Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-11
BUNDAY. FEBRUARY II, 1894


The silver question refuses 20 rest IN
the eraye which Congress last year dug
Tor H. In vain too. DO the monometallisis
Strive 10 keep that question ia the back
ground. as was abundantiy shown In
the National House Of Representatives
IN Wednesday last, when Mr.. Bland re-
ported from the Committee on Coinage.
Weights, and Measures a bill providing
for the issue Of silver certificates equal
l. the "seignioraEe" on the siyer-bullion
purchased under tho act Of July H. 1870
phe word "scgniorage" IS improperly en-
Iloyed In this connection. but 1t Is
nevertheless IN the title Of Mr.. BANDS bill.
The anu-silver men in the House Of Re
lrescntatiyes very soon began TO tlibus-
Ter, and kept up their hhbustcrinS until
The House decided 10 adjourn.
There are already many millions OF sil-
Ner dollars lying lille. and as at present
advised We cannot forecast the adyan-
tages which are 70 result To the country as
consequence Of coming the "seigniorage'
now in the Treasury. On the same day
that Mr.. Bland reported his committees
lu silver bullion fell in London TO the
lowest point which It has ever reached
u fcu SIN lower the next day.
AN alarming fact this IS truly.
Nevertheless. We favor now. as We
Lave always done. another international
timetable conference. and would Ike 10
have one convened as soon as possible
For good and Sufficient reasons such a
conference ought to assemble this year
The world cannot do without silver nor
without gold silver has too much bulk
o. he used IN paying large debts, ana
gold too little bulk To be used i'm paying
small debts. Silver at par with gold, 10
20 say, constitutes an uucNcepuonhl
subsidiary currency. Since the closing of
The minis IN India 10 The coinage of silver
IN private account silver has. however,
slost caste" 50 TO speak, and seems 10
BE- no longer recognized as the equal OF
vold-harlly as the possible equal OF gold.
1iut II England. France. Germany, and
the United States VIII only agree upon
= plan for the fun reconciliation Of
The white metal their influence Will be
amply sufficient TO keep gold and silver
mt par with each other, say l6 to l. The
United States Government Itself has IN
nided done enough in this line to prove
that the four leading commercial nations
of the world could control the money
of the world.
II is significant that Boston should
have taken the lead in the matter. But
30 II IS. At meeting in that city last
week It was decided to announce the
reelection of committee for the purpose
of promoting international bimetallism
upon the general plan Of the Latin Union
hut with "A broader basis" whatever this
NAV mean The mere fact that such
meeting was held in Boston would not
be remarkable but for the names which
are given as those of persons faVoring
the promotion OF the Cause OF bimelal-
ism. These persons are nevertheless
earnestly opposed TO the free coinage
n silver or any increased use Of silver
ey this country unless 10y international
agreement.
The chairman OF the Boston committee
Is President Andrews. Of Brown Univer-
sity. Rhode Island. who was delegate
10 the Brussels Conference. ON the COM
mittee Is General y. i. Walker VINO was
a member Of the Paris Conference OF 1919.
The full committee comprises nearly one
hundred Of the heading citizens OF New
England, most Of them Eosionians.
This "new movement" like that IN
virginia In 1868. 'may 90 "a great deal OF
good" 1t gives promise at least OF as
sisting In the great work of securing TO
the world d universal currency.