, 1897-03-05

The President Will Enforce the
Law Against Trusts-Immigratior
Must Be Restricted in Order Tha'
Our Civilization May Be Elevated
President McKinley's address, was as
follows:
Fellow Citizens: In obedience to the
will of the people and their presence by
the authority vested in me by this oath
| the arduous and responsible
duties OF president of the United States
relying on the support of my country
men and invoking the guidance OF AL
mighty 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 humbly in His foot
steps.
The responsibilities OF the high TO
which | have been called, always of
grave importance, are augmented by the
prevailing business conditions, entailing
idleness upon willing labor and loss to
useful enterprises. The country is suf-
iering from industrial disturbances from
which speedy relief must be had. Our
financial system needs some revision;
cur money is all good now, but its value
not be further threatened. 1t
should all be put upon an enduring
basis. not subject to easy attack, nor its
stability to doubt or dispute. Our cur
rency should continue under the super
vision of the government. The several
forms of paper money offer. in my judg-
ment. a constant embarrassment to the
government and a safe balance in the
treasury. Therefore | believe il neces-
sary to devise a system, without dimin-
ishing the circulating medium, Or offer
ing a premium for its contraction, which
will present a remedy for those arrange
ments which, temporary in their nature
might well in the years of our prosperi-
~ have been displaced by
wiser provisions. With adequate reve-
nue. insured. but not until then. can we
enter upon such changes in our fiscal
laws as will. while insuring safety and
volume to our money. no longer impose
upon the government the necessity of
maintaining SO large Il gold reserve,
with its attendant and inevitable temp
tations to speculation. Most Of our
%perience and trial, and should not be
amended without investigation and
demonstration of the wisdom OF the pro-
posed changes. We must be both sure
we are right and make haste slowly"
If, therefore, congress-, in its wisdom,
shall deem it expedient to create a COM
mission to take under early considera-
ton the revision of our coinage, bank
ing and currency laws. and give them
that exhaustive. careful ard dispassion,
ate examination that the importance de-
mands, | shall cordially concur in such
action. If such power is vested in the
president. it is my purpose to appoint a
commission of prominent, well-informed
citizens Of different parties who will
command public confidence both on &C,
count Of their ability and and special fit
ness for the work. Business experience
and public training may thus be com,
bined and the patriotic zeal of the
friends Of our country be so direct that
such a report will be made rs to receive
the support of all parties and our finan-
ces cease TO be the subject of mere parti-
san contention. The experiment is, at
all events, worth II trial. and. in my
opinion, it can but prove beneficial to the
entire country.
TO HAVE EARLY ATTENTION.
The question Of International BIZ
metallism will have early and earnest
attention. 1t will be my constant en-
deavor to secure it by cooperation with
the other great commercial powers OF the
"oii" III that toiSlueTdllUH Is TpHl-
lied when the parity between u gold
and silver money springs from and is
supported by the relative value of the
TWO metals, the value of silver already
coined, and Of that which may hereafter
be coined. must be kept constantly at
par with gold by every resource at our
command. The credit Of the govern
ment. the integrity OF its currency, and
the in~violability OF it's obligations must
be preserved. This was the commanding
verdict Of the people and it will not be
unheeded. ~
ECONOMY DEMANDED.
Economy is demanded in every branch
Of the government at all times, but es-
pecially in periods like the present de-
preston Of business and distress among
the people. The severest economy must
be observed in all public expenditure
and extravaganza stopped wherever it
Is found, and prevented wherever in the
future IL may be developed. II the reve-
nues are TO remain as now. the only re-
lief that can come must be from decreas-
ed expenditures. But the present must
| not become the narmanont condition ~