Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-02-04
THE CURRENCY PROBLEM
President Mckinley Cans i"'
Financial Legislation

In n Notable AuutfHH
nj Association Of M"n"i"''"'''H
New yorE--- Peoples Purpose ""N'
"a. ,.tv.n the vitality Of Pubic Law
p,e.idept Mckinley made one OF lhe
nntable oratorlcM Efforts OF MS me VI
,rhursdav evening last at the DdhPuoO w
,ha mammal Association OF Manufacturers
in New York CRY. When he resPoh,ureu "
tho toast. 81 he President OF the OI''on
states " one thousand prominent ln'" VI
tho country were stirred deeply U! M
ringing words. and several Times lhe eHu'''
a,,,,,,,,,y iuup.d To- their feet aud gave
oh.r un,u cheer. The first part OF
49,. ,d.tr..s vas devoted To- the extension
of Our trade and commerce. anu Nv 'n."
,ia. u'rbare is another duty resting up
on the national governmenl-Jo CON M ~,
py and regulate the value thereof nI9
d,ty r,ouir-, that our government SHAH
r.,,,,,l,to the valua Of It's money 10y the
highest standards OF commercial honesty
and national honor The money OF Tue
United States is and must forever DE III"
questioned and unassailahlr. II douOLs re-
main they must be removed. II "eah
places are discovered they must be strength
ened Nothing should ever tempt US
nothing ever will tempt us-to scaIe uo"h
the sacred debt of the Nation through
legal technically. Whatever may DE the
Language of the contract, the United states
will discharge all of It's obi gauois I'D 'ne
currency recognized as the best throughout
the civilized world at the times OF payment.
Nor will We ever consent that the wages ol
labor or its frugal savings shall DE sca'eu
down by permitting payment I'D dollars Oh
less value than the dollars accepted a.
the best in every enlightened nation oI the
earth
"Under existing conditions our clllzeus
cannot be excused If they do not IedouD't
their efforts TO secure such hnanclh Regis
ltlon a. will place their honorable lhIeH-
lions beyond dispute All those VINO rep
resent. as you do. the great conservative
but progressive business Interests o. the
country. owe it not only 10 themselves. but
to the people, to Insist upon the settlement
of thi. great question now. or else to face
the alternative that 1t must be- again sub
United tor arbitration at the polls. This is
our plain duty to more than ,.OUJ,WO vot-
ers who - months ago won great polltl-
cal battle on the issue, among others, that
the United States government would not
permit a doubt 10 exist anywhere concern
ing the stability and integrity Of its cur
rency or the invioaoility OF us obligations
of every kind. That IS my Interpretation
OF that victory
"Wha ever eft lrt, therefore, is required to
make the settlement OF this vita question
clear and conclusive for all time We are
bound in good conscience TO undertake
and if possible realize. That Is our coni-
mission-our present charter from the
people.
at will not suffice for citizens nowadays
TO say simply that they are III favor Of
sound money That IL not enough. The
peoples 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.
The difficulties in the path of a salts
factory reform are, II 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 at
tempt will be the best proof OF sincerity
Of purpose. Discussion cannot hurt, it
/ will only help, the cause Let us have full
and free discussion. We are the last 10
avoid or evade it, Intelligent discussion
will strengthen the Indifferent and encour-
/ age the friends OF stable system Of finance.
Half heartedness never won a battle
| Nations and parties without abiding pTin-
/ ciples and stern resolution TO enforce them,
/ even II it costs a continuous struggle to d.
| SO, and temporary sacrifice, are never ID
/ the highest degree successful leaders in the
progress Of mankind. For US to attempt
nothing in the face of the prevalent falla-
/ cies and the constant effort 10 spread them
| is to lose valuable ground already won and
! practically to weaken the forces of sound
money for their battles of the future
The financial plank OF the S.. Louis
/ platform is still as commanding upon Re
/ publicans and those who served with them
/ in the last campaign as on the day ii was
adopted and promulgated.
Happily the tariff part OF that platform
has already been engrafled into public stat
ute. But that other plank, not already
builded into our legislation, is Of binding
force upon all of us. What is ir"
- The Republican party is unreservedly
for sound money. 1t caused the enactmen,
OF the law providing for the resumption OF
specie payments in 1879: since then every
dollar has been as good as gold.
We are unalterabiy opposed to every
measure calculated 10 deOase our currency
or impair the credit OF our country. We
are therefore opposed TO the free coinage
of silver except 10y International agreement
/ with the leading commercial nations of the
world, which We pledge ourselves TO pro
mote, and until such agreement can be OBJ
tanned the existing gold standard must be
preserved. All our silver and paper cur
rency must be maintained at parity will
gold, and we favor al measures designed L
MAINTAIN invioably the obligations OF tn,
United States, and all our money. whether
coin or paper, at the present standard, tn,
standard OF the most enlightened nation,
of the earth
This is in reality command from tn,