The record-union., 1897-04-25
Ex-President Grover Cleveland the
Guest of Honor.
Responds to the Toast "Present
Problems" - Representative rlen
From All Parts of the United
States Who Played Part in the
Recent Campaign of the Gold DEM
ocrats at the Gathering.

given tonight in the new ball room of
the Hotel Waldorf, was a notable gath
ering. Representative men from all
parts of the United States who played a
part in the recent campaign of the gold
Democrats We're present. 1t was the
first occasion on which ex-President
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 a large meas
ure, indicate the policy of the gold wing
of the Democratic party in the next
Presidential campaign.
John Dewitt Warner presided. At his
right sat ex-President Cleveland, and
on his left was General
w L. Wilson. Mr.. Cleveland was the
central figure in the dininghaH, and
his speech, in response to the toast,
Present Problems" was the chief
feature of the occasion. The toasts and
those who responded to them We're as
follows:
Present Problems" Grover Cleve-
land Sound Currency" John G. Car
Isle; Tariff Reform" William L. Will
son; Municipal Administration" Ed
ward A Shepard: THE New South"
Donelson Caffery: National Democ-
racy," William d. Bynum; The Politi-
cal Outlook" Henry G.. Turner; An
drew Jackson and the restoration of the
Gold Currency" Josiah Patterson.
Five hundred and eight persons sat
down to the feast. They were distributed
about ten large tables.
Ex-President Cleveland was cheered
when he arose to respond to the toast
Present Problems" He spoke as fol-
lows:
I'VE are gathered here tonight as pat
riotic 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 harvest they may reap
personal advantage.
Distressing ills, real and imaginary,
have been so constantly and luridly pre-
scented to the minds of honest men that
they are tempted to accept, without TAX
ing counsel of reason or jurgment, any
rostrum cunningly offered as a remedy
for their low condition. But even SO
promising a field as this has not salts
g o. III
While scattering the seeds of discomfort
they have also cultivated a growth of
sectional and class suspicion and dis
trust which threatens to choke or de
stroy that fraternal feeling which leads
to considerate counsel in the day of COM
mon misfortune and which is absolutely
essential to the success of our plan of
Government The fundamental truth
that our free institutions offer oppOr-
| tunitieS to all within their influence for
the advancement and Improvement of
their condition has been so far denied
that honest accumulation is called a
crime, and the necessity and habit of in
dividual effort and struggle, which are
the mainsprings of sturdy Americanism,
are described as unjustifiable burdens,
while unWholesome paternalism is pre-
scented in handsome inviting garb. Those
enlisted in this crusade of discomfort
and passion proclaim themselves the
friends of the people, exclude from the
list all countrymen, except the most
unfortunate or unreasonable and those
whom they themselves have made the
most disconnected and credulous
These forces and conditions have for
years with greater or less distinctness
lowered about our natural life, lacking
effective organization and concentra-
ton, neglected by those who deprecated
their existence, and UNDECIDED by those
who partially appreciated their danger
Gus tendencies. In the meantime,
there has laid in wait, behind them all
an impatient power to marshal them in
effective activity, when depression, mis-
fortune, neglect and posSion had done
their work. This power born of cor
did and maintained by selfish interest
and partisan ambition, has at last as
sumed command, and has largely re-
cruited its waiting forces by inflaming
those inclined to be patient with tales
of ancient crime against their rights
to be avenged, by encouraging the rest
| less and turbulent with hints of their
license, and by offering to the poor as a
smooth road to wealth, and to those in
debt as a plan for easy payment, and
to those who, from any cause. are I'M
| fortunate and discouraged, as a rene
| dy for all their ills, the free and I'M
| limited and Independent coinage of sill
yer at the ratio of 16 to |, with a
deprecated currency and cheap money.
1T was rude awakening for the neg
ligent and over-confident, and a day Of
terror for sober and patriotic men,
when the bold promoters of this reck-
less greed captured the organization of
a powerful political party. and seized
its banners, shouted defiance to the
astonished conscience and conserva-
tism. Hosts of honest men, in blind
| loyalty, gathered behind the party
| flag. They had been accustomed to
follow, failing to discover that their
party legends had been effaced 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 situa-
ton arose from the hasty impulse of
| those whose misfortunes had been cru
ely played upon from the enthusiasm
and unquesuoning, thoughtless party
fealty. The deliverance came through
the action of those who saw the trick.
and loved the principles of their party
too we'll to follow its stolen banners in
an attack upon those national safe