Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-03-18
WASHINGTON LITTER.
The New Administration Has Begun To
Work.-Comment ON the Sentiments of
the Inaugural Address.

amid imposing ceremonies, Major VIM.
Mckinley became president Of the
United States and the dark incubus of
Democracy passed-let us hope forever
from the country.
1t is not our purpose To describe in
detail the splendid and imposing spec.
tacle, or To refer to the words of high
and patriotic purposes with which the
new president began his term of Office,
for those are given fully in the daily
press.
The general public can have but lit
tie knowledge of the enormous amount
of work incident to making prepara-
tions for the inauguration of presi-
dent Almost every person in the
country feels it his or her duty to give
advice. They know exactly how the
thing should be done. The people
seem impressed with the belief that
since they have aided in the election of
the man inaugurated, they must not be
ignored when il comes to Offering sug-
gestions, or how he shall be inducted
into Office. OF course the cost of main
tanning the committees, with their
offices, clerk hire, postage, bills, sta
tionery, kilograms and many incident
ais, sums up into the thousands; but In
most cases surplus has been realized
from the sale of tickets and for priv
ileges at the inaugural ball.
The members OF the inaugural COM
mittee were compelled to read hun
dreds, if not thousands, of what may
be termed ''crank letters" 1t is true
that oftentimes some so-called crank
advances good IDEAS but not so very
often. They have had letters from all
over the country from persons claim
ing prominence in their respective
localities, giving advice as TO how the
inaugural ceremonies should be carried
out
1t is remarkable under all the cir
cumstances that everything connected
with the induction of the new president
passed off with such splendid harmony
and precision. 1t was the most per-
fectly managed inauguration In many
years.
That the American people made no
mistake when they elevated William
Mckinley OF Ohio to the Presidential
chair, was amply emphasized. by the
first official utterances given by that
distinguished statesman after taking
the oath of office. Regarding every
confront the administration he ex-
presses himself with unqualified frank
ness, and leaves no doubt as to the
attitude both he and his advisers may
be expected to assume. His express
sions of these questions are clear and
TO the point. He touches them all
with manly directness, and his mean
ing is not obscured under mass of
empty verbiage, such as too often dis
tinguished the state papers of his less
ingenious and practical predecessor.
Naturally the questions OF currency
and tariff come in for primary consid
GRAFTON. On the latter his expressions
are in keeping with his record. He
declares we must have revenue suffic-
lent for the government TO pay as it
goes, to care properly for pensioners,
and to pay off the national debt. I'VE
should have more revenue, and that
without delay, hindrance and postpone
ment. This he declares can be had
by a tariff levied on competing imports,
and which at the same time shall pro-
tect our home industries. In this con
nection he also urges the re-enactment
of the reciprocity principle embodied
in the tariff law OF 1890.
In treating the currency problem the
president clearly outlines the objects
TO be secured by legislation, leaving
Congress to exercise its Constitutional
prerogatives in securing all desired
reforms. He advises the creation of a
currency commission to consider the
anu III nc Ut lUN6Sbtu Will Int
power of appointing such a body he
declares his purpose to name a commits
sion, composed OF different parties,
that will command the confidence Of
the people.
Believing that the currency and rev.
enue questions imperatively need i'm
mediate settlement, he declares his
purpose to convene Congress in extra
session on March l5.
The president declares the multiple
ity in forms Of paper money to be an
embarrassment. Legislation he wants
directed to a revision Of our monetary
system, without diminishing its volume,
while 1t shall obviate the necessity OF
maintaining so large a gold reserve.
He frankly declares himself the friend
OF international bimetallism, and
pledges himself TO endeavor to secure
IL. He defines bimetallism as not free
coinage OF silver at rs to |, declaring
that the parity between gold and silver