New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-06
THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE
DOES MIR. CLEVELAND INTEND TO RE
CALL 1T?

THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
NOTHING TO DE ADOPTED
MORE RADICAL THANA
SILVER PURCHASE
SCHEME.
Washington. April J.-President Cleveland Is having
no little difficulty in arriving at decision as TO the
he should pursue concerning the reassembing
OF the Brussels Conference Not great deal OF time
is left for deliberation. The conference adjourned 10
meet on May 30 but II Is unlikely to meet Mt
all unless the United states before that date shall
ndvise the twenty governments who were repre-
sented last November Of It's Intention to present
definite proposals II is thought. indeca. that our
Government will BE- required to go further. ana. IN
advance OF the meeting inform the other governments
Just what Its proposals will be- MIR. Cleveland has
said within a day or two that he Is still undctcr
mined what 10 do and he has taken renewed occi-
speak with characteristic asperity concerning
the failure OF The last Congress TO repeal the silver
purchase act OF 1890. lie thinks. undoubtedly with
good reason, that his AT this time would be
much clearer. and the chance 10 accomplish something
useful at the sscnblcd conference much more hope
full, II the United States b, ccasing to plrcaS" silver
and by strengthening Its gold reserve had given notice
10 the other nations interested with US in maintaining
silver q money metal that We arc not TO he relied
upon any longer TO continue the struggle without
assistance. Our pcs ton now Is especially emearrass
Ing not only because We going under the man
datory provisions OF the act OF 800 buying silver at
the rate OF over 30.OOO,OOO fine ounce; year. but
because there Is immediate prospect Of any change
The President. obstinate as lie is probably realizes
BY this time that as little IS 10 be expected from tine
next Congress In the line Of his desires as was Oh
tained from the last. The changes that have been
mado In tho personnel OF the Senate since March 4
have decidedly strengthened the advocates of that mis-
named policy called free coinage, and there a"e sew
eral Senators who while they might pause before
voting % put that polly In operation sp'cGly II their
votes determined the matter, would hesitate even
longer before voting TO annul the present law, I'M
less, indeed something equally bad were at hand to
take its place. The Finance Committee Of the senate
has been deliberately fixed by the Democratic majority
by the addition Of Messs Vest and Jones' OF Arkansas
to pursue a policy friendly to silver Whatever
the President may think himself able to do by a
judcious distribution OF favors In the way OF In
Ginning Congress TO adopt his financial viewsand there
IL no doubt that regards the situation ms Mt best
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS else Is satisfied that lie VIII
fall Anyhow, nothing can be done now, ana the
time is directly upon him when he must come TO
decision as to renewal OF the International discussion
at Brussels That will not walt upon his experiments
on the greed and ambition Of politicians.
Two OF the American delegation Senator Allison
and Congressman McCreary, have resigned. and
third Senator Jones, has notified to the state Depart
ment his intention OF doing So His absence from
the conference. should 1t be renewed will be much
abilities in way that interested and Instructed the
conference and that gave great weight to his views
They we're not the radical Views he was wont 10
express on the floor Of the Senate He dealt WIN
. different body when he addressed the college OF
financial experts who were assembled at Brussels
and he had the sagacity to understand the difference
He perceived quickly did Mr. Cannon ana
President Andrews. With whom he worked In sub
stantial harmony that there was no use TALKING 10
the nations Of Europe Of an international ra'o ana
the opening OF the minis OF the world TO The I'M
limited coinage OF silver. The demonstration OF thnt
fact was the principal result OF the conference ana
the one that must now be faced by Mr. Cleveland IN
the consideration he gives TO the subject OF an
American proposal. Some people Will say That IL
was not necessary to summon such conference 10
ascertain that fact. but this is light talk. mere
had been no international discussion Of the monetary
situation prior to the Brussels Conference since
1881. and meanwhile the situation in various conn'
tries had undergone rapid. conflicting and notable
changes. The improbabilty OF obtaining interna-
tional free coinage OF course perfectly hhaer-
stood, but II due mainly. II not wholly. 10 up
position OF England. and how far the conduct OF
the English delegates might be affected BY the COM
plants and demands OF India and by the growth oil
public sentiment IN the British Islands favorable 10
freer OF silver certainly not known and could
not be proved except BY such an international as
cussion OF the question would put TO hle test.
Nor despite the statement OF Sir Rivers Wilson that
metallism pure and simple and that England docs
not admit that any other system than single gold
standard would be applicable to that country ana
even in despite Of the fact that these utteranccs
have been recently confirmed by Mr. Gladstone Mini
self IS IL believed that Great Britain will refuse 10
return her delegation to the conference upon the
understanding that the American delegates are ready
TO submit a definite plan contemplating nothing more
radical than international arrangement Tor the
purchase Of silver and the Issuing Of notes against
tbe s.ored bulion Nor Is II thought by wcll-ln
formed persons that the chances are unfavorabe to
action BY the conference on those lines
But It Is not easy TO discover whether such
result is desired by the President not. In one
sense It may be assumed that 1t Is. for he regards
orr selfimposed task OF sustaining silver against
the world as inolcrabe. and under some conditions
no would welcome anything in the way OF practical
assistance A close friend OF Mr.. Cleveland, to whom
he speaks on most subjects freely. recently quoted
him Ms saving concerning Mr.. Gladstones financial
utteranccs IN Parliament few weeks ago mat 'hey
thoroughly expressed his own Views This NAV mean
that the President Is mOnOmcalEst that he becVes
in single gold standard and would like to see the
United States In the same condition monetary 'ha'
rneiand is in to-day. That condition, however Is tho
rpsut Of more than half century OF development
Some years ago Germany tried TO hurry herself INTO
a similar condition. but she has taken the back track
for this country financial policy ana underteok 10
model it the English system, he would nnG nm
Mt our present enormous stock OF silver and studied
what TO do with It,. He has other things 70 take
into consideration what he regards as the IDEAL
lie must consider the fact that the American peop mS
Generally are In favor OF the use OF both eoiu anu
Silver as money. They wish to have silver continues
AZ a precious metal They don't want TO see ~
nsed 10 roof houses with. especially II they must
sustain heavy losses the hundreds OF millions
belonging TO them nation and stored IN t int
Treasury vaults. whether II be fact OF faacy Una,
values have rapidly and constantly deprecia,ea i as
comparcd with the value OF gold, that THIS II
fyme is due TO the demonstration OF silver and TO
the consequent largely increased demand Tor goio
is Mt least certain that the American people are
widely imbued with those ideas. and that they have
no wish to accept the risks OF policy that under
tonk 10 cast silver aside base metal ana 10 es
isbIsh gold as the sole basis OF their monetary
0yntem. A., ,..-,. 90
- s Inst session are generally DESTROYS 10 return 10
tS<ir work and to prosecute u 10 substanuai re
smit There is n widespread feeling among the dele
raes that something can be done Il the United s'n. S
action Of a majority Of the conference depend, ap