Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-02-04
M'K1NLEY'S ADDRESS.
THE PRESIDENT ON CURRENCY AT
MANUFACTURERS BANQUET.

Declares That Congress Must Redeem the
Pledge Made IN the Republican Plat
form at st. Louis-The Necessity For
Financial Legislation Emphasised.
New York, Jan. 2s.-The third annual
banquet Of the National Association of
Manufacturers was given last night at
the Waldorf Astoria. 1t was the largest
public dinner ever given in New York,
and the resources OF the hotel were
taxed to the utmost to accommodate
the members and guests on one floor.
Nearly 1000 were served in the large
ballroom and its adjoining rooms and In
the Astoria annex.
The president Of the United State
was among the guests. He was corr
daily greeted when he entered and
again when, introduced by the chair
man. Warner Miller, he arose to speak.
! His address aroused even more enthu-
siasm.
The other speakers, Mr.. Search on
THE American Manufactures" Senator
Frye on "Our Merchant Marine"
Charles Emory Smith on Reciprocity
and Commercial Expansion" and Hen
ry e. Howland on THE Industries of q
Nation as Affected by Its Laws" were
| cordially received, but the honors Of
the occasion were with Mr. Mckinley.
Demand For Currency Reform.
The president, after expressing his
| gratitude for the compliment paid him
and referring to various obligations Of
the government to the people, said re-
/ garding the currency question;
There is another duty resting upon the
/ national government-"to coin money and
! regulate the value thereof" This duty re-
quires that our government shall regulate
the value Of its money by the highest
/ standards of commercial honesty and ma
/ uonal honor. The money of the United
! States is aud must forever be unquestioned
4 and unassailable. II doubts remain, they
/ must be removed. II weak places are dis
| covered, they must be strengthened. Moth
/ ing should ever tempt us-nothing ever will
/ tempt us-to scale down the sacred debt
/ of the nation through a legal technicality.
! Whatever may be the language of the con-
tract, the United States will discharge all
| OF its obligations in the currency recog-
/ nized as the best throughout the civilized
world at the times Of payment.
Nor will we ever consent that the wages
of labor or its frugal savings shall be
| scaled down, by permitting payment in dol
lars of less value than the dollars accepted
as the best in every enlightened nation of
Under existing conditions our citizens
/ cannot be excused If they do not redoube
their efforts to secure such financial legis-
lation as will place their honorable inten-
tions beyond dispute. All those who rep
but progressive business interests of the
| country. owe it not only to themselves, bui
| to the people, to insist upon the settlement
| of this great question now, or else to face
| the alternative that It must be again sub
| mitted for arbitration at the polls. This is
| our plain duty to more than 100000 voters
I who 10 months ago won a great political
| battle on the issue, among Others that
the United States government would moi
permit a doubt to exist anywhere concern.
Ling the stability and integrity of its cur
rency or the inviolability of its obligations
of every kind. That is my Interpretation
of that victory. Whatever effort, there.
fore is required to make the settlement o
this vital question clear and conclusive fol
all tr1e we are bound in good conscience
to undertake and, If possible realize Tha
Is our commissioners present charter
It will not suffice for citizens nowadayl
to say simply that they are in favor o
sound money That Is not enough. TIT
peoples purpose must be given the vitalt,
OF public law. Better an honest effort witt
failure than the avoiding of so plain an,
commanding a duty
The difficulties in the path of a satisfac
tory reform are, Il must be admitted, nei
ther few in number nor slight in degree
but progress cannot fail to be made will
a fair and thorough trial. An honest at
tempt will be the best proof of sincerity o
purpose. Discussion cannot hurt, II viii
only help, the cause Let us have full
and free discussion. We are the last t
will strengthen the Indifferent and encour
age the friends of stable system o
| finance.
The financial plank of the st. Louis plat
form is still as commanding upon Repub
| lcans and those who served with them 4
the last campaign as on the day 1t wa
adopted and promulgated. Happily, tn
tariff part of that platform has alread
been ingrafted into public statute. Blu
that other plank not already builded int
our legislation is Of binding force upon a
of us.
This is in reality a command from tn
people who gave the administration to tn
. party now in power and who are still anx
iously waiting for the execution of thei
free and omnipotent will by those of U
who hold commissions from that suprem