The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-01-04

! IOI SILVER DIS l0f SOlu. In6n IL is aDOul
time for the civilized nations to endeavol
to find some substitute for both gold and
silver, and Professor Bowen says that
when that problem is seriously attacked
it will not be SO very difficult as people
think"
I'm view Of the fact that an lnterna-
tlonal agreement in favor Of bi-metallism
seems to be unattalnable, what course do
you think the United States should take?n
IF the gold nations persist in their
present policy a very serious question is
presented. understand you ask mo
what is to be done by this country, and
the silver-producing nations generally, If
bl-metallism cannot be firmly established
by an agreement of all nations? / must
confess that see no alternative for them
except to adopt silver mono-metallism.
Whether [ may think it best or not is not
the question. How would the people Of
the United States vote upon that alterna-
tive? Unquestionably, If the choice is
between gold mono-metallism and silver
mono metallism, and there is no halfway
position possible, the people of this coun-
try will vote for silver ono-metallism.
This would not be ruinous step. Gold
would go to premium. We should con-
duct our business and settle our balances
with England and the gold nations in gold.
At home and among silver nations the
silver standard would prevail. Our con
dition was worse than that from 1862
until 1876, because both gold and silver
were at a premium during that period,
and we only had paper money as our
standard Of value; yet the country pros
pered. The United States can carry with
her in the use of silver all Western Hem
isphere nations, including Canada, and
we might bring into the silver union both
India and China. There ought to be a
conference of all these silver-using ma
tions Immediately to see what can be
done to league them together for the de-
Tense of their common monetary inter
ests and against gold mono-metallism ? Y
"What do you think will be the out
come Of the present monetary situation?''
Il think that if strong movement is
made for bi-metallism IN this country and
all over the world and the silver-produc-
ing nations unite in demanding bi- met
allism and in declaring distinctly that,
rather than submit to the single gold
they will adopt the single sill
YER standard, there will be renewed IN
concensue for the free coinage
Of both gold and silver. England could
and would be in that way driven into an
agreement for the coinage Of silver as
we'll as gold. It may be necessary to
change the old ratio. but not much"
''You regard the silver issue, then, as a
i've and pressing one, as we'll as the
TARIFF"
"Most assuredly. The silver question
must be dealt with as we'll as the tariff.
Indeed, 1t needs to be dealt with more
chan the tariff, for the tariff had better
be left alone. 1t is quite usless to try
and shelve the sllser question indefinitely.
The Cleveland policy OF trying to go
along and do nothing about it is impos-
sible. The inevitable evolution Of events
will not consent to it. We cannot remain
standing right where we are, because the
ground under our feet is not firm. Our
currency troubles will return to us in
little while. There is just as much un-
as to what the currency Of the
world is to be as there is as to what the
American tariff is to be. Each of these
uncertainties is a destroyer of business
confidence. In short, [ regard these
questions and silver-as the twin
austurbers of the commercial peace Of
the world. The republican party is com
mitted, | believe, to the true solution Of
both-a protective tariff and bi-metallic