The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-12
M'KINLEY'S FAITH
IN AMERICANS
Extracts from Speech to the Vermont
Delegation.
FIRES OF PATRIOTISM STILL BURN
People Who ES7erged from the War
with n Large Ipaassst. Bearing Debt
Will Not Seek to Repudiate One
Dollar of Ii or Cheaper the Coin in
Which 1t Is 10 BE Paid.

Canton. Ohio, Sept. lin replying
to a delegation from Vermont, who
called on him today, Major Mckinley
said in part:
Some of the newspapers have asked me
to interpret the results of the elections
ip Vermont on September first but It
seems to me that they are their own pest
interpreter daughter and applaus").
They have simply declared what any stu
dent of our history must already nave dis-
covered. that your thoughtful and pa
triotic citizens are as true as ever-ayc,
truer than ever. to the tenets of good NOR
ais, good politics and good government.
(Applause). They have shown by their
ballots, by n greater preponderance thah
ever. that they are more devoted to the
honor of the government, to the malnten-
ance of law and order. and the restora-
tion of u sound, wise and economic syS-
TEN which has always been our chief pride
and source of strength. than at any pre-
vious period in our eventful history. Cap
plause) The value of your example is
certainly greater than ever in the past as
the issues on which your victory was won
are the same as those which now engage
the attention of the entire country. The
free silver orators and organs of Vermont.
lily concealed, If they did not positively
assert, that which Is being proclaimed
everywhere that their solicitude is the re-
lief of the debtors, no matter at what sac
riiice of the planest precepts of good NOR
ais. In no case and at no point do they
propose system to pay our national and
private obligations on plain, old-fashoned
principles of good faith and honesty which
have always heretofore distinguished the
A limo ,sinpn N
admitting that the effect of the free, un-
limited and independent coinage of silver
would be an immense loss TO the savings
and resources of our people, and that its
adoption would reduce the plane of their
social and industrial condition, they yet
seriously propose that We shall risk this
hazardous experiment. Vernon has said
in tones that cannot be misunderstood,
that she will have nothing to do with thar
fatal experiment. Great applause and
cries of good. good.'D. Indeed, they are
urging MS to attempt by legislation TO
make fifty cents worth of silver to pass
current as a legal tender one hundred cent
dollar, good for all public and private OBJ
legations. The mere statement of the
proposition ought lead To its instant rcje'-
ton. We cannot by law make every man
honest, but we certainly viii never make
Il law encouraging them to be dishonest.
trade Is question of humanity, the voice
Of la Dor pleading for its own. and the ques-
ion OF free silver is II question Of public
morality. honor and good faith. and it's
success would he blot on our hitherto
spotless national credit. applause and
cries of "Sood'o. Obscure the real issues,
and 1t finally resolves itself into that. but
will il prevail? No, answer, forever 10.
(Cheers).
FAITH IN AMERICAN PEOPLE
The American people as a nation. like
those of the state of Vermont. are entire
ly above so unworthy an imputa ton zap
plause). A people that could. as weak
ana struggling confederaCy of less than
five million inhabitants, emerge from an
eight years war of blight and destruction
and proceed Immediately to gather up and
pay off its enormous revolutionary debt.
including the Independent debt of all
states. agregating sl3j0JO.O0O or 81 per cap
tia at the time of its assumption, will not
falter at the present temptation. Cheers
and cries of that's right, good. SoOd')
A people whoscould tax themselves most
| heavily TO equip and maintain the armies
and navies of the Union and continue the
most extensive and expensive war in his
tory, will not turn their backs upon the
soldiers of that war. nor seek to pay Their
face value. Great cheering ana cries of
'sooi'). A people who emerged from
that war will an interest bearing debt ,f
j., $50 OU0.DO0. or $40 per capita for our Gu
tire population In 1865, will not now. after
having honestly paid three-fourths of that
great debt. ever seek directly or Indirect
ly to repudiate one dollar of it or cheaper
the coin of payment. applause and cries
of good, Major"). ] say who proceeded
| in good faith to pay off that debt with such
unparalleled rapidity, which it was es,-
| mated in 1883. up to that time, they had
paid S123 for every minute of every day
| of every year from 1866 10 1858. will not
now palter, bargain or scheme to de-
| fraud any creditor of the government,
whoever or wherever he may be. CTre-
mendous APPLAUSE and cries of good, hur-
| rah for Mcl<inley'o.
WILL PAY THE DEBTS.
| A people who had the satisfaction of
| seeing that debt reduced to S5Sj. 900 900 on
March 3, 1893, at the close of the splendid
| administration of President Harrison (aD.
| plause). will readily and quickly meet
| both the remainder of the old debt and all
| that has been made since 0aughter). AMI
| pay 1t off, principal and interest, in the
| best money of the world and recognized
| by the civilized nations to both best at
| tue tlilie VI pay hltlt. dDplduStb.
| Just as President jackson paid Off the
| last of the revolutionary debt sixty years
| or more after the first of 1t had been con-
tracted. This, my fellow citizens of YER
mont is the faith that the election in your
state inspires in me, but that is not all.
| In the verdict / see the unalterable ,ie-
| termination of the people Of the United
| States, for whom she had the honor first
| 10 speak, to restore the protective tariff
| system once more to our statute books
| Great cheering). Vermont is an agrcul-
tiiral state, but her keen, sagacious and
honest farmers know full well the value
| of protection and its twin sister. reciproc-
ity. applause and cries Of that's right'D
They have profted by the experience.
| They have examined both their stock
books and their store books, and they had
plenty Of time to do il Qaughter) in the
last three years. and have learned that
| their products have been worth less than
at any time for a long series OF years
The farmers of this country want pro-
| tectve tariff applause and cries of "that' S
right. they dO'D and they mean to have
1t (great cheering). so, too, will our farm
ers everywhere divide. they are naturally
| conservative. and their unerring common
| sense and common honesty will lead them
| quickly to detect the fallacies of free sill
yer just as they have learned the falsity
of the fallacies of free trade. (Applausej.
| ~ ~ q