Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-11
A SILVER CONGRESS.
Mr.. Springer Expresses His Views on
the Coinage Question.
PREPARATIONS SHOULE BE MADE
For Holding a Meeting in 1893-Ths Representa-
tyes Should Represent ALI Shades Of Opin-
ion and Should be Taken From
Different Political Parties.

once more awakening the liveliest ap-
prehensions Of both political parties at
the national capital, and within the past
few days this topic has been the subject
| Of even more discussion than has the
time honored issue of tariff reform.
But there is suddenly being mani
| tested among the Democratic leaders a
disposition TO prevent the silver ques-
tion reaching the dignity of para
mount issue to the prejudice OF tariff
reform agitation, and it is said that
! prompt measures are to be taken TO
stamp the financial question as Sec
ondary issue and If not, to relegateit to
| future solution, st least TO prevent
those fatal embarraSsments that might
result from hopeless party division upon
the question.
Representative William NJ. Springer,
OF Illinois, Senator Carlisle, of Ken
lucky, a member of the Finance Com
| mittee of the Senate; Senator John Nj.
| Palmer, of Illinois, aud Representative
| Joseph IL. O'Neill, of Massachusetts,
are a few Of the prominent Democrats
who are said to believe the best solution
| OF the silver question lies in interna-
| tional agreement, and who will there
fore favor the bill now being prepared
for the relegation Of the question to an
! International Congress, TO be held in
! Chicago in 1898.
Such disposition Of the question by
this Congress would OF course prevent
the silver question from becoming one
| OF the harrassing issues of the coming
campaign and enable the fierce political
battle of 1898 to be fought once, more
upon the burning issues of tariff reform.
What course do you think should be
pursued by the Democratic party in this
| Congress with reference to the silver
/ question:" an Associated Press cores
pondent tonight inquired of Mr..
| Springer.
1.-The course which l have heretofore
pursued in reference to the free coinage
Of silver" replied Mr.. Springer, sis not
a m after OF doubt. l am a bi-metallist,
and as such cannot support any policy
which would relegate silver to the rear
| or eliminate ii from political discussion.
On the contrary, l would make 1t a
great national and international ques-
ton, and would settle it upon lines as
broad as possible. and at the earliest
time practicable.
at would be next TO impossible for
both Houses of this Congress TO agree
upon Silver bill Of any kind, but even
if an agreement should be reached
| between the Two Houses securing free
coinage or making more liberal pro-
visions in that direction, the President
/ stands ready to interpose his veto.
/ 81 lo fh{c h
| ject, however desirable it may be, can
be attained during this Congress. This
| situation carries US then to March 4,
/ 1898, when the present Congress expires
by Limitation OF law. The next Con-
greSs which will be elected in Novem-
Der next will not assemble in regular
session until the first Monday in Decem-
! Der, 1898.
''ThiS is the earliest time at which it
| is possible to enter upon the consider
alton of measures which may there
after be enacted into laws with refer
| euce to the coinage OF silver"
Now" continued Mr.. Springer, "can
anything be- done in the meantime
which would enable Congress to reach
a proper conclusion on the silver Ques-
| tion when the time arrives at which
practicable legislation may be entered
upon? This, it seems TO me, is the
practical question for the con-
Sideration of Congress at this
time. Congress could with great
propriety during this session pass an
act authorizing the assembling OF an
international monetary congress, which
would have for its object and whose
| duty il would be to formulate, subject
/ to the approval of the countries sending
| representatives thereto, uniform mon
etary system, and TO fix the relations
which gold and silver should bear to
/ each other, and the nomeclatures and
| values of all coins hereafter TO be is
| sued.
This congress should be popular
/ one. 1t should be a congress, not a
| secret conference or commission as in
| the past, and should have large repre-
septatlon from this Government and the
Governments with which we maintain
diplomatic relations. At least seven
/ representatives should be appointed
/ from each branch Of congress, not more
than four Of whom should be members OF
the same political party, and who should
represent so far as posfible the different
| shades Of opinion upon the coinage OF
/ silver.
at might be well also to authorize
| the Secretary of State and the Director
/ of the Mint in Office at that time TO act
also as the representatives from the
| United States. The President has been
authorized in behalf Of the United
! States 20 invite the governments with
whom we maintain diplomatic relations
| TO send representatives to the Inter
| national Congress and he should be in
structed to inform such governments
that the Government of the United
States is heartily desirous to secure un-
/ form system OF coinage and OF
weights and measures, 10 be
adopted thereafter by all commercial
nations in order 10 facilitate so far as
possible exchanges OF commodities and
| to iupiify monetary transactions; that
! this government desires international
agreement as 10 the relations which
should be maintained between gold and
| silver, and that in order to secure this
and the uniformity as 10 weights and
measures an earnest effort should be
made by the governments OF the world.
"The congress when assembled should
adopt its own rules and regulations,
and elect such officers as ii may deem
necessary for the transaction Of It's busi-
ness and fix the time of its own ad-
iournment. Other details should be
nreyided for in the bill which may be
PASSED upon this subject.
"If international agreements could
he secured upon the subject and IL such
Agreements could meet the approval OF
| .1an anna Of the leading nations OF the