The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-28
abatCd none of the faith I then expressed.
and you seem to have regained yours.

pie to project and carry them on. If these
policies stimulate Industrial development
and energy, the people can be safely trusted
to do the rest. The government, however,
is restricted in its power to promote indus
try. 1t can aid commerce. but not create it.
1t can widen and deepen its rivers improve
its harbors and develop its great national
waterways, but the ships TO sail and the
traffic to carry the people must supply. The
government can raise revenues by taxation
in such way as Will discriminate in favor
of domestic enterprises, but it cannot estab
lish them. 1t can make commercial treaties,
opening to our manufacturers and agricul-
turists the ports of other nations. 1t can
change our products with those of other
countries. 1t can aid our merchant marine
by encouraging our people to build ships OF
commerce. 1t can assist in every lawful
manner private enterprise to unite the two
oceans with a great canal 1t can do all
these things and ought to do them but
with ali this accomnIished the result will
still be Intellectual unless supplemented by
the energy, enterprise and industry of the
people. 1t is they who must build and oper-
ate the factories, furnish ships and cargoes
for the canal, and the rivers, and the seas.
1t is they who must find the consumers and
obtain trade by going forth to win it,
Much profitable trade is still unenjoyed
by our people because of their present in
sufficient facilities for reaching desirable
lack of information and ignorance of the
conditions and needs of other nations. We
must know just what other people want be-
fore we can supply their wants We must
understand exactly how to reach them with
least expense if we would enter into the
most advantageous business relations with
them. The ship requires the shippers; but
the shipper must have assured promise that
his goods will have a sale when they reach
their destination. II is good rule if buyers
will not come to us, for us to go TO them.
1t is our duty to make American enterprise
and industrial ambition as well as achieve
ment, terms of respect and praise. not only
at home, but among the family of nations,
the world over.
There is another duty resting on the ma
tional government: To coin money and
regulate the value thereof This duty
quires that our government shall regulate
the value of it's money by the highest stand
ards of commercial honesty and national
honor. The money of the United States is
and must forever be unqueStioned and un-
assailable. 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 legal techncality. Whatever may
be the language of the contract, the United
in the currency recognized as the best
throughout the civilized. world at the times
the wages of labor or its frugal savings
shall be scaled down, by permitting payment
in dollars of less value than the dollars
cepted as the best in every enlightened ma
ton of the earth.
DUTY OF THOSE IN POWER
'Under existing conditions our citizens
cannot be excused if they do not redouble
their efforts to secure such financial legisla-
ton as will place their honorable intentions
beyond dispute. All those who represent. as
you do, the great conservative but progress
sive business interests in the country owe
it not only to themselves, but to the people
to insist on the settlement of this great ques-
tion now, or else to face the alternative that
it must be again submitted for arbitration
at the polls. This is our plain duty to more
than seven million voters who fifteen
months ago won great political battle on
the issue, among others, that the United
States government would not per-
NIT a doubt to exist anywhere
concerning the stability and i'm
tegrity of its currency or the nviolability of
its obligations of every kind. That is my
Interpretation of that victory Whatever
effort. therefore, is required to make the
settlement of this vital question clear and
conclusive for all time, we are bound in
good conscience to undertake ana, IT poss1-
BILE. realize. That is our commission-our
present charter from the people.
1t Will not suffice for citizens nowadays
to say simply that they are in favor of
sound money. That is not enough. The peo-
Pies purpose must be given the vitality of
public law. Better an honest effort with
failure than the avoiding of so plain and
commanding a duty.
Inc ulHcultleS IN the path of a SatiSfac-
tory reform are, 1t must be admitted,
neither few in number nor slight in degree:
but progress cannot fail to be made with a
fair and thorough trial. An honest attempt
will be the best proof of sincerity of pur-
pose Discussion cannot hurt; it will only
help the cause. Let us have full and free
discussion. We are the last to avoid or
evade it. Intelligent discussion will
strengthen the Indifferent and encourage the
friends of stable system of finance.
"Half-heartedness never won battle
Nations and parties without abiding prn-
clples and stern resolution to enforce them
even If it costs continuous struggle to do
SO, and temporary sacrifice, are never in the
highest degree successful leaders in the
progress of mankind. For us to attempt
cleS and the constant effort to spread them
is to lose valuable ground already won and
practically to weaken the forces of sound
money for their battles of the future.
AN UNFULFILLED PLEDGE
THE financial plank of the st. Louis plat
form is still as commanding on Republicans
and those who served with them in the
last campaign as on the day it was adopted
and promulgated. Happily the tariff part of
the platform has already been engrafted
into public statute. But that other plank
not already builded into our Constitution.
is of binding force upon all of us. What
is it?
The Republican party is unreservedly
for sound money 1t caused the enactment
of the law providing for the resumption of
specie payments in 1879. Since then every
dollar has been as good as gold. We are un-
alterably opposed to every measure calcu-
lated to debase our currency or impair the
credit OF our country; We are therefore OPP
posed to the free coinage of silver except
by international agreement with the leading
commercial nations of the world which we
pledge ourselves to promote, and until such
agreement can be obtained the existing gold
standard must be preserved. All our silver
parity with gold, and we favor all measures
designed to maintain inviolably the obIiga-
tions of the United States, and all our
money, Whether coin or paper, at the pres
ent standard, the standard of the most en-
hghtened nations of the earth
This is really command from the peo
pie who gave the administration to the
party now In power, and who are still
anxiously awaiting for the execution of
their free and omnipotent will by those of
US VINO hold commissions from that su-
preme tribunal.
Il have tonight spoken in a somewhat
serious strain because / believe it is due
DCth to the membership of this association
and TO the conditions under which this as
semblage has met. The conferences and
systematic efforts of such a body of men
as this are capable of infinite good to the
respective communities in which the mem
berS live and TO the Nation at large
Ihe country is now emerging from try
ing conditions. 1t is only Just beginning TO
recover from the depression in certain lines
OF business long continued and altogether
unparalleled. Progress. therefore will nat
Rather let US exercise a just patience and
Cne which in time will surely bring its own
high reward.
Il have no fear for the future of our be-