The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-28

hut your pluck. or thought You had.
Courage was the only friend your grief
could call its own. note with SatiGfac-
tion your improved appearance now.
You are more cheerful in cOuntenance,
more buoyant in spirit. more hopeful in
manner and more confident in purpose.
Then, too, there are more of you here
than there were at your first meeting.
Distances are of course the same but
travelling has been resumed. Your
speeches and resolutions at that first con
yention were directed mainly to the
question of how to regain what y0u had
lost in the previous years, or, if that
was found impossible, then how 10 stop
further loss.
But yOur object now rs | gather il, is
to go out and possess what y0u have
never had before. You want to extend,
not your notes. but your business. j.
sympathized with your purpose then;
am in full accord with your intentions
now.
| ventured to say at the gathering re-
ferred TO. as reported in your published
proceedings, speaking both for your en-
coura cement and from profound con-
viction:
"This great country cannot be perma
nently kept in a state of relapse. ] be-
lievp we will rc-occupy the field temp0rar-
lily lost to lis and go out to the peaceful
conquest of new and greater fields Of
trade and commerce. The recovery will
come slowly. perhaps. but it will come
and when it does we will be steadier
and will better know how to avoid ex-
posure hereafter"
/ have abated none of the faith / then
4 l. I
yours.
National policies can encourage indus
try and commerce but it remains for the
people to project and carry them on. III
these policies stimulate Industrial devel-
opment and energy, the people can bel
safely trusted to do the rest The gov
ernment, however. is restricted in it's
power 10 promote industry. 1t can aid
commerce but not create it. 1t can widen
and deepen its rivers, improve its har-
borS and develop its great national wa
ter-way; 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 discrim-
mate in favor of domestic enterprises,
but it cannot establish them. 1t can
make commercial treaties. opening to our
ports of other nations 1t can enter into
reciprocal arrangements to exchange our
products with those of other countries.
1t can aid our merchant marine by en-
couraging our people 70 bnild ships of
commerce. 1t can assist in every law
ful manner private enterprise to.unite the
two oceans with a great canal. 1t can
do all these things and ought 10 do them:
but with all this accomplished the result
will still be Intellectual unless supple
nented by the energy, enterprise and in
dustry of the people 1t is they who
must build and operate the factories.
furnish the ships and cargoes for the
canal. and the river and the sea. 1t is
they who must find the consumers to
obtain trade by going forth to win it.
Much profitable trade is still unenjoy-
ed by our people because of their present
insufficient facilities for reaching deSira-
bic markets. Much of it is lost because
of n lack of information and Ignorance
Of the conditions and needs of other ma
tiOns. We must know just what other
people want before we can supply their
wants. We must understand exactly
how to reach them with least expense if
we would enter into the most advantage
ons business relations with them. The
ships requires the shipper; but the shin
per must have assured promise that his
goods win have a sale when they reach
their destination. 1t is a good rule, if
buyers will rot come TO lis, for IFS to go
TO them. It is our duty to make Ameri-
can enterprise and industrial ambition
as well rs achievement terms of respect
and praise, not only at homo bnt amoug
the family of nations the world over.
FOR THE GOLD STANDARD.
There is another duty resting upon the
national government. ''To coin money
and regulate the value thereof" This
duty requires that our government shall
regulate the value of it's money by the
highest standards of commercial homes
ty and national honor. The money of
the United States is and must for ever
be unquestioned and unassailable. II
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 o legal technicality. Whatever
may be the language of the contract, the
United States will discharge all of its
obligations in the currency recognized as
the best throughout the civilized world
at the times of payment. Nor will we
over consent that the wages Of labor or
its frugal savings shall be scaled down.
by permitting payment in dollars of less
value than the dollars accepted as the
best in every enlightened nation of the
earth.
Under existing conditions our citizens
cannot be excused if they do not redouble
their efforts to secure such financial leg
islatiOn rs win place their honorable
intentions beyond dispute. All those who
represent, as you do, the great conserva-
tive but progressive business interests
of the country, owe it not only to them
selves but TO the people to insist upon
the settlement of this great question
now. or else to face the alternative that
II must be again submitted for arbitra-
tion at the polls. This is our plain duty
IA more than seven million voters who
II months ago won great political bat
tie on the issue, among others, that the
limited States government would not
hermit a doubt TO exist anywhere con
cerning the stability and integrity Of it's
currency or the inviolability Of its OBJ
legations of every kind. That is my in
terpretation Of that victory. Whatever
effort therefore. Is required to make the