The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-07

Bland and the Silver Conference.
In an article in the February number OF
the North 4ms. lean ReUielc, Sir. Bland q,
I the chairman Of the House committee on
/ coinage, says. in effect, that the members
of the Brussels monetary conference are not
sincere and lie particularly doubts the sin
cerity Of the American delegates. Accord
ing to his view the conference was not
solicited by our government with the ex-
pecta.ion or hope that q settlement OF the
silver question would be reached. The idea
of our government was, he says, ITO amuee
and deceive the people pending the presi-
Dental election" BE sums up the work Of
the conference as follows: "Able and nffable
gentlemen met in debate, suggested vague
and impossible plans, had a good time, and
finally adjourned, expressing the hope that
the junketing farce may be repeated in
May"
This charge against the government and
our delegates to Brussels is a very serious
one. Il would hardly be worth serious con-
sideratiOn if it were not made by one who
holds a very important and responsible po-
sition in congress. What he says on the
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deal of influence.
But. is it true that the government was
not sincere ia asking for the conference, and
did Senators Jones and Allison and MIR.
Andrews and the other delegates go to
Brussels knowing they were expected to ac-
complish nothing, and that the purpose in
sending them was to deceive the ueople3 1t
is much easier to believe that Mr.. Bland is
mistaken than that our government and
our delegates would be parties to any such
dishonorable business.
There is nothing to indicate that our dele
gates went to Brussels simply to have a
good time, or that they look forward with
pleasure to another junketing trip next
May. The light and airy way in which
Mr.. Bland deals with the conference indi-
Gates that be has only contempt for those
who differ with him on the silver question,
or that he knows nothing whatever of the
merits of the question.
He would settle the silver question by
going at once TO free coinage. He says;
"Once convince Europe that this country
will not submit to silver demonstration;
let us go to free coinage and the problem
will be solved. The European intere sts
here, and the commercial Importance OF
this country to them are too great to be
ignored. Their self-preservation will CONS
pei them 10 join with US in the full restora-
ton OF silver"
Mr. Bland states his position in a
dogmstic sort of way. The reasons he
gives for asserting that If we 20 to free
coinage European countries will be COM
PEELED TO join us in the full demonstration
Of silver are not satisfactory. If they were
convincing reasons the Brussels monetery
conference would not have been called
There would be little or no opposition to
free silver coinage.
The ablest men in this country are salts
fed that il we should declare for free silver
coinage European countries would not fol-
low us. We should find ourselves on q
silver basis and they would benefit by our
folly. The repeal Of the silver purchase act
would do much more toward forcing
European countries to join with us Ia Civ
ing recognition to silver than the plan that
Mr.. Bland proposes. 1t is strongly suspected
that those who think with Mr.. Bland would
like to sec silver the standard Of our
currency.