Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-09
PRICE OF SILVER.
THE MATTER DISCUSSED IN saITAlN'a
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Tremendous Wrong Done tho People of
India. Says Mr.. Henry Chaplain.
General Foreign News.

fBy Ansio-American csble to ths Disua.-h.l
LONDON. August s.-Mr. Gladstone an.
nounced in tho House Of Commons to-day
that the government intended TO hold an
autumn session of Parliament. Tho an
nouncement was received with loud cheer.
ing by the supporters of tho government
Mr.. Gladstone added that no adjourn
ment would be had until tao remaining
stages OF tho home-rule bill were passed
and supply was voted.
Henry Chaplain. president of tho Board
of Agriculture in Salisbury's late Cabinet,
asked leave TO move the adjournment OF
the House IN order that the changes IN tho
Indian currency system might DO dis
cuSsed.
The GOVERNMENT BLAMED.
In speaking 20 his motion Mr.. Chaplai IN
blamed the government for persistentiy
obstvucting discussion ot the question.
The changing of the indian currency sys-
tom before allowing Parliament 10 sx-
matter OF urgent public Importance.
IL the House had waited for tho
Indian budget II would have been some
time IN October before lt would have
got a chance TO expose the troubles arising
from tho governments indiscreet action.
tie could not. he added, blame the Indian
government, which had found itself con-
fronted with bankruptcy on one hand or
the closing of the mintS 10 free colnageon
the other. The latter policy was tull OF
danger to the commercial interests OF tho
world. This policy bad been practically
forced upon the Indian government 10y
the attitude of the lmperial government.
The government OF India hal escaped o
deficit by tamperlng with the currency
and artifcisly raising tho value of the
rupee. Tho effect OF this ac-
ton had been TO lower the
pro tap'o value of everything else.
The government had virtually mulcted
the natives of India by methods which it
had hoped would not DO discovered. Tho
closing of the Indian mints 70 the free
coinage of silver had necessarily led %
such fall IN tho value OF that metal
within a month as the world had never
before known. There had been q tremen-
dous wrong done TO the people OF India:
who held enormous quantities OF uncolnod
metal By a single stroke the government
| had deprecated by 10 per cent. tho value
of the silver held by the population of
India.
PUBLIC PLUMBER.
A moro fragrant act of public plunder
| had never been perpetrated By clvilizei
government. The result had been con-
NulSeu unhuclal SltuAlloh llpih NhAbt w
| Poru. Ii the repeal by the American Con-
gress OF the Sherman act should become
| inevitable 1t would be partly duo to tho
error that had been committed IN India.
A further fall IN the price of silver must
! follow the repeal of the sherman act.
Mr.. Chaplain was frequently interrupted
| by cries OF Hear hear"
In concluding no demanded to know
whether the government. before taking
| this action III India. mad held any commu-
nlcatIon with the United States Govern
| rnent, and whether the government. with
It's ewes now opened, contemplated per-
ssting IN the great wrong.
Attacks upon the government were also
| made by Balfour. sir John Lubbock, Leo
nard Courtney. aud tho Parsee member,
| DadaOhal NaorOiL
SIR William Harcourt moved closure OF
| the debate. Tho motion was carried with
| out division.