The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-11
Clsverly Designed Plan to Refer Consideration
of That Question to Worlds Conference
at the Columbian Exhibition.
President Harrison May Not Await the
Tedious Methods of Chilian Courts.
TestimonHof the Baltimore Sailors Satisfies
Hin that Some One Has Lied-Congress-
men Not Earning Their Salaries.
A RADICAL pHoposrr1oN.

Representative Springer Wants to Heal the
Breach on the Silver Question.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-An important
phase of the silver question has just been
developed, as result of Mr.. Springers
speech to the Business Mems Association.
in New York, last Friday night. At that
time Mr.. Springer limited that o certain
project was on foot by which the silver
question would be 80 treated as to satisfy
the people of the West. North and South.
He said. however. that the project did not
contemplate a free-coinage bill. These re-
marks have occasioned much comment
here, particularly among the silver men.
who could not understand how any project
could be adopted which would give salts.
faction to every section of the country, and
yet would not attempt to satisfy the radi-
cal free-silver section.
This speculation has brought out the ex-
act details of Mr.. Springer's plans for dis
posing of this very troublesome subject.
IL Is nothing short of programme to
have the entire silver question post
poned until an international monetary
conference can be held in Chicago, in 1893,
as feature of the Columbian exposition.
Mr.. Springer has already suggested his
plan TO few OF his intimate friends, and
1t will be laid before Congress at an early
date. Those who have known of the plan
look upon 1t as q most adrOit political
move, for it Is well recognized that there ia
an irrecOnoiIable difference between the
silver and the anti-silver Democrats of the
House. Up to the time the Springer prop
osition was suggested there appeared to be
no way of healing this breach. The cleo
tlon OF Crisp as Speaker made 1t wider
than ever, as it gave the silver men an op-
portunity to say that the defeat of Mills
meant that the tariff was not to be the
main issue to the exclusion of silver. 1t is
the silver question. also, which has brought
about the main division OF sentiment among
Cleveland, for the silver Democrats cannot
reconcile themselves to Mr.. Cleveland's
anti-silver views.
MILK IN THE CoCoANUT.
Speaker Crisps coinage committee. CON-
posed overwhelmingly of free silver men,
indicated further that the silver question
would be precipitated on the House and
cause party division on the eve of presi-
Dental election. How to avoid this split
has received the attention of Messrs Cor
man, Hill and many Jsher shrewd party
leaders. but they have thus far failed to hit
upon plan which would put off the per-
picking question and yet give satisfaction
to all sides. But in this emergency Mr..
Springer comes forward with what appears
to be the most feasible means of dealing
with the question. In President Harrison's
recent message he said, in his treatment of
finance:
IL have endeavored, by means of official
and unofficial agencies. to keep a close OBJ
in Europe upon the question of bmetallism
and monametallism. and have not
found it TO be such as to justify me
in proposing an international con-
ference" However, on this point Mr..
Springer does not agree with the President.
he thinks that the best conclusion of the
silver question can be reached by anlinter-
national conference. in Chicago, in 1893. at
which the great money countries of the
world would be represented. The disputed
questions of the ratio between gold and
silver. and the proportion of each metal to
be coined could be considered and an inter-
national agreement arrived Aft possible.
Mr.. Springer proposes, therefore, to submit
President of the United States to invite
the nations of the world to this monetary
conference in 1898. With such O PROPOSE
tion agreed to all parties and factions could
put aside the prevailing silver question tor
q time and wait for the results Of tho in
ternatiOnal conference.
Such is the project, as Mr.. Springer him
self has outlined 1t, to some of his personal
friends. 1t has not as yet reached the ears of
the radical silver men. and 1t Is not known
how they will view Mr.. Springer's plan of
choking off their hobby until 1893. Aside
from the merits of the proposed conference
ii will be conceded by politicians that Mr.
Syringe idea is most ingenious one for
quieting factional disorders until after the
president tial contest. With such confer
ence agreed to there would be no longer
any silver issue to harass Mr.. Cleveland.
Even the extreme silver men would be
able to satisfy their constituents by point
ing ahead to the international conference
In short. the Springer programme. If car
ried out would remove the silver question
from national politics for year at least,
and would thus put An end to one of the
most troublesome factors in national af-
fairs.
HOW 1T COULD BE DONE.
Said Mr.. Springer: "In view of the fact
that the Columbian exposition will be held
in Chicago during the year 1898, and. there
fore, prior to the assembling of the first ses-
sion of the next Congress. it seems most ap-
propriate that this international congress
should be held in that city during that time.
This congress should be a popular one. 1t
should be O congress, not secret confer
ence or commission, as In the past, and
should have q large representation from
this government and the governments with
which we maintain diplomatic relations.
same as the proceedings OF Congress- and
representatives of the press should be ad-
mitted to all its sessions. 1t would thus
become great educational occasion for the
enlightmenr not only of the people of thi 8
country, but of all other countries in ref
erence to the subject to be considered by it.
The representatives on behalf of the
United States should be appointed by the
President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives. At least more than four of
whom should be members of the
same political party, and who should
represent. so far as possible the different
shades of opinion upon the coinage of sill
yer Those appointed by the President of
the Senate should be members of the Sen.
ate and those by the Speaker of the House
should be members of the present House of
Representatives 1t might be well also to
authorize the Secretary of State and the
Director of the Mint in Office to act also as
representatives from the United States. IL
international agreements could be secured
upon the subjects mentioned, and if such
agreements could meet the approval of even
some of the leading nations of the
earth, this would be the greatest
achievement of the century But
if none Of such agreements could be
secured the education upon the subject
which will result from the publication OF
ha Dim Of ba m a 49, Il