The herald., 1897-04-25
REFORM CLUB
Listens While Grover
Talks on Silver
ALL The SILvERITES STUPID
EXCEPT THOSE FELLOWS WHO
ARE WICKED
Republicans Placed in Power by
Democrats Are Worst Of All.
The Patriots Duty.
Associated Press Special Wire.


NEW YORK, April 2s.-The annual
dinner of the Reform club, which was
given tonight at the new ball room or
the Hotel Waldorf, was notable gath
ering. Representative men from all
parts Of the United States. who played
a part In the recent campaign of the
Gold Democrats, were present. 1t was
the first occasion on which ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland has delivered a public
speech since his retirement from office.
When the list of invited guests was
made public it was generally under
stood that the speeches which would
be delivered would in large measure
dictate the policy Of the gold wing OF
the Democratic party in the next pres
idential campaign.
John d. Warner presided. At his
right sat ex-President Cleveland. and
on his left was ex-Postmaster General
Wilson. Mr. Cleveland was the CEN
trail figure in the dining hall. and his
speech in response to the toast, Pres
ent Problems" was the chief feature Of
the occasion.
The toasts ard those who responded
to them were as follows: present
Problems" Grover Cleveland: Sound
Currency" John G. Carlisle; Tariff
Reform" William L. Wilson; Munich
pal Administration" Edward A. Shep-
ard "The New South" Donelson Caf-
ferry; National Democracy" William
d. Bynum; The Political Outlook"
Henry G. Turner; Andrew jackson and
the Restoration of the Gold Currency"
Josiah Patterson.
Five hundred and eight persons sat
down to the feast. They were distrib-
uted about ten large tables.
Ex-President Cleveland was cheered
when he arose to respond to the toast
Present Problems" He spoke as fol-
lows:
CLEVELAND'S SPEECH
We are gathered here tonight as patri-
otic citizens anxious to do something
toward reinstating the prosperity of our
fellow countrymen and protecting the
fair fame of our nation against shame
and scandal. On every side we are con-
fronted with popular depression and
complaint. These are largely due to
causes of natural and certain recur-
renee. as the inevitable accompaniment
of all human endeavor, and perhaps
they are as largely due to the work of
agitators and demagogues who have
busily sowed the seeds of discomfort,
in order that in the harvest they may
reap personal advantage. Distressing
ills. real and imaginary, have been so
constantly and luridly presented to the
minds of honest men that they are
tempted to accept without taking coun-
sci of reason or Judgment, any nostrum
cunningly offered as remedy for their
low condition.
But even so promising a field as this
has not satisfied the designs of ruthless
agitators. While scattering seeds of dis
content, they have also cultivated
growth of sectional and class suspicion
and distrust which threatens to choke
or destroy that fraternal feeling which
leads to considerate counsel in the day
of common misfortune and which is alb
solutely essential to the success of our
plan of government.
The fundamental truth that our free
institutions offer opportunities to all
within their influence for the advance
ment and improvement of their condi-
ton has been so far denied that honest
accumultion is called a crime and the
necessity and habit of individual effort
and struggle, which are the mainsprings
of sturdy Americanism, are destroyed
as unjustifiable burdens, while unwhole-
some paternalism Is presented in hand
some garb. Those enlisted in this cru
sade of discomfort and passion proclaim
themselves the friends of the people, ex-
clude from the list all countrymen ex-
cept those most unfortunate or unrea-
sonable and those who they them
selves have made the most disconnected
and incredulous.
These forces and conditions have for
years with greater or less distinctness
hovered about our national life, lacking
effective organization and concentra-
ton, neglected by those who deprecated
their existence and unheeded by thNe
who partially appreciated their danger
Gus tendencies.
In the meantime there has lain in wait,
behind them all an impatient power to
marshal them in effective activity, when
depression, misfortune neglect and pas
sion had done their work. This power,
born of sordid self-interest, and main
tained by partisan ambition, has at last
assumed command and has largely re-
cruited it's waiting forces by infiaming
those inclined to be patient with tales OF
ancient crime against their rights to be
avenged, by encouraging the restless
and turbulent with hints of greater IL
cense and by Offering to the poor, as a
smooth road to wealth, and to those In
debt as plan for easy payment and TO
those who from any cause are unfortun-
ate and discourag ged, as remedy for all
their ills, the free and unlimited and in
dependent coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to 1, with a deprecated currency
and cheap money.
1t was a rude awakening for the neg
ligent and over-confident and day of
terror for sober and patriotic men, when
the bold promoters of reckless greed
captured the organization Of a powerful
political party and seized its banners,
shouted defiance to the astonished con-
science and conservatism. Hosts of hon
est men, in blind loyalty, gathered be-
hind the party flag they had been ac-
customed to follow, failing to discover
that their party legends had been ef-
faced. None can forget the doubt and
fear Of that boisterous and passionate
campaign, when the fate of the nation
seemed in the balance. The danger of
the situation arose from the hasty i'm
pulse of those whose misfortunes had
been cruelty played upon and from the
enthusiasm and unQuestionipg, thought