William McKinley

Against this abuse of the rights of war I have felt constrained on repeated occasions to enter the firm and earnest protest of this Government.

We have only the desire to see the Cubans prosperous and contented, enjoying that measure of self-control which is the inalienable right of man, protected in their right to reap the benefit of the exhaustless treasures of their country.

There is no desire on the part of our people to profit by the misfortunes of Spain.

The existing conditions can not but fill this Government and the American people with the gravest apprehension.

The civilized code of war has been disregarded, no less so by the Spaniards than by the Cubans.

Then as now the Government of the United States testified its grave concern and offered its aid to put an end to bloodshed in Cuba.

The most important problem with which this Government is now called upon to deal pertaining to its foreign relations concerns its duty toward Spain and the Cuban insurrection.

This will enable the smaller villages and agricultural regions of the country to be supplied with currency to meet their needs.

We cannot avoid, without serious consequences, the wise consideration and prompt solution of this question.

And, besides, it is in times of adequate revenues and business tranquillity that the Government should prepare for the worst.

If we are to have an era of prosperity in the country, with sufficient receipts for the expenses of the Government, we may feel no immediate embarrassment from our present currency; but the danger still exists, and will be ever present…

The reason for this is made all the more apparent when the Government issues an interest-bearing debt to provide gold for the redemption of United States notes--a non-interest-bearing debt.

If the holder of the United States note prefers the gold and gets it from the Government, he should not receive back from the Government a United States note without paying gold in exchange for it.

I earnestly recommend, as soon as the receipts of the Government are quite sufficient to pay all the expenses of the Government, that when any of the United States notes are presented for redemption in gold and are redeemed in gold, such…

The serious question then is, Shall we continue the policy that has been pursued in the past; that is, when the gold reserve reaches the point of danger, issue more bonds and supply the needed gold, or shall we provide other means to…

We surely cannot be longer heedless of the burden this imposes upon the people, even under fairly prosperous conditions, while the past four years have demonstrated that it is not only an expensive charge upon the Government, but a…

The evil of the present system is found in the great cost to the Government of maintaining the parity of our different forms of money, that is, keeping all of them at par with gold.

It is not that our currency of every kind is not good, for every dollar of it is good; good because the Government's pledge is out to keep it so, and that pledge will not be broken.

Before we can find the true remedy we must appreciate the real evil.

With the great resources of the Government, and with the honorable example of the past before us, we ought not to hesitate to enter upon a currency revision which will make our demand obligations less onerous to the Government and relieve…

Questions of foreign policy, of revenue, the soundness of the currency, the inviolability of national obligations, the improvement of the public service, appeal to the individual conscience of every earnest citizen to whatever party he…

They affect every part of our common country alike and permit of no division on ancient lines.

The public questions which now most engross us are lifted far above either partisanship, prejudice, or former sectional differences.

The spirit of patriotism is universal and is ever increasing in fervor.