The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-01-13
THE SILVER CONFERENCE NOT A
RAUU TIRE


THE SILVER CONFERENCE NOT A
FAII URE.
Not few of the newspapers Of this
country have expressed the opinion that
the monetary conference at Brussels was
failure, or at least did not accomplish
the object for which it was called. That
this opinion should come to prevail is
perhaps not surprising, owing to the
slight degree of progress made and the
adjournment of the conference for pro-
longed period. Senator W. B. Allison
of Iowa, one of the delegates from the
United States to the monetary confer
ence, who has just returned to this coun-
try, denies that the conference was in
any sense a failure, and he anticipates
that the session in May will be one of the
utmost Importance, not only to this
country but also to all the nations repre-
scented.
Senator Allison accounts in various
ways for the lack of progress made by
the conference. In the first place he says
the time of the meeting was unfortunate
in that it approached SO closely to the
holiday season, leaving less than a
month to deal with this important sub
ject before an adjournment, either final
or to definite date, was inevitable.
Another cause for delay was the fact
that the European delegates supposed
that the American delegates were to be
prepared to lay before the conference
definite and comprehensive plan looking
to the enlarged use of silver only a little
short of free mintage by the United
States and by the leading nations of Eu-
rope. The American delegates, on the
other hand, supposed, according to Sen
ator Allison, that if the leading nations
of Europe were not willing to agree to
! free mintage of silver at q fxed ratio
their representatives would be prepared
to state in the conference how far they
were willing to go as regards the enlarged
use of silver consistent with their eStab-
| lished monetary cOnpolicies, or how far
they might be willing to modify their
monetary policies. Neither side was pre-
! pared, however, and it became necessary
to prepare programme, a dsty which
fell to the American delegates. A series
of suggestions were submitted and dis
cussed, but it early became evident that
the plans suggested for the enlarged use
of silver required more study and more
care in their formulation than it would
be possible to bestow upon them before
the time for an adjournment over the
holidays should arrive. The length of
the recess taken was largely governed
by the American delegates, who held
that inasnuch as cur government is to
change March 4th. it was wise to request
that sufficient time be allowed for the
new administration to make its own sug-
! gestiOns to the conference as to what the
United States would be willing to do to
! uphold silver in its monetary use,
Senator Allison holds the opinion that
monetary union can be established with
view to increase the monetary use of
/ silver, but he has little hope that any Of
the European nations will favor move
ment looking toward free coinage. Tho
German delegates announced that Ger
many was satisfied with its present mon
etary policy and that its delegates were
not authorized to advocate or vote for
any proposition which looked to change
of that policy, Later one of the English
delegates said that England would gladly
promote any plan which would look to
an increase in the value Of silver or its
larger use as money, but the monetary
policy of England being to make gold the
standard of value, that country was sat
isfied and not prepared to change its pol
icy. Nj. Tirard, delegate from France,
who was also authorized to speak for the
Latin union States, said that in view Of
what had been said of Germany and Eng
land, France would not be prepared nor
would the Latin Union states be pre-
pared to consider the question Ofreopen-
ing their minis to the free coinage of sill
yer. The most that is to be hoped for,
therefore, is an agreement which shall
result in the withdrawal of small gold
coins, to be replaced with silver, and
, Senator Allison thinks the discussion at
| the adjourned session will be in regard
to plans in that direction rather than in
! the direction of free coinage.
Press.