The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-28
and from profound convic

couragement and from profound convic
tion:
'This great country cannot be perma-
nently kept in q state of relapse. be-
lieye we will reocoupy the field temporarily
lost to us and go out to the peaceful con-
quest of new and greater fields OF trade
and commerce. The recovery vii come
slowly, perhaps, but it will coma, and
when it does, we will be steadier and will
better know how to avoid exposure here
AFTER
have abnted none of the faith then
expressed and you seeE to have regained
yours.
National policies can encourage indus
| try and commerce, but ii remains Tor
the people to project and carry them on:
| If these policies stimulate Industrial
development and energy, the people can
safely bo trusted to do the rest.
| The government, however, is restricted
I in its power to promote industry. lt can
aid commerce, but not create 1t. LIZ can
| widen and deepen it's rivers, improve l6s
harbors ana develope its great national
| highways; but the ships to sail and Gne
traffic to carry the people must supply.
| The government can raise revenues by
| taxation in such ways as will discriml-
| nate in favor of domestic enterprises, nuU
| it cannot establish them. 1t can make
commercial treaties, opening to our man
ufaoturers and agriculturalists the ports
of other nations. 1t can enter into re-
| ciprouai arrangements to exchange our
! products with those of other countries.
| Ii can aid our merchant marine by en-.
| couraging our people to build ships OF
| commerce 1t eau assist in every lawful
manner private enterprise to unite
| the two oceans with o great canal. 1t
can do all these things and ought to do
| them; but with all this accomplished the
result will still be insufficient unless sup
foi hxyt thn
| industry of the people. 1t is they who
must build and operate the factories, fur
nish ships and cargoes for the canal and
the rivers and the seas. 1t Is they who
must find the customers and obtain trade
| by going forth to win it.
| Much profitable trade is still unen-
| ioyed by our, people because OF their pres
ent Insufficient facilities for reaching
| desirable markets. Much of 1t is lost
| beacuse of a lack OF information and.ig-
norance of the conditions and needs of
| other nations. We must know just what
other people want before we can supply
| their wants We must understand ex
actly how to reach them with least ex-
pense if we would enter into the most
| advantageous business relations with
| them. The ship requires the shipper,
| but the shipper must have assured prom
! ise that his goods will have sale when
| they reach their destination. 1t is q
| good rule if buyers will not come to us
! for us to 90 to them. 1t is our duty to
make American enterprise and indus
trial ambition, as well as achievement,
terms of respect and praise not only at
| home, but among the family of nations
the world over.
! 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
tional honor. The money Of the United
States is and must forever be unques-
toned and unassailable. II doubts re-
main, they must be removed. Ii weak
places are discovered, they must be
strengthened. Nothing should ever
| to scale down the sacred debt of the na-
! tion through legal technieality.
| Whatever may lie the language OF the
contract, the United States will dis
charge all of it's obligations in the cur
rency recognized as the best throughout
| the civilized world at the times Of pay
ment Nor will we ever consent that TIE
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 il. they do not redoubie
their efforts to secure such financial legis-
lation as will place their honorable in
tentions beyond dispute. ALI those who
represent, as you do the great conserva-
| tive but progressive interests of the
country owe it not only to themselves,
but to the people to insist Upon the get
tlement OF this great question now. or
| else to face the alternatives that 1t must
l ha br,1f fNd For arI,i itrof of
| the, polls. This is our plain duty to
more than seven millions voters who
| fifteen months ago won n great politi-
cal battle on the issue, among others, that
| the United States government would not
permit doubt to exist anywhere con-
cerning the stability and intergrity of its
currency or the inyincibility of it's obliga-
| tions of every kind.
| That is my interpretation of that vic
tory. Whatever effort, therefore, is re-
quired to make the settlement Of this
vital question clear and conclusive for
all time, we are bound in good con-
science to undertake and if possible
realize That is our conmission-our
present charter from the people.
| 1t will not suffice for citizens nowadays
| to say simply that they are in favor of
sound money. That is not enough. The
peoples purpose must be given the vital
ity of public law. Better any honest
effort with failure than the avoiding of
such duty. The difficulties in the path
of satisfactory reform. are. it must be
admitted, neither few in number or
slight in degree; but the progress cannot
fail to be made with fair and thorough
trial. An honest attempt will be the
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 to avoid or evade it. Intelli-
gent discussion will strengthen the in
difference and encourage the friends of
d stable system of finance.
| Half keartedness never won battle.
Nations and parties without abiding
principles and stern resolve to enforce
them. even if it costs,a continuous strug-
| lge to do so and temporary sacrifice, are
never in the highest degrees successful
leaders in the progress of mankind For
us to attempt nothing in the face of the
prevalent fallacies and the constant
efforts to 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 ST. Louis