The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-09
1ND1A,s CURRENCY.
Henry Chaplin Blarnes the Govern
ment For the Silver Scare.

menL Nfle SILVER scare
London, Aug. s.-Premier Gladstone
announced in the House of Commons to-
day that the government intended to
hold an autumn session of parliament.
The announcement was received with
loud cheers by the supporters Of the gov
ernment.
Gladstone added that no adjournment
would be had until the remaining stages
of the home rule bill were passed and the
supply was voted.
Henry Chaplin, president Of the board
of agriculture in Lord Salisburyis late
cabinet, asked leave TO move the adjourn
ment of the house in order that the
changes in the Indian currency system
might be discussed In speaking to his
motion, Mr.. Chaplin blamed the govern
ment for persistently obstructing discus
sion of the question. The changing of the
Indian currency system before allowing
parliament to express an opinion on the
change, was matter of urgent public
Importance If the house had waited for
the Indian budget, 1t would have been
some time in October before it would have
got chance to expose the troubles aris-
ing from the governments indiscreet ac-
tion.
INDIA HAD NO CHOICE.
He could not, he added, blame the In
dia government, which had found itself
confronted with bankruptcy on the one
hand. or the closing OF the mnts to free
coinage on the other. The latter policy
was full of danger to the commercial in
terests of the world. This policy has
been practically forced upon the Indian
government by the attitude of the imper-
ial government The government of In
dia has escaped deficit by
tampering with the currency
and artificially raising the value of
the rupee. The effect of this action had
been to lower the pro rata value of every
thing else. The government had vir-
tually mulcted the natives of India by
methods which it had hoped would not
be discovered The closing Of the Indian
mints to the free coinage of silver had
necessarily led to such fall in the value
of that metal within a month as the
world had never before known.
TREMENDOUS WRONG DONE.
There has been a tremendous wrong
done to the people of India who held
enormous quantities Of uncoined metal
By single stroke the government had
deprecated by Is per cent the value of
the silver held by the population of
India. A more fragrant act Of public plum
der had never been perpetrated by a civ
lllZ6u governments. Inc result DdQ Decn q
convulsed financial situation from China
to Peru. If the repeal by the American
congress of the Sherman act should be-
come inevitable it would be partly due to
the error that had been committed in
India. A further fall in the price of silver
must follow the repeal OF the Sherman
act.
MIR. Chaplin was frequently interrupted
by cries of Hear" "Hear"
Mr.. Chaplin, in concluding, demanded
to know whether the government, before
taking this action In Ibai ! had held any
! communication with the Up8ted States
! government, and whether tne govern
ment, with their eyes now opened, con
| templated persisting in the great wrong.
Attacks upon the government We're also
made by Mr.. Balfour, Sir John Lubbock,
Leonard Courtney, and by the Parsee
member, Dadabhai Naoroji.
Sir HarcOurt moved closure of the de-
bate. The motion was carried without a
division