The Hickman courier., 1878-06-28
The international Silver COBfer-
ence.

-
congress about to meet at Berlin under
the presidency of Prince Bismarck 70
hold an inqueston Turkey and decide tne
fate of the east Important as this coB.
gress undoubtedly is, the great congress
will be the international silver confer
ence, which will be held pursuant "a
invitations sent out, byseur goveTnnsHt
under clause Of the 1ssgssnet aeiopte
and which may decide esrs.to cg1se !
what shall be regarded - the real nlQn
OF the world. All the gnat poweTs
Europe, with the exception Of Ehglaaes I
and Germany, have accepted our inSlts-
ton. No definite reply a. yet Dee
received from either of those govern
ments, but it seems at least probsbse
that as the time for the meeting of the
conference approaches GermspyssE q
signify its intention to be Eepressnt Ss z
'FtS md tllat 70 sss.s'T " Inc "a 1'S -
eleventh hour. Should this be so, all the
states like Portugal and Spain that are
now holding back because those great
nations are. will accept our invita-
ton and send representatives to
the conference. All Europe will
be represented much seems certain.
Mexico. Central and South America,
and China and Japan in Asia-ougbt to
be informally asked to send representa- /
tives. with the understanding that when
the conference was fully organized they
would be admitted TO seats and full
voice in the deliberations. Whether
Asia and South America are directly
represented or not, their wants and wishes
will be kept in view. The conference
must take into consideration the inter
ests of the population of all the CONNER
cial nations of the globe.
a conference that represents eleven.
twelths OF the human race must need De
a respectable gathering. The numbers
Of its constituents, if nothing else, would
make its meeting a great event in the his
tory Of the world. But It's importance
does not depend on this alone. The
questions that will come before 1t are
tie most momentous that ever confer
ence met to consider.
The silver conference will have q wider
constituency than any that was ever held,
and will deal with larger and more per-
manent interests than any that the rep
resentatives of nations have hitherto met
to discuss. The silver conference, more,
over, promises to be the precursor of Others
OF like kind. international congresses
have met hitherto almost solely for sd
iusting national boundaries-tor solving
difficulties growing out OF war or military
ambition. The congresses OF the future
will have for their great aims the con-
solidatiOn Of peace-the joining of the
nations more firmly together in the bonds
of amity and commerce. Out of the
silver conference will unquestionsbly
spring, sooner or later, sn universal
coinage. Ii nations decide the ratio be-
tween the precious metals, there is no
reason why they should not decide upon
an international unit of coinage in both
the precious metals. We are on the
road to the acceptance OF the metal sys-
tenn as the universal system of weights
and measures. We already have an
international postal union, and its powers
are more likely to De increased than
diminished Some day we will have an
international telegraph system. And
Secretary Fvsrts could not DO anything
more certain 10 immortalize himself
than TO urge upon the governments of
Europe some scheme for the neutrslizs-
tion of the telegraph cables Of the world,
so that in case of war their safety might
be assured against attack and destruction
az enemy's property, From every~point
of view the coming silver conference is
sure 10 be the greatest of international
meetings.-[ Graphic.