Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-03-13

INAUGURAL
ADDRESS
A Lofty Appeal to All Patriotic
Americans for Prompt Solu-
ton of the Greatand Press
ing Problems of the
Government.
FINANCIAL REFORM
TARIFF LEGISLATION

Appointment of Currency Commission
| Warmly Urged International BIZ
metaIIism Strongly Favored
The Nations Credit Must
be Preserved at All
Hazards.
Fellow citizens; In obedience to
the will ofthe people and in their pres
ence by the authority vested in me by
this oath, / assume the arduous and
responsible duties of President Of the
United States, relying on the support
of my countrymen and invoking the
guidance of Almighty God.
Our faith teaches that there is no
safer reliance than upon the God of
our fathers, who has so singularly
favored the American people in every
national trial, and who will not for
sake us SO long as we obey His COM
<mandments and walk humbly III His
footsteps.
The responsibilities ofthe high trust
to which | have been called--always
of grave i1nportance-are augmented
by the prevailing business conditions,
entailing idleness upon willing labor
and loss to useful enterprises. The
country is suffering from industrial
disturbances, from which speedy re-
lief must be had.
Our financial system needs some re-
vision; our money is all good now,
but its value must not further be
threatened. 1t should all be put upon
an enduring basis, not subject to easy
attack, nor its stability to doubt or
dispute.
Our currency should continue urder
the supervision of the Government.
The several forms of our paper money
offer, in my judgment. a constant emf
barrassment to the Government and
safe balance in the Treasury.
Therefore believe it necessary to
devise asystem which, without dimin-
ishing the circulating medium or offer
ing premium for its contraction, will
present remedy for those arrange
ments, which, temporary in their ma
ture, might well in the years of our
prosperity have been displaced by
wiser provisions.
With adequate revenue secured, but
not until then, we can enter upon
such changes in our fiscal laws as will,
while insuring safety and volume to
our money, no longer impose upon
the Governmentthe necessity of main
tanning SO large gold reserve, with
its attendant and inevitable tempta-
tons to speculation.
Most of our financial laws are the
cutgrowth of experience and trial, and
should not be amended without in
vestigation, and demonstration of the
wisdom of the proposed changes. We
must be both ''sure we are right and
make haste slowly"
If, therefore, Congress in its wis
dom shall deem it expedient to create
Commission to take under consider
alton the revision of our coinage,
banking. and currency laws, and give
them that exhaustive, careful, and
dispassionate examination that their
importance demands, shall cordially
concur in such action.
If such power is vested in the Presi-
dent, it is my purpose to appoint a
commission of prominent, well-in-
formed citizens Of different parties,
who will command public confidence
both on account OF their ability and
special fitness for the work
Business experience and public train
ing may thus be combined, and the
patriotic zeal ofthe friends of the coun-
try be SO directed that such report
will be made as to receive the support
of all parties, and our finances cease
to be the subject of mere partisan con-
tention.
! The experiment is, at all events,