The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-09
T|NKER|NG WITH SILVER.
But Apparently Not Likely to Come
to Any Agreement Among
Themselves.
President Andrews Says the
American Delegates Seek to
Benefit the World.
Their Aim Is Not Wholly seIfsh-This
Country May Stop HuyinR silver
Before Long.

BRusTELs. Dec. 12.-Whsn the interna-
tional monetary conference adjourns at the
end of next week il will probably leave the
respective governments represented to de-
eide whether or not it shall reRssemble in
January. The American aud other bi-met-
tallic delegates will try to obtain from the
conference q recommendation to all gov
ernments to allow from one year to sigh-
teen months to elapse before taking active
measures toward changing the present our
rency policy. The advocates OF the rscom-
mendation have in view the possible i'm
provement OF the general monetary posi-
tion. They also hope much from the growth
of bi-metallism as political force in Brit
ish politics. The proceedings yesterday ut
the British agricultural conference in Lon
don struck some of the delegates like
revelation. Immediately after opening to-
day Allar1, one of the Belgian delegates,
submitted plan for an international
agreement for the purchase, under common
account, of stocks of silver, against which
treasury notes shall be issued by the con-
traoting states, none of which will be
obliged to coin the silver thus purchased or
modify the existing currency legislation.
The plan also proposes that these notes
shall have international circulation.
Raffalovich. Russian delegate, spoke
briefly regarding the Moritz Levi plan.
He declared that he did not believe that
under present conditions any international
agreement to regulate the relation between
gold and silver is possible. The general
discussion was then resumed.
| In reply to an invitation by the confer
| ence, Prof. Andrews made an address in
which he said he hoped the idea that
America is bent only upon increasing her
national wealth, that she is merely acting
rs 90 vice creature of mine owners. would
forever be dismissed as being equally as
absurd as the idea that American interest ia
mainly due to distress afh citing the Ameri-
can monetary system.
Prof. Andrews said: "We have not. and
are not at present, likely to have a dollar in
silver beyond our needs in the United
States. We have no idea Of soliciting any
favor f'om the people Of Europe. What
we desire ia MS much to Europe's nterest as
to ours. We wish to multiply our trade
with the world. This can never be success
! fully accomp lished RS long as the two great
! groups of nations continue to drift apart
We will not forever continue alone the task
of sustaining the price of silver. If Europe
is not enough interested in the matter to
cooperate with us we will soon decrease
our annual purchases of silver and begin to
provide by recruiting our currency by is
sues of paper. The next congress 10 nearly
certain to oren procedure in that direction.
We will not give up oar gold"
Referring to the tariff, Prof. Andrews
said it is obvious there is no surer way te
lowe. the Amerlcnn tariff than for Europe
and the United States to agree upon pol
icy favorable to silver as money. Thai
alone. he declared, would abate the inces-
sant conflict for gold and leave us free t.
effect generous reduction in customs
tariff.
The best authorities state that when the
conference adjourns next week it will bf
until spring. A careful canvass of tn,
delegates shows that majority of then
favor this course. Debate on tho various
bi-metallic pro osas will conclude Tues
uaY