Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-01-26
GOVERNOR SHAN'S ADDRESS |
The Governor Takes a Firm
Stand tor the Gold
Standard.
Advocates the Application of
Business Methods to the
States Affairs.

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from all parts of the state. The oath
Of office was administered to Governor
Shaw and Lieutenant Governor Mill
man by Chief Justice Deemer, of the
supreme court. Mr.. Shaw then ad-
dressed the assemblage as follows:
In assuming the duties of the Of
flee to which the SURFACES of
great commonwealth have called
me, am not unmindful of
the honor conferred, or the respon-
sibility imposed. The people of
measure and it remains for me
faithfully to observe the oath just
taken in your presence. AS 1 APP
proach the task, L can but ask
your kind consideration and your
prayers that He, on Whom l must
rely, will vouchsafe both grace and
wisdom to avoid the more serious
mistakes and save the people from
unhappy consequences of such err
rors as l may commit.
1t is a matter worthy of note
that our industrial and financial
skies are frightening. After the
experience Of unrest, distrust,
doubt fear, disaster and much of
ruin through which we have passed
no thoughtful man questions the
truth of the proposition that we
are entering upon a period of i'm
proved conditions. The human
family learns slowly. 1t required
thousands of years 10 teach mon
otheism to one nation. The lids
above the seeth.ng pots of earth
had ratified for centuries before
man even discovered steam power,
and for many years thereafter the
world remained in comparative ig-
nUrance of the power of steam.
Both earth and sky have been
charged with electricity from the
dawn OF creation. Men stood con-
scious of its existence, in dread Of
Its manifestations, but in ignor-
ance of itJ nature. With equally
laggard steps the world has moved
towards. but has hesitated to en-
brace, a single standard of value.
Nearly everything, cattle, tobacco,
iron, leather. shells, copper, silver
and gold, has been tried as stan
dards, but not until recent years
has the subject been given the
scientific and careful investigation
necessary to the establishment Of
a national and interna tional uni
formity of standard, so essential to
the highest and best financial con-
ably has civilization advanced,
and the time is not far distant
when no one, in my judgment, will
80 much as consider a double STAN
dard. The family was originally
the unit Of civilization. Each man
was more or less an Ishmaelite.
He mover whittier he liked, lived as
he pleased, and defended himself
as far as he was able. He had lit
tie, il any, intercourse with those
about him and needed no standard
of value. What little trafficing he
may have found convenient was
effected by the exchange of COM
moditieS. Subsequently several
families Joined together for mutual
convenience and protection, forti-
ned a castle, defended it, but re-
manned isolated and independent.
BY degrees, through epochs more
or less defined, we have advanced
past the clan, the tribe, the feudal
system, the state to the federal ton
of states, and are possibly nearing
the time when the nations of earth
shall be bound together. not by
treaties terminating at fixed per-
aods, but by perpetual union.
Whatever may be our dream, our
or hope, or our fear, we have
reached the time when interna-
tional commerce is of recognized
importance. We have learned by
experience the convenience and
practical necessity of the same
standard of value in all countries.
We have learned that the laws Of
trade and the laws of convenience
are, in matters temporal, supreme.
Seldom has the law making power
assumed the initiative with favor
able results, and every attempt to
circumvent commercial necessity
has precipitated disaster. The
great body of English and Ameri-
lean civil law is not the result Of
the initiative genius of statesmen,
but vt stands a monument TO the
adaptive versatility Of the Anglo
Saxon bushes mind. That which
commerce and trade have found
necessary, or most convenient, has
been perpetuated by legislative en-
actment and judicial decision. 1t
has been found necessary to guard
against harmful tendencies, and to
erect many safeguards against the
encroachments of business and
financial enterprise, lest one good
custom should corrupt the world"
but business necessity has become
the test of expediency. Any pro-
posed violation Of principles and
conditions which experience has
proven needful, has ever wrought
sad havoc along all industrial
lines. Recent history furnishes
the best proof of this statement.
1t would seem from the sufferings
through which we have so lately
passed, that no one able to COM
misserate the homeless, the help
less, the friendless, and the desti-
tute will again attempt to revolu-
tioniZe the single gold standard,
the beneficient effects of which we
have enjoyed since January, 1879
4, When the exchange value of all
foreign coins in the currency OF
our country, and the exchange val
ne Of our money in all foreign ports
can be ascertained by simple
mathematical computation, based
soiidly upon the relative weight of
Z each standard coin, the greatest
possible .nducement TO both do
nestle and foreign commerce as
secured This is now an accom-
p,ished fact in all gold standard
. countries. The merchant from sill
yer or bimetallic states must
watch the market quotations of sill
yer, as well as OF the commodities
in which he proposes to operate.
and the possible fluctuations Of his
own money is sufficient 10 exclude
him from all competitive enter
prfses. Not only the people OF
Iowa, but the entire North Is to be
congratulated that II has at last
learned the necessity of a single
standard, and the supreme con-
venience. at least, of making that
standard gold. 1t has also learned
the necessity of main tanning the
M rftv with all of each and every