Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-24
rnE SlLYER orEs ZION IN EuRopE.

THE SILVER QEES rION IN EUROPh'
Late advices indicate that the silver
question is receiving more attention in
Europe than in this country. a report
of a few days ago emanating from Ber-
lin said that a new monetary conference
is-no longer regarded as an utopian pro-
ject and gave some of the details OF the
plan which the movers for a conference
propose to submit TO the countries CON
cerned. This movement, however, Is
not under governmental auspices. 1t is
being organized by the b~imetallists OF
Germany. So far as the German gov
eminent is concerned it is affirmed that
it is not pledged to anything beyond the
investigation Of the money ques-
tion under the light of the
latest legislation in this country and
India. 1t Is saidthat while the German
government has not receded from the
position 1t announced last year regard
ing silver, it has become convinced that
1t cannot absolutely defy the agrarian
conservatives and therefore adopts a
line Of apparent concession. 1t may
concede IL currency commission, but IL
does not contemplate initiating, as the
b~imetallists desire, another inter-
national monetary conference.
What will give encouragement to the
silver champions here and elsewhere
is the opinion of the London
Times that the Indian governments
silver policy appears to be doomed
The Indian government will probably
maintain its present attitude for a hort
while longer, says that paper, but the
best Judges are of the opinion that 1T
will fail. Who these best judges are
those familiar with tho political ele-
mcnt from which the Times. obtains its
opinions will understand. 1t is only a
short time ago that eX-Premier Sails
bury put himself in accord with the BIZ
metallists, among whom Mr.. Balfour
had previously become q shining light,
and how many more of the political adj
heronts of these conservative leaders
may have recently been converted to the
cause of bimetallism it is impossible to
say, thought it is by nc means improb-
able that there has been a consider
quiz URN Ill OIlo OIiCNOiOh' LIN
present government is distinctly
opposed to silver and unequivocally COM
mitted to the maintenance of the existing
financial policy. So long as Mr.. Glad
stone is in power there will be no change
in the interest of silver. Consequently
there is a strong political reason why
the conservatives should espouse the
cause of bimetallism and prepare to use
it in appealing to the agricultural and
laboring classes whenever the next
general election shall take place. If
in the meanwhile the silver policy of the
Indian government should fail and the
minis be reopened to free coinage it is
easy to see that this would supply the
British bimetallists with a telling argu-
ment.
AS to an international monetary con-
ference it is not probable that one will
be called in the near future. The gov
ernment of the United States has Off
ciaily informed the governments of
Great Britain and Belgium that it will
not at this time take the initiative in reas-
sembling the monetary conference, and
it is by no means certain that it would
accept an invitation to such a confer
ence at this tune, although the presi-
dent said in his message to congress
that he thought it would be wise to give
general authority to the chief executive
to invite other nations to such a confer
ence at any time when there should be
a fair prospect of accomplishing an
international agreement on the sub
ject of coinage. Manifestly there is
at present no such prospect. The move
ment in Europe in behalf of bimetallism
is interesting as showing that the sub
ject has apparently moro vitality there
than here, but it does not necessarily
contain the promise of practical results
in the immediate future. The German
government will certainly not take the
initiative in calling an international
monetary conference without some en-
enlargement from Great Britain, and
this is not now to be hoped for. With
out concurrence between these nations
it would be useless for any other
European government to call O con-
f~,,on