The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-23
! iNLARGEO USE OF SILVER
Device Of the President TO Defeat
the Remonetization Of
Silver.
He Will Gall an International Con
ference not to Discuss Free
Coinage. a..
But to Consider the Enlarged Use OF the
White MetaI-1Iis subterfuge not
Approved.

w WASHINGTONs Aprlk ZZ.--W nile IL 10 an
open secret that the president is cndeavor-
ing to secure an International conference
on the silver question, the closest reticence
in regard to the whole subjec is maintained
at the white house and treasury depart
lnent. s.. Dana Horton, confidential repre-
sentative of this government. has spent a
year or more among the financial officers OF
tho governments of Great Britain, France,
Prussia, Austria and Italy for the purpose
Of ascertaining their views on the subject
Of q bi-metallic standard. He has made
elaborate private reports on the result Of
his mission. He is now in Washington
and has been frequent visitor to the state
and treasury department. II is said the re-
ports received from the different countries
satisfied tho president Of the advisability
of an international conference so he has
practically decided to take the initiative in
the matter. It ia understood he will soon
send special message to congress trans
mittinR the correspondence on tho subject.
The published reports are not received
with any diaplay of enthusiasm by silver
senators. Senator Stewart was outspoken
and characterized the alleged plan as an
electioneerlnR device, absolutely devoid of
any honest purpose to carry out the ex
press declaration of congress. namely, the
fuller monetization Of silver. Senator
Teller does not see how conference can
have any practical results in view of tho in
surmountable limitation to be placed upon
the conferences. According to reports it is
quite clear none of the republican silver
senators have been taken into the con-
hdance of the admiuistr ration on this latest
alleged project. Ono of them says he knew
some such plan was in contemplation and
that this government had already made
overtures to tho governments of European
countries looking to conference. but az he
had been informed that before any definite
propositions were submitted to the parties
to the conferences, the silver senators would
first be consulted, he was sur
prised to read that there al
ready had been q practical agreement
which absolutely negatived any idea that
the result of the conference would be as it
was intended by congress to be, the rcstora-
tion of silver to its place as money metal.
This senator limited that the administra-
tion. and not Great Britain, as reported.
really secured the alleged limitation of the
subject to be passed upon by the confer
enoe to the consideration of means to
secure the enlarged use Of silver as money,
and prevented consideration of the ques-
tiOn of the best means of securing tho free
coinage of silver. He held, and other sill
ver senators entertained the same belief,
Lu0G Lu0 conference WOulQ come TO nObQlQR
unless allowed to consider the free coinage
question.
1t has been asoertained from members of
congress who attended the meeting Of the
national silver committee last night that
the interest and demand for silver legisla-
tion by this congress shows no abatement.
The hope was expressed that some action
might yet be taken by congress on the
Bland bill, or some other measure for the
full reconciliation of silver, The uues-
tion of international monetary conference
was only incidentally mentioned, as no
confidence ia folt among free coinage men
in the outcome. There was no expression
on the pnrt of those prestnt that could be
interpreted as favoring the immediate
formation of a third party as suggested
heretofore. A number declared that they
would not vote for presidential candidate
who is against free coinage. The bi-metal-
lie league was the topic Of discussion and
there was a general impression that such q
league should be formed.