New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-01
SPEECH FULL OF MEANING.

The Presidents speech nj the Manufacturers
banquet was short and serious. but one or the
best he has ever made, and possibly the most
important 1t was not merely crushing an
swer to those who have uied 70 represent hon
est efforts for International bimetallsm as
somehow hostile 10 the cause of sound money.
Far more than that. It was the declaration OF
n policy upon which, IN all probability the next
Presidential contest will turn. Certainly 1t was
not by accident, nor without deliberate meaning,
tina, the President urged the business interests OF
the country TO insist upon the settlement Of the
money question now. cor else to face the alter
native that il must be again submitted for
arbitration at the polls and added;
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 would not permit
doubt to exist anywhere concerning the sta
bility and integrity OF Its currency. or the in
volatility Of its obligations Of every kind.
This Is one Of the sentences which make his
tory The millions who achieved the victory in
1896 may not be entirely united two years
hence but the President does not mean that
any division shall come by his fault Nor was
he unthlnking or mprudcnt In citing the Repub
lican monetary platform, even in bipartisan
vested by the ballots of 1896 with all the dig
nifty and binding force Of a mandate of the
people:
We are unaltera5ly opposed TO every measure
calculated 10 dcbase our currency or impair the
credit OF our country We are therefore op-
posed 70 the free coinage OF silver except by
International agreement with the leading com
n1ercial 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 and paper currency
uusi be maintained at parity with gold and We
favor all measures designed to maintain in
vioably the obligations Of the United States.
and al our money, whether coin or paper. at
the present standard the standard OF the most
enlghtencd nations OF the earth
With the closing of the polls in 1896 these
words ceased 10 be the declaration Of party
and became, as the President declares the com
mission of the Government, Our prcsen, char
ter from the people" Tney stand in their en-
tlrety not one part alone but every part. and
measures which. even under color Of maintain
ing the gold standard 80 so much further as TO
render efforts for international bimetalllsm ab-
surd and impossible are as plainly prohibited
by that charter as is free coinage itself The
course which the President recommended 10
Congress gains strength intellectually in the light
OF his brave and pregnant declaration, which
places him at the head of all who seek genuine
reform OF currency and absolute maintenance
Of the gold standard, without other changes not
esso initial or actually prejudicial To that end
II S worthy of notice that the leader does not
fear 10 lead As he states, ''haf-heartedness
never won n battle" and Il Is true that states
men, as we'll as nations and parties. without
abiding principles and stern resolution to en-
"force them, even II It costs continuous strug-
gle TO do 50 and temporary sacrifice, are never
in the highest degree successful leaders IN the
progress Of mankind" Nor has good cause
occasion 10 fear intelligent discussion. for the
more difficult position Is made clear TO the
people tie more surely they viii sustain move