | see
that age Is stamping It's lines of upon them.
Their step is no longer steady and firm
it thirty-fve years ago but their hearts
Just loyal To the old flag Of the Union
tremendous cheerng) and they are just as
loyal to National honor to-day as they were
loyal to National unity then (ALplause)
When the closed there were two great
debts resting upon this Government. One was
the debt due TO the men who had loaned the
Government money with which to carry on its
military operations The other debt was due
TO the men who had willingly offered their lives
for the preservation OF the American Union
Oheers.) The old soldiers waited on their pen
sions until this great debt OF the Government
was well out OF the way. They waited patiently
until the Government Of the United States had
reduced nearly two-thirds Of the great money
debt. The old soldiers never were In favor Of
repudiating that. (Applause) They wanted
every dollar OF the debt paid In the best money
known To the commercial world. Applause)
And every dollar If that debt up to this hour
has been paid In gold or its equivalent. the best
recognized money OF the world (cheers). and
every dollar Of that debt my comrades yet TO
he paid Will be paid in the same unquestloned
coin. Tremendous cheers)
THE NATIONS DEBT OF HONOR.
Most of the debt is out of the way. The great
debt of this Government is now to the surviving
soldiers Of the Republic. (Applause) There
10000 pensioners the honored pension roll
Df this Government to-day. and the Government
pays out OF It's public Treasury in pensions over
sl4O,OOOoO0 every year to the soldiers and
sailors. their widows and their orphans. Every
dollar Of hat debt must be paid In the best
and coin Of the world. Great cheer ,
ng and cries OF The Republican party will ,
see to that There is nobody more interested
n maintaining sound apd stable currency than
he old soldiers OF the Republic applause and I
,ries Of You right Major'O. their widows
md orphans. Our old commander General
irant (applause). whose memory is cherished by ,
III Of YOU, performed two great and conspicuous ,