Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-06-01
secretary cages wsrds Havs Weight.

Secretary cages Wefds navs weight.
The carefully considered words OF the
secretary Of the treasury upon the SUD-
ject Of currency reform. when he spok :
at Cincinnati. last week. have made 9
deep impression on the country. Tne
reason for this it two-fold. The OPP
nonents OF the administration have
been continually whining about be-
travail Of sound money. have lost no OPP
nortunity to attract attention from the
efforts Of the administration and the
Republicans in Congress to bring the
tariff issue to a solution. With utter
disregard of facts but with entire con-
sistency with their past they have az
sumed that the currency problem should
he taken up for consideration before
ANYTHING should be done to remove
conditions likely at any time to neces-
state a further sale of bonds to pay
the current expenses of running THIS
government.
All this unreasonable din has un-
doubtedly had some effect notwlth-
standing it has been so absurd. rms
is one reason why the words of Mr..
Gage attracted especial attention and
it is noticeable that the carpers are
momentarily silenced. Another rea-
son is found in a natural desire on the
part of the public to be made as well
acquainted as possible with the pur-
poses of an administration. 1t ought
to have been apparent to all before this
utterance that the disposition of Presi-
dent Mckinley in this respect is dame
trical opposed to the distrust of the
people which kept the lips of his prede-
cessor sealed when they should have
been frankly opened. Mr.. Gage spoke
with authority when he said:
IF any of you harDor the suspicion
that the administration. but just now
installed into the responsibilities OF
high office, has forgotten or is likely TO
forget the mandate of the people.
whose voice in behalf of honest money
and sound finances rang out loud ana
clear in November last. put that sus-
picion aside. 1t is unjust and un-
founded. In good time and in proper
order the affirmative evidences of my
declaration will appear"
Those are manly straightforward
words, well calculated to have weight.
The problem involving the currency
ton. Public sentiment is not yet solid
flied upon any method. In general
way the majority of the people of the
country have declared for sound money
but they have not declared for any
specific measure or remedy for any
particular difficulty connected with ex-
listing conditions and it is gratifying to
know that the question is to be Brought
t,p for discussion just as soon as pr lac-
ticable.
Mr.. Gage is a fnancier. He has the
kind of knowledge that we look to with
commence LOT unueTtakii5 tiie soiu'ioi
of such questions and his appointment
by President Mckinley ought to have
been sufficient assurance that the lat
ter intended to have the question met
in the best way possible. The influence
of Mr.. Cages words is all the greater
by reason of the sanguine outlook one
finds therein. He believes the tariff is
soon to be settled satisfactorily to
the country and revenue sufficient for
our needs is to be had. In short he
sees better times at hand and bespeaks
the unfaltering purpose not to hesitate
at any attempt to hasten them ana
render them stable.