The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-14
THE SILVER QUESTION.
The President Furnishes the Senate Som
Information on the Subject.

The President Furnishes the Senate Some
Information on the Subject.
WASHINGTON, January S.-TEe Presi-
dent yesterday, in answer to resolution
adopted by the Senate December 9, trans
mitted copies Of documents showing the
action taken by him to ascertain the senti-
ments of foreign Governments in regard to
the establishment of an International ratio
between gold and silver. The correspond,
ence is accompanied by letter from Sec
rotary Bayard TO the President in which he
saws in part: at has been the object OF
this department and its agents, whilst
avowing its readiness to cooperate, not SO
much 10 impress our Own opinions and
wishes upon others as to obtain we'll
considered and independent views fromt
the most influential, responsible and
competent sources in order to lay
before Congress; first. the actual status OF
metallic currencies in the respective Euro
pean countries; and, secondly, the inten-
tiOns and policies OF those governments in
relation to the subject, with details of their
action up to the present time. 1t is be-
lieved that the accompanying letters from
the Ministers OF the United States to Greas
Britain. France and Germany, respectively,
summarize and convey the true condition OF
the opinions and intentions of the Govern
mentS and people to whom they have been
severally accredited"
MANTON MARBLES MISSION.
The letter then mentions the designation
of Mr.. Marble as a confidential agent to OBJ
| tain information on the subject. and says:
NO separate report by Mr.. Marble has been
made, because the results of his investiga-
| tons appear fully in the letters of MesSrs.
Phelps, McLane and PerdletOn." The cor
respOndence opens with letter from Secre-
| tary Blyard to MantOn Marble, notifying
! him of his designation TO visit Europe on
| the mission above indicated. Letters were
also addressed to the American Ministers at
London. Paris and Berlin, notifying them
of Mr. Marbles visit and asking their CO.
| operation.
ENGLAND OPPOSED.
4 reply was received from Minister
| Phelps under date of London. October 20,
| 1885, in which he gives the result of con-
| ferences by himself and Dir. Marble with
| the leading members of Her Maiesty's Gov
eminent and SAYS: From these rs well as
| other sources l am satisfied that the British
| Government will infleXibly adhere to their
| past and present policy in respect to coin
| age: that they will not depart from the gold
| standard now and so long established; that
| they will not become party to any inter-
national arrangement or union for the crea-
ton of a bimetalic standard at 4 common
ratio between gold and silver for the pur-
pose of making both an unlimited legal ten
der, nor adopt such double standard"
FRANCE WILL NOT CONSENT.
4 reply from Minister McLane at Paris,
dated October l, 1885, expresses his opinion
| that while France would gladly receive the
intelligence tina. the French ratio of 15115 Of
silver to l of gold had been reached, no
| consideration of future consequences could
! induce her 20 adopt the American ratio Of
| IS to l, still less would she adopt any higher
| ratio to assimilate the present commercial
| or market value Of silver with the value of
| gold, nor would she consent ut any ratio
now to permit an unrestricted or even q
limited coinage Of silver at her minis. The
present purpose of her Government and
people is to maintain, IL possible, the two
metals at their present ratio of 1871 to I
in domestic circulation and international
exchange" Mr.. McLane says that the facts
obtained naturally suggest that the United
States, the greatest gold and silver country
in the world, should suspend its silver COIN
age in order 10 utilize part of the Treasury
reserve.
GERMANY's SINE QUA NON.
Berlin, October 10, 1885, gives his conclu-
sions briefly as follows: THE adhesion OF
Germany to an international binetallic
union such as was proposed by the United
States and France in 1884 can scarcely be-
expected Ii seems to me- within any limit OF
time now to DO predicted. The eco-opera-
ton of Germany in such a union may
be sought with fair hopes of sue
cess whenever it becomes possible to
include in such union England and Rus
STA, the former OF which seems to cleave
tenaciously to her gold monometalishi,
while the latter staggers under the evils OF
deprecated and largely fluctuatUg paper
money. The adhesion of England at least
is certainly now and would probably for an
indefinite period he regarded by Germany
as sine qua nOn."
The correspondence also includes a copy
of the agreement entered into at the Paris
Monetary Convention, the essential parts
of which have been published.