Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-04-08
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
The New President Outlines
the Policy Of His Ad-
InlnlStratlon.
Economy Demanded in Ev-
cry Branch of the Gov
eminent.
FavorS the Restoration OF the
American Merchant
Marine.
Deficiencies to Be Stopped
BY 4 Revision OF the
Tariff.

Washington. March FOLLOWING is
President McKinley's inaugural address:
Fellow Citizens: In obedience 10 the
will of the people and in their presence.
by the authority vested in me by this
oath. I assume the arduous and respon-
sibie duties OF president OF the United
States, relying on the support of my
countryInen 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 forsake
US SO long as we obey his command
ments and walk hunably in his footsteps.
The responsibilities of the high trust
20 which I have been calted-always OF
grave im~pOrtaRce-are augmented by the
prevailing business conditions, eatailing
idleness upon willing labor and loss to
useful enterprises. The country Is suffer-
ing from industrial disturbances, from
which speedy relief must be had. Our
financial system needs some revision; our
money is all good now, but its value must
not further be threatened. IL should all
be put upon an enduring basis. not sub
ject Co easy attack. nor its stability TO
$500 - ~PNN S'A
continue under the supervision of the
government. The several forms OF our
paper money offer in my judgment.
A Constant Enbarrn<sment
TO the government and to a safe ball
ance In the treasury. Therefore. / be-
lieve It necessary TO devise a system
which. without diminishing the ciroulat-
ing Medium or offering a premium for It's
contraction. will present u remedy for
those arrangements. which. temporary In
their nature. might we'll In years of our
prosperity have been displaced by wiser
provisions. With adequate revenue Sc
cured, but not until then. we can enter
upon such changes in our fiscal laws as
viii. while issur!ng saftey and volume to
our money. no longer impose upon the
government the necessity OF maintaining
so large a gold reserve. with it's attend
ant and inevitable temptations TO specu-
lation.
Most of our financial laws are the out
growth OF experience and trial. and
should not be amended without tnvesti-
CATION and demonstration OF the wisdom
OF the proposed changes. We must be
both sure we are right and make haste
slowly" III, therefore. congress i'm it's
wisdom shall deem IL expedient to create
a commission to take under early consid-
GRAFTON the revision of our coinage, bank
ing and currency laws. and give them that
exhaustive. careful and dispassionatc ex-
inmate that their Importance demands,
| shall cordially concur i'm such action.
Il such power is vested i'm the president
{ is my purpose to appoint a commission
IL prominent, well informed citizens OF
different parties. who will pub
lie confidence both on account of their
ability and special ftness for the work.
Business experience and@p public training
may thus be combined and the patriotic
zeal of the friends of the country be SO
or that ~ - ma.AaN .L4Il
as To receive the support OF all parties.
and our finances cease to be the sab-
1ect OF mere partisan contention. The
experiment Is at all events worth a trial.
and in my opinion IL can but prove bene-
ficial to the entire country.
international BimetaIIism.
The question OF international bimetal-
ism will rave early and earnest atten-
ton. 1t will be my constant endeavor to
secure IT by cooperation with the other
great commercial powers Of the world.
Until that condition is realized, when the
parity between our gold and silver money
springs from and Is supported by the
relative value of the two metals. the
value of the silver already coined, aud
that which may hereafter be coined.
must be kept constantly at par with gold
by every resource at our m The
credit OF the government, the integrity
or It's currency and the i~nvioiability OF
It's obligations must be preserved. This
was the commanding verdict OF the peo-
pie, and IT will not be unheeded.
Economy Is demanded in every branch
OF the government at all times. but os-
peciaiiy in periods like the present de-
preston OF business and distress among
the people. Tho severest economy must
be observed in all public expenditures.
and extravaganza stopped wherever 1t Is
found and prevented wherever i'm the flu
ture II may be developed. III the rev.
enues are to remain as now. the only re-
lief that can come must be from de-
creased expenditures But the present
must not become the permanent condition
Of the government.
II has been our uniform practice TO re-
tire. not Increase. our outstanding obiiga
tons. and this policy must again be re-
stunned. and vigorously enforced. Our rev.
e3iues should always be large enough to
meet with ease and promptness not ONLY
our current needs. and the principal and
interest of the public debt. but To make
proper and liberal provision for tina most
deserving body of public creditors, the
soldiers and sailors. and the widows and
orphans who are the pensioners OF the
United States.
Remedy for Deficits.
The government should not be permit
ted to run behind or increase it's debt In
times like the present. Suitably to pro-
NiuC dGdlhSt WIS Is the MANDATE OF duty.
the certain and easy remedy for most Of
our financial difficulties. A deficiency is
Inevitable 80 long as the expenditures of
the government exceed its receipts. IL
can only be met by loans or an increased
revenue. White q large annual surplus OF
revenue may invite waste and extraya-
sance inadequate revenue creates distrust
and undermines public n private credit.
Neither should be encouraged. Between
more loans and more revenue there ought
TO be but one opinion. We should nave
more revenue and that without delay.
bindrance or postponement.
A surplus In the treasury. created by
loans. is not q permanent or safe reliance.
IL will suflce while II lasts, but Ii cam
not last long while the outlays of the
government are greater than Its receipts.
az has been the case during the past two