The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-08
And He VIII Therefore Send a Mes
sage to Congress To-day Asking
that Action Be Taken.
WILL SUGGEST A COMMISSION
COMPOSED OF NINE EXPERTS TO
MAKE AN INVESTIGATION
And Report to Congress Next Winter
Senate Not Likely to Comply
with the Request.

WASHINGTON, July 7..After discus
sion lasting over one hour the Cabinet. at
a special meeting to-day, decided that the
President should send to Congress a mes
sage recommending legislation providing
for a commission to adjust the currency
question of the country 1t was resolved
that this message should be sent to Con-
greSs tomorrow. 1t is the expectation of
the President that the subject will receive
the attention of Congress during the pres
eht extra session of Congress. The message
itself is written and is short. Its prinCi-
pal feature is a quotation of the Presidents
inaugural address on the financial subject.
The President will ask authority to name
nine commissioners and for an appropria
ton for the expenses of the commission,
but will make no suggestion as to the polit-
zeal or other composition of the commits
sion, nor will he make any suggestion as
to the lines of investigation. He will SIM
ply call attention to the necessity of a re-
form in our currency and misunderstanding
laws, and state that, IN his opinion, this
may be equally important with the enact
ment of a protective tariff law.
The message was framed by the President
himself, and, like his other special mes
sages to Congress, states the necessity of
the occasion tersely. 1t was prepared by
him after a consultation with one or two
advisers and submitted to the Cabinet as
whole only to-day, when it was read in
complete form. 1t recites the fact that the
tariff bill has now passed both the House
and the Senate, and hopes that it will soon
be concurred in by both houses. With that
acted on a subject of equal Importance
he says, demands immediate attention-that
OF reform in our currency. The message
quotes from the Presidents inaugural ad-
DRESS in which he said:
Our financial system needs some revision.
our money Is all good now, but its value
must not De further threatened. 1t should
all be put an enduring basis, not sub
ject to easy attack nor its stability to doubt
or dispute. Therefore, believe
it necessary to devise system which,
without diminishing the circulating me-
dunn or Offering a premium Tor its contrac-
tton will present remedy for those ar
engagements, which, temporary in their ma
ture, might well, in the years of our pros
perity, nave been displaced by wiser pro-
visions. With adequate revenue secured.
changes in our fiscal laws as will, while
insurlng safety and volume to our money,
no longer impose upon the government the
necessity OF maintaining so large a gold re-
serve, with it's attendant and inevitable
temptations to speculation
The message also cites the work and rec
concentrations of the Indianapolis currency
convention, and says If the power is vested
in the President it is his purpose to appoint
a commission. nonpartisan, consisting Of
prominent, well-informed citizens, who will
command public confidence. The message
closes with the hope that Congress will
enact legislation at this session to authorize
this commission, to be made up of rep
resentatives of both parties, SO that the
President may be prepared to report to
Congress when 1t reassembles in the first
term of the next regular session.
The President, while believing that Con-
gress will respond to his message, is not
overconfident, and there was some differ
ence of opinion expressed by the Cabinet
as to the fate the recommendation would
meet at this session. The majority, how
ever, believed the opportunity was at least
a favorable one, and that it was, at any
rate, the duty of the administration to do
what it could to hasten the reform.