The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-03-05
THE PRESIDENT ON MONEY.
A Firm Declaration for n Gold
Standard.


banquet of the National Association of
Manufacturers was primarily reply to
the speeches which the free silver sena-
tors had been making during the
week. They have been advocating the
adoption of the old Matthews resolu-
ton, interpreting it as demand for
the free coinage of silver dollars, which
cheap dollars they claim the govern
ment would have the option to use In
the payment of its bonds.
Senator Teller admitted in effect
that the Matthews resolution intro
duced by him contained the dishonor-
| able doctrine of free coinage at the
ratio of sixteen to one, changing the
yer monometallism, and creating de-
based currency worth 40 cents on the
dollar.
He, Cockrell and other senators de-
Tended the use of that debased cur
rency in paying public creditors on the
ground that it would be legal" The
presidents swift rejoinder to these in
| famous declarations is:
''The money of the United States Is and
| must forever be unquestloned and unas-
sailable. If doubts remain they must be
removed If weak places are discovered
| they must be strengthened. Nothing
| should ever tempt us-nothing ever will
tempt us--to scale down the sacred debt of
the nation through a legal technicality.
| Whatever may be the language Of the con-
1 r.,,ll al
its obligations in the currency recognized
as the best throughout the civilized world
at the times Of payment"
This is as much reply to Vest,
Teller, Daniel and the other senators
who have been insisting that the gov
ernment should use a technicality to
defraud its creditors as if he had sent
message to congress stating his posi-
ton on the question of the standards.
Instead of sending message to con-
gress the president has sent one to the
country. He assures the people that
while he is president there shall be nc
such tampering with the currency as
shall stain the honor of the nation or
injure one of it's citizens.
The free silver senator's call for
cheap, dishonest dollars in order that
the creditors of private individuals and
corporations may be cheated as well as
those of the government. The answer
of the president to them is:
Nor will we ever consent that the wages
of labor or it's frugal savings shall be
scaled down by permitting payment in dol
lars of less value than the dollars accepted
as the best in every enlightened nation Of
the earth"
That is the pledge the president gave
before he was elected. He came out
victor in the contest because of that
pledge. He proposes that the executive
branch of the government shall be true
to it. That is his latest message to the
1nen who supported him in 1896.
. The free silverites who reintroducet
the Matthews resolution did so as {
defiance-with the intention of serv
ing notice on the president and thu
house of representatives that nothing
could be dore in congress to strengthen
the gold standard, and also of serving
notice ON the sound money men gener
ally that the battle Of 1896 is to b.
fought over again.
The reply of the president to this
challenge is emphatic. He declares
that:
Under existing conditions our citizen
cannot be excused If they do not redoubl
: their efforts to secure such financial legis
, lation as will place their honorable inten
| lions beyond dispute. For us TO at
tempt nothing in the face of the presen
, fallacies and the constant effort to spreat
them is to lose valuable ground alread.
won and practically to weaken the force
} of sound money for their battles of the fu
ture."
The house of representatives, wher
the sound money men are in the major
ity, must not be inactive, because NJ
measure it adopts, no matter HOY
salutary it may be, can pass the senate
: 1t must indorse the gold standard un
: equivocally and send that indorsemen
e 10 the senate and the country. Bette
$ an honest effort with failure than tn
! avoiding of SO plain and commanding
, duty"
As the free silver democrats intend t,
make sixteen to one" the issue at tn
congressional elections this year an,
the presidential election two year
later, the sound money men must no
be inert, but must from now on comba
! the fallacies of their opponents a
strenuously as they did during tn
campaign of 1896.
: This advice must be acted on. TIL
f second campaign in behalf of SCUM
/. money must commence now, not mere
, ly in Washington, but throughout tn
country. The sound money men CON
, mitted an almost fatal blunder by fail
, ing to meet the demand for the chea
silver dollar long before so many ha
: been deluded into supporting it. The
cannot sleep on their arms now Will
their adversaries are up and doing.
The president has replied in no ur
certain tones to the men who are sur
: porting the insidious, dishonest, treact
}. erous Teller resolution, which is il
t, tended to serve as plank in the demo
e cratic-populist congressional plat
: forms next fall. He de~rves til
thanks of all sound money men for hi
prompt action and his wise advice
=, Chicago Tribune.
k Gold Standard for Republicans.
J. The republican party's position o
the standard of monetary value wa