The record-union., 1897-08-19

| payments Complete confidence can
not be restored by increasing the Gov
| ernmental income, but even if it could
| there would be no guarantee against
| future impairment of it through the
same cause. That danger can only be
eliminated by rendering it impossible to
have the treasury the one source of
gold supply for the people of every ma
| ton. 1t is not sufficient to have our
currency good to-day, but an earnest
must be given that it will be good to-
morrow and throughout the future.
| That promise cannot be accepted unless
legislative action once for all estab-
lish beyond the peradventure of a doubt
that ours is a gold standard country
with laws establishing the fact so plain
that he who runs may read" and with
a treasury so equipped and resourceful
as to be unmoved, no matter how
strongly assaults sl. 1t will not be fully
credited as long as it is but the policy
of an executive officer, and not the un-
cOntradicted expression of statutory
| law.
| 1 am aware that all this cannot be
| brought about without a struggle. 1t
| rests with nations law making powers
to say whether the people shall be freed
from this body of death or whether
they shall still continue to carry it.
The people at the polls declared, after
a campaign which knew no other issue,
for complete emancipation. But from
| those who stand within the inner circle
of legislative action the announcement
comes that nothing can be done unless
concessions are made to interests, the
harmful results of which no man can
| fOretell. If such be the truth, the
duty is placed upon every citizen who
has his country'S good at heart and
would put an end to the losses so long
entailed upon his fellows, to raise his
voice in protest against either inaction
or concession and thus make the coun-
try'S declaration at the polls more than
a barren victory. With the American
people the most potent force for good
is the might of public opinion. Against
| the power Of it when once aroused no
legislator has ever yet been able to
stand, no matter how loud his boastful
threats or arrogant his demeanor En-
forced by it the repeal of a statute that
was defended for weeks by those who
proclaimed that there never could be
| render was wrung from unwilling and
| hostile Legislators. 1t did erase the
Sherman silver purchasing Act. 1t will
accomplish no less to-day for the well
fare of the citizen if it is again as
| earnestly appealed to.
|, myself, have never in the past wav-
cred in the belief, nor do I now, that
in the end we Will be possessed of a
banking and currency system so strong
as to make impregnable the country s
credit. It's coming may be long de-
layed and only be attained after a
tremendous loss to capital and injury TO
labor. It was the misery and distress
entailed by the assignats and mandates
of the French Revolution that placed
France upon the solid rock of sound
finance. 1t took the threatened star
vation Of the peasantry Of a great ma
ton to wipe out the corn laws of Eng
land but the victory when obtained
was complete. And thus, in conform
fty with the course of history, it is
possible that before the nations finan-
cial structure rests upon a foundation
firm as the eternal hills" the Ameri-
can people will be called upon to pass
through the awful experience and loss
which would follow in the wake of un-
checked paper and silver fiatism. But
at last, no matter how prolonged the
struggle or great the suffering, with
the acquiesence of ALL the monetary
principles which accord with the
worlds business experience, all finan-