New-York tribune., 1886-03-31
Mr.. H1UKINS on SITTER COINAGE

That the advocates of silver coinage may be
assured that The TEIBl'NE has no disposition
| to deny them fair hearing space Is given to a
| letter by Dexter 4. Hawkins, esq, in which the
argument against suspension of coinage Is
stated more compactly and strongly than in
any speech or document yet published. Read
rrs of THE TRIBUNE do not need TO Ice told that
much of his reasoning accords precisely with It's
views THE fRIHI<E heartily agrees with
him that decentralization of silver has done mis-
chief, and tLat Il genuine bmctaliISm Is the
only remedy. But it believes that continued
coinage of silver in this country on ratio
lower than that of Europe is not the right road,
or any road at all, 10 that end. Surely Mr.
Hawkins l. aVar" that others who have been
known on both sides of the ocean ~ the most
conspicuous and ab,st advocates of b.
mcta.lism, with scarcely an exception, agree
with The TnIrrNE in that belief. 1t Is not n
sign of sincere confidence IN the iu~tnc,~ of their
cIISc that the advocates Of coinage constantly
ignore this fact, and like Nlr. Hawkins himself,
persist in attribut,ug the movement for su,prn-
sion To selfish scheme, of gold mouOmctali~ts.
Gupr"iudiccd men world give better attention
TO the arguments of Mr. lIlwhin, and those
who agree with him. if they would recommend
their own conviction lbs greater caud'r and
fairness in dealing with those who diner from
them.
Mr. Hawkins believes that the United States
Is able to establish hlmcralI'sm and restore the
value of silver los it-li. Yet be- know. that
France. which he calls the soundc,t nation in
the world financially, Joined with 'lh"r nations
of the Latin Union, body of 100000
against go. ouu. 600 in this country. made that
attempt and IN vain. VII. IIawkiu, i, >uguiaI,y
careful not to explain why France Abandoned
u. or why the [ United states should undertake
what france had fulod to do. The Argument
that this people. for more than fifty years uu-
used to handling silver aud never prone to
hoard coin. have "a power greater than the
people of France and th" Latin Union. for ages
accu-t pmcd 'o use -. cr only iu ordinary dead
,ugs and who are conspicuous anon th"
nations ~ tine earth for hoardiu- coin, Is one
which certainly requires some logical support.
f. j., the belief Of TIM IUW.Nr 'hU continued
coinage boz ihi, country plly- into thc hand of
Great Britain, increases her power over The"
silver market, iutcu-lir. the competition OF
India with American ploIlccr,, and cndauecr>
orr financial stability.
Since Nj. lIawhIn, ana those be- represents
dissent 80 widely iu their ulcrcncc- from the
,bc,t bimcta'l-t-, though stating from =
common ba~. Of accepted facts and with a COM
mon aim. 10 j. not worth while - point ont
statements I'm Mr.. Iawkn~'- paper which are
rontroycrtcd The radical difference Is that
the same facts which mpcl such blmctdIll-i,
a- VI. Ccrnu-chi and Henry Ilucks Gibbs in Eu-
rope. and in this country =. Dana Horton and
Mr.. Burchard, late Director of the Mint to
plead fot suspension Of coinage, are oo.cmniy
uraycd by Mr.. Hawkins H. reasons for con
Timing coinage Not a fact or reason doe, hc
gIyc which sustains the assumption that sus-
ucusion would tend 10 prevent blmctaIll~m, or
which rcfutcs the opinion so often expressed
by tho ablcst bimctalli-t,, that suspension here
would force Great Britain 10 settle the silver
unc.tion in order 10 save hcr trade with India.
IL j. as If two men were arguing whether IN
oculation would prevent hydiophoba, and Mr..
Ilawkn, should submit. q, proof tnat II would,
an array of facts showing that hydrOphoba
ought 10 be prevented.