The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-05
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Siamese twin dollar is the latest coinage
novelty submitted for popular approval, The idea
having originated in Main. TIE proposition is
to make both gold and silver travel in double
harness, with no possibility OF either one out
stripping the other in the race for financial SUI
premacy, by uniting both metals in Que coin The
present silver dollar contains 37113 grains OF
pure silver, while its yellow brother contains
25.S grains OF gold. 1t is suggested that the
combination dollar contain 1S5.G25 grains of
silver and 1873 grains of gold. The inventor
does not propose the amalgamaiOn of The two
metals In one, but would make them of such pro
portions In thickness and diameter that one face
oil tie dollar would be silver and the other gold
with this style OF coinage the designer asserts
that no ffuctuaIlOn OF the market value of gold
or silver bullion could alter the value of the
standard dollar. IL the silver fell in value the
gold would appreciate to the same extent the in
trinsic value of the bullion remaining unchanged
The Boston Globe says OF the proposition: ave
have never seen a more ingenious plan for rec
onciiing or overcoming the differences in the
relative bullion values of gold and silver dollars"
One significant feature about the first trial OF
universal suffrage in a Spanish general election
Is the fact that the pTotccionist vote in the
House Is estimated at $50 and the free-trade
vote barely at 20. That English free-trader-
gather no encouragement from the tendency of
the times may be from a memorandum of
the board oil Trade showing the tariff changes
made during the past Eve years. The general
tendency has been toward an Increase on British
goods. In Russia increases were made all round
In Sweden the Increase has been mainly on
yarns iron goods and spirits. Germany. on The
other hand, made few reductions France has
Increased the duties salt and sugar. The
Italian tariff of 1888 increased duties considera-
bly,. and in Austro- Hungary the duties have been
increased on yarns, cotton tissues and certain
articles of metal manufacture. Switzerland
n nf md Fa,,,
ducions. Roumania however made marked
Increases in the duties on most classes OF goods
The general character Of the United States tar.
III, the memorandum Gloomily adds, ais we'll
known"
The Fertilization Appropriation Bill, as passed
by The Senate, was changed In some OF its leading
features. The 81 100000 appropriation for gun
and mortar batteries for the defense OF Boston.
New York, San Francisco, Hampton Roads and
Washington was cut down to $3.50 600. Tie
Sl,oo0,ooO appropriation for the purchase OF oil
tempered and annealed steel for high power
coast-deiense guns OF eight, ten and twelve inch
cahber was cut down to $500 900. The item of
100000 for rified coast mortars of cast iron
hooped Win steel has been altered so as TO pro-
vide for the construction OF steel mortars The
committee amendment, making a marked In
crease In the appropriation In the Fertilization
Act Tor the procurement OF heavy ordnance. was
agreed to. but DolpRs amendment appropriat.
i"s :" niiiou ior plant Tor The construction OF
heavy ordnance at some point on the Pacific
Coast. was not approved.
The NeO England Homestead OF Springfield.
Mass, aud the Farm and Home of Chicago re.
Gently invited the farmers to express their views
on the tafif and cognate questions. The inter-
roga!ories were extensively distributed In the
New England, Central, Southern and Western
States. and more than a hundred thousand
postai-card replies were received. Briefly stated.
they gave a considerable majority in favor of the
Mckinley tariff, an overwhelming majority in
favor OF the Republican project OF Pan-AmerIcan
reciprocity and great majority against reel.
proclty with Canada To the query, "Will The
new tariff help American farming as whole pr