The New York herald., 1878-09-21
How France Was Controlled by
the Latin Union.
GERMANY MAKES ALL THE MISCHIEF.
England Wants Gold for Herself
and Silver for India.
Position OF the United States-What at the
Conference Achieved


ference whose sessions have just closed II seems to
me that u general summary Of the questions before
the Congress- the debates arising out OF these ques
tons the attitude OF the various countries, and the
results may not be uninteresng. In all these nterna
tional congresses there wheels within whces nfiu
expressed, appearing the surface.
but OF a potent character. This was true OF the
Congress. II the question could have been taken as
one of political economy the deliberations would
have been OF value and the conclusions more
useful 1t was conference of able men, The nations
which accepted the Americans invitation did US the
honor 60 send their strongest delegates, men who
were expert questions OF finance, and who.
whatever their views on the immediate question
before the Congress, the creation OF double
standard, competent TO discuss all hnan-
ciai questions America was represented with
especial ability. Governor Fenton the head of the
Commission and Vice President Of the Congress.
showed his usual tact and courage IN handling bis
case. and has worked very hard. MI Groesbeck you
knew as one OF the Oldest OF the Western statesmen
"A man skilled In finance. Professor Waiker, OF Yale,
has n national position as writer on finance 10
which his labors here have given European fame
Nr Horizons knowledge of finance and OF the languages
was useful thar although he came as the Secretary
Of Commission, he was admitted as delegate 10
the Congress.
LATIN MONETARY UNION
The difficulty about omlng to any tangible result
In this question money be found In the poitt
cal complications OF Europe In the 1rst place Geo.
nomcai considerations In Europe are Affected oy sne
Latin Union. This union is composed Of France,
Italy, Switzerland Belgium and Greece. or this
union France is the head Her wealth, her sovency,
ner commercial enterprise all place her there, and
The statesmen of France the close OF tho wars
Of the early ana later part Of the century
the fall many ambitions, have cherished this
napI of le
BY the terms OF this the gold and silver coin
the countries embraced OF the Same value and
circulate freely. Thus, you 60 TO your banker and
hundred NapoIcons, you Will be sure to hnd
among your pieces craven images OF the Emperor and
the Republic the Pope and Victor Emanuel, Of the
Geneva Cross OF Hevetia, OF Leopold and George.
You will occasionally tumble out a head OF an Aus
Hian a Spanish ruler, but while some por-
uons OF the currency OF Austria and Spain are the
Bame as those OF the Latin Union, those countries
have never into the compact. France has
always cherished this union q sourco OF economy
now and of prospective power under altered Eu-
ropean conditions Therefore, 10 Understand what
done In the Congress- what influences controlled
It, and upon what the further financial legislation Of
the European countries will depend II is necessary
10 bear in mind the existence OF this Latin Union
and tho relations o. It's members one to tho other.
CONGRESS-
very poor Italy is In state OF suspension. Sne has
a forced currency and deals paper If you travel
in Italy you will have remembrances OF the early
happy shiuplaster days OF the Republic. when public
virtue was rule and free citizcn could give his
dollar any value he chose. This was long before the
era of public corruption and tho greenback ut par.
Italy remains the union. but pays no spccie. This
Is an advantage TO Italy, but not 10 the other
countries, aud especially Franco Italy has the
benefit of the silver she has coined. Most OF that
silver is in France. L have heard 1t said that
The state OF suspension in italy mas thrown
hundred millions OF coin into France. OF course
France does not like It, II she denounced the treaty
ana left the union then she take up this coin
plver especially-and ask Italy redeem It, franc
Tor FRAME gold. II France did this 1t would be dis
astrous 10 Italy-a fearful disaster To avoid this
and ut the same time have the profit OF the money
circulation In country and the paper circulation
in her own tho Italans will do anything France
wishes. France could withdraw from the union
nnd put the TO Italy, bus f
she did Italy would DO thrown into the
arms OF other and, perhaps uufrendy powers. There
is the old Kaiser for instance, who has been smiling
and sparring around Italy several years. and who
would ask nothing better her bun died out
Df the union and France pursuing her for her
slvcr. old Sbyock pursued Antonio over
The Rialto. Therefore, although Franco wants her
money, would like her money, woula prefer to havc
hor in circulation, she sees IN Italy grow
Ing and In timo TO come, great Power. and so she
contents herself with tho loss and keeps her hand on
Ihe nip OF her neighbor.
BKLGIuM IN cosGREsa
Now. while France holds Italy through her misfor-
tunes she has rotations with Belgium. Belgium
Is solvent country She preserves tho gold stand
ard. She pays specie and not 10 be dealt with as
France deals with lty II France wcrc to assert hcr
policy bmetac, and decree the coinage OF silver.
what would be the resntS Belgium would be thrown
pver 10 England, with whom sho ~ already In great
pympathy, o TO Germany, who looks at her much as
the wolf looked the child In the nursery tale
TO drive belgium into closer relate with Germany
or an economical dependence upon England would DO
calamity. II so happens that political changes give
belgium an exceptional position. wnen thin confer
pncc wac proposed II was known that Belgium was In
favor of the double standard. and hoped that
her Commissioners would act In accord with those
IRON the United States. II was then believed that
Belgium would wheel into line the double standard
eide But some months since revolution took place
in Belgium grave and important revolution
throwing out clerical uramontanc party and cali
ing In tho libera II happened that the old Ministry
was bi.rnetallic, while tho now one is headed
By man VINO leads the gold party. lie
did not como into powor that issuc. IL was rc-
neiou and liberalism, not finance, which gavo hm
power; but the accident Of the suation affected the
Congress this that the delegates who came
10 the Conference came as champions OF golc white
the others would have suggested the double standard
Therefore tho fact that the Belgian Ministry was
under the rule OF pronounced and almost fsnat,ca
gold mctsllist had Two resuits-it Kept France 70;
served and wary and weakened the United Ststee
France held that was paramount consideration TO
hold such relations with Belgium as would make her
content with tho Latin Union.
DIPLOMATIC COMPLICATIONS FRANCE.
wbile France was then holding Italy under durcss
and paying money keep her from falling ou, OF tho
UNION she was also coaxing Belgium not TO leave IT,
TINS made her conservative and negative and subor-