The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-01-23
Mr. John P. IRISH, o. California, Fob

business men, Your presence here proves
your acceptance Of the true definition OF thss
term Here to-day. are representatives OF
agriculture, ct mining, Of manufactures. Of
trade, Of commerce, OF transportation and Of
the vast aggregation CT capital which is con-
stituted OF the earnings OF labor. ami the saw
tngs Of thrift We ma- De parrisalS as to all
questions that can properly be determined
solely upon party considerations. bat we are
also, above al. American citizens. A. Aneri-
can citizens. proud Of our country's past and
hopeful Of its future, We meet to-day to take
counsel together as to those great questions Of
public interest which relate to the currency
OF the country and which ought 20 be decided
Upon grounds that are broader than those Of
uere party spirit
Meeting a. citizens 20 consider a subject OF
common interest To the whole country, - is
fitting thai IKE should come together in the
middle west, which Is to-day the seat OF en-
pire, il the great state OF Indiana. where. last
aRtumn. the victory WIS won for the honor Of
the nation, AMI in this typical city OF I2dlau-
apOl,S.
Let Is approach the grave subjects Ckat are
TO be brought before Us with no pride Of OpIn-
ion. but in the spirit OF that Old maxim which
tells Us that in things necessary there should
be unity: in things doubtful, liberty, and N all
Things. charity" But let Us refuse 70 recon-
mend any compromise Of principle. FOR such
compromises have always failed 10 accomplish
their desired END because Of their inherent n
AGILITY 10 destroy the irritating cause. anu be-
cause Of their essential inapplicabilIty to
chan-eG conditions and circumstances
This cCUuLrv l., an empire in its extent Ct
territory. Il the number Of It's population and
IN Tie ma-lItEGe Of It's material interests
There are Le4s ~ populated areas OF terrific
~. and -1cre are scaEtLly populated areas Of
territory IN the former there Is AZ adequate,
and. perhaps. IN some PAGES an excessive, sup
ply Of banking facilities. IN the latter there
l. i deficiency Of banking facilities. Where
these banking facilities exist To an adequate
extent, not only are means Of accommOGa-
LIun provided for responsible borrowers,
but there are also supplied those credit
substitutes tOr coR-y il the shape Of checks
and drafts. which increase ne volume OF cur
rency at the tiue when such an Institution Is
Needed by he people. Where these barking
facilities DO not exist 10 an adequate extent,
uadusy hga rates Of interest prevail. and the
tenant for currency IN general exceeds The
supply. We therefore need for domestic puF-
poses 1 currency Of stable value and OF iulI
purchasing power which W.. be neither re-
duHtana nor contracted. anu which snail dlE
into the cuaaLe.s ot trade wlen AMI - the u
JereSCS OT the county L4ay require.
This country has Extensive commercial re.a-
lions with other countries. The continued Ge-
y~e.op-EeaL Of the West anu south demands
tE&t the surplus capital Of The world should be
brought here for reMunerGtIve investment. It
> IL no sense Inconsistent with the building
Up and with the protection u The home mar
ket that We LOOK forward TO the growth anu n
crease Of our foreign commerce. 50 that our
agricultural, mining and manufacturing prod
ucts snail ind that larger market which vii
give TO American Industry greater returns.
For our international relations We need, there
fore, = currency which shall be u full value in
the market, OF the world. We may differ IL to
questions OF protection or OF revenue reform,
but We can agree that the government must
have L revenue adequate TO its necessary ex-
penGltUres and with i surplus sufficient TO pro-
vide for possible contingencies.
We can agree. that as the revenue must &c
raised by taxation, that taxation SHOULD be so
imposed as to lay It's burdens upon the people
in the manner that can most easily be borne.
We can agree that the existing standard Of
value shall be maintained We can agree that
bimetallism IS desirable. II It could be secured
By international treaty and made practically
effective. We can agree that there ought TO
be an enlarged and increased use Of silver
coins convertible at par into gold We
can agree that SO long as the gov
eminent demand notes are outstanding,
provisions should be made by law for
the maintenance OF an adequate gold
reserve. spec ttcaily pledged for the redemp-
tiou Of those notes. We can agree as to the
fact that while IN some cases stockholders Of
and shareholders IN national banks have lost
b. uusklIIful or unfaIthfuI management, yet
no holder OF L national bank note has ever had
occasion TO inquire what bank issued the
note. or has ever lost any part Of the
amount OF the note. We can also agree
that the national banking system should be
so ameded ~ to provide some method for the
more the more general extension Of banking
facilities 70 ali parts Of the country. AID
Chiefly we can agree that the adequate Soiu-
ton 81 the currency question in the interest Of
the whole country and Of all the people, is Of
great importance, and should - I subject Of
more deliberate and detailed consideration
than this convention at its present session can
extend to it, and my properly be referred TO
such methods Of investigation As sou, II Jour
wisdom. may decide.
Upon all these questions it IS for YOU to de-
te-mine the action Of the convention. When
the convention which framed the constitution
OF The United States was about to assemble,
Washington said. If. % please the people,
we offer what We ourselves tisapDrove. how
can We Afterwards defend our work. Let Us
raise I standard 10 which the wise and honest
can repair. The event Is IN the hands Uf God"
Let that view. expressive Of the highest
StatesuauShiD anu the trUeSG PATRIOTISM, con-
troll our action. Let Us raise 4 standard 20
whicI the wise and houeSs Of al parties can
repair. IN this country the people are SOW
ereIglS. Nowhere csc IN the world Is the-e 4
more general diffusion OF Intelligence or .
higher average Of moral character. The psO-
pie must. rs the tribunal Of last appeal. deter
mine what the currency CT 4 great country
ought to be. and, therefore, what the currency
Of this country shall be.
5TLe nation has survived the shock ~ foreign
AMI u civil war L mas overcome The Gi>.l-
tegratiEg Influences uf the expansion q terri
tory and the growth Of population. 1t has Sue
c~eSSfully resisted the attempt TO lower the
standard OF value. Let Us have confidence
enough n the people. and faith enough n our
free institutions to believe that in the future
as in the past the people viii rightly deter
mine the questions which shall be submitted
70 them.