The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1892-12-03
THE MONETARY CONFERENCE.
Delegates from Seventeen Countries Meet
at Brussels to settle Silver's Fate.


,f the United States government TO send dele
rate. TO the conference arc Austria Hungary,
Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain,
Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Roumania, Russia, Servla, Spain, Sweden and
Norway and Switzerland. The following Is 4
list of the delegates representing the United
States:
Senator william b. Allison Congressman
James b. McCreary, f. Benjamin Andrew,
president of Brown University; Professor
Ronald p. Falkner of the University Of Penn
sylvania, Thomas W. Cudler, Thomas l. kei-
Ter. James T. Morgan, Senator John ?. Jones'
Henry w. Cannon and f. o. Leech, director
OF the mint.
The total number Of delegates 10 forty-eight.
The opening session OF the conference WAS
purely formal
NJ. Beernaert, the Belgian prime minister,
opened the proceedings with an address OF
welcome.
Upon the conclusion OF NJ. Beernaerts
speech the Hon. F. Terrell, United States
minister to Belgium, thanked the prime min
lister for the cordial welcome extended to the
delegates and expressed the respectful homage
OF the American delegates for the King OF
the Belgians Mr.. Terrell concluded his re-
marks by proposing NJ Montetiore Lew OF
Belgium as president OF the conference. NJ.
Lewis selection was unanimously agreed to-
NJ Levi said that he accepted the honor OF
presiding over the deliberations, knowing
that 1t was intended for Belgium rather than
for himself. He referred to the numerous
attempts made to solve the monetary ques-
ton, mentioning specially the British gold
and silver commission OF 1856 as distinguished
above all other similar bodies by its eninenily
practical character. The worst feature OF the
present monetary situation was Its instability.
He hoped the conference would sink It's
Individual Interests and keep In view the
higher interest OF the great human family.
The conference arranged 10 meet three
times each week The American proposal
will be submitted on Friday, TO which the
conference adjourned.
At the session on Friday, Senator Allison
offered resolutions setting forth the sugges-
tlons of the United States. The proposals
laid before the conference by the American
commissioners are as follows:
1t /. generally admitted that the very large
depreciation OF silver, compared with gold
in the last twenty years, and The frequent and
violent fluctuations of silver incidental there
to, have been injurious to the commercial
and other economic interests OF all Other CIV
iliEcd countries, and have caused and are
causing serious evils and Inconvenience to
trade, the full extent Of which cannot yet be
mez-ured II is the opinion OF the people OF
the United States, with singular unanimity,
that the re-cstabllshment OF some foity OF
value between gold and silver, and the full
use of silver as a coin metal upon ratio
to gold, TO be fixed by agreement between the
great commercial nations of the world, would
very greatly promote the prosperity OF all
classes of the people.
They are not unaware, however, of the fact
that public opinion In some other countries,
whose co operation in a successful movement
for such an agreement is most desirable, may
not fully accord with the views entertained
In the United States as to the practicability oil
such an agreement. They believe, however.
that the sentiment for the larger use OF silver
| no a money metal has been steadily growing
throug bout the world, and that the present
| time is propitlous for holding an international
| conference 10 consider its adjustment
The government OF the United Statewide
frankly disclosing Its own views as to the
remedy to be applied, has not wished TO i'm
| pose any conditions that would embarrass any
| government that might be willing to confer
| upon the most advantageous relation of silver
TO the coinage OF the world. For these reason,
| the government OF the United States pro-
| posed convention OF the powers for the pur-
! pose OF comforting upon what measures, II
/ any, can be taken 10 increase the use OF silver
| a. money. In conformity of tho purpose o.
this conference, the delegates of the United
States offer the following resolutions:
'Resoiped, That, in the opinion Of this con-
ference. 1t Ia desirable that some measures
| should be found for increasing the use OF sill
| yer in the currency system of the nations
In presenting, as requested, further pro-
gramme to be laid before the conference. the
| delegates of the United States consider 1t due
| to other nations represented that opportunity
| be afforded to them TO consider plans for The
| enlarged use of silver money other than
| the one favored by the United States. IL l.
| our desire and expectation that the power-
here represented, or their delegates, will sub
| init proposals to this end. and We desire thes,
to have precedence in the discussions. In
addition TO any plans of the kind which may
| be presented we submit for discussion the
following, which have been suggested by
| recognized authorities. At the same time We
| submit the general plan of bimetallism, wi ict
Is favored by the United States:
FIrst-The plan OF Mr.. Moriz Levy, pro
| posed to the monetary conference Of 1881.
secondly-The plan of the late Adolpl
| soetber.
Lastly-We present the plan proposed by
| ourselves as delegates OF the United States
| The re-establishment and maintenance of 8
| fixed parity between gold and silver and tn,
| continued use OF both coined money Of full
| debt-paying power would be productive Of
| important benefit TO the world. These end,
| will be accomplished by the removal of III,
| legal restrictions now existing and the coin
| age of silver Into full legal tender money re-
| storing by international agreement the part,
| OF value between the metals which existed
] prior to 1871 at such ratio the conference
| may decide upon. The essentials OF such al
| International arrangement should be the unrc
| stricted coinage OF both gold and silver into
money OF full dcbt-paying power, fixing
| ratio in the coinage between the metals, and
| the establishment OF a uniform charge, If any
| to the public for minting gold and silver
| coins.
Sir Charles Rivers Wilson, speaking fol
| Great Britain, said that British delegates ad
| hercd to the American resolution, which wa,
| really the basis on which the conference met.
The Australian and German delegates init!
mated that they had been instructed to say
| that they could not assent to any modification
| Of their existing monetary laws.
The Dutch, Spanish and Mexican dclcgatci
| stated that they were ready to vote favorabl,
| on the American resolution, while the Ru.
| alan, Italian, Roumanian, Swiss and Greel
delegates declared that under their instruc
ton. they were not permitted to vote on thu
resolution. The conference ultimately re
| solved, in accordance with the request o
Senator Allison, to postpone action on tn,
American proposals until later meeting an,
| to consider the proposals submitted by Baror
Rothschild of the British delegation.
| Anslo-Chinese Dispute.
| Lord Roecbery the British foreign minister