The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-06-14
SENSATION
Interview on Silver in the
Fortnightly Review.
SILVER AND TARIFF AS One ISSUE
Reeds Interview Advocating u Freer
Use Of Silver Attracting Consider
able AttentiOn-Bland Says the
White Ietalfsts will Not
Accept the Solution.

Representative Thomas B. Reeds in
terview IN the Fortnightly Review, of
London, advocating freer use of silver,
has attracted much attention in con gres-
sional circles. In the interview Mr..
Reed says:
"You in England want the United
States to lower the duties. What will
you give us in exchange? Will you open
your mints to silver by agreement? One
thing at least you may rely upon-you
will not find the republican party offer
ing the other cheek, as these Democratic
gentlemen do. For years past they have
been posturing as the friends of free sill
yer, and because you in England close
the Indian mints and put duty on silver
bullion, these friends of free silver are
now preparing to reward your generosity
by lowering duties all around. One
thing, at least, I have learned since the
cessation Of silver purchases last year
that cheap silver is an effective stimulus
to Aslatic exports, and this being the
case, we have got to consider silver and
the tariF-not as two issues, but as one.
1t is evidently no time to lower our
tariffs when the currency Of 7O0,0O0,000
Orientals is depreciating and their ex-
porting power to gold using nations is
thereby increasing. The fall in silver, it's
value to pay wages and to buy products
in India or China are as great as ever.
This it is that makes the silver question
an issue that we are forced to face.
"You recognize, of course, that the po-
sition has entirely changed in the past
six months. The previous enormous
compulsory purchase of silver, a most
vicious proceeding, went far to confuse
mems minds, and to disguise the fact
there really is in that background ser
ious currency problem to be solved. 1t
is evidently important for debtor nations,
on which list we stand first, to raise the
price of silver, and thereby reduce that
bounty on exports which Asia now en-
joys. This can be done best bytagree-
ment with other nations favorable to sill
yer, and by such a scale of high tariffs
against those nations which reject none
tary agreement as will insure us favor
able balance of trade. In short, higher
price for silver by reducing Asiatic ex-
ports to Europe will increase ours. Add
to this a high tariff and we can keep our
gold at home, or, at least, if sold, 1t will
quickly come back again.
The plan suggested by him for an gree
ment among nations to use silver and to
fix discriminating tariff rates against
countries not using silver has been espec-
tally open to comment.
"What, Reed for free s1lver?" said Rep
ressntative Bland, of Missouri, the silver
leader, when told of Mr.. Reeds Fort
nightly article. Then Mr.. Bland laughed
heartily and read the article.
"Mr. Reed comedies our arguments y
said Mr.. Bland, ''but he offers us a remedy
which we will not have. The great agri-
cultural classes who are behind silver
will never consent to tariff war which
will close the markets of Europe to our
agricultural products. That would be
the effect Of Mr.. Reeds proposition.
There is no need of uniting the tariff and
silver questions. Thsy are wholly indie
pendent. If the United States will coin
silver it will force ENGLAND and other
foreign countries to recognize silver with
out threatening with discriminating
tariff duties. They must sell us their
goods and if we insist on offering them
silver it will soon become their interest
to make silver valuable. We must ac-
complish the end at home, and not adopt
Mr.. Reeds plan of going abroad and se-
curing free silver by threats Of higher
tariff. It is probable that his man de-
sire is not SO much to aid silver as to ac-
complish higher protective duties against
Europeon countries"
Mr.. Bland was asked if the silver ele-
ment of West and Northwest would ac-
cept Mr.. Reeds views as a gain to the
silver cause.
''They will not" said Mr. Bland. "We
are not asking Mr.. Reed to admit our ar
gument but to admit our solution. In
stead Of that he admits all we have
claimed as to the imperative need of a
larger use Of silver and yet he manufac-
lures SILVER tariff solution we will never
accept.
Representative Burrows said Mr. Reeds
article is very timely. There has been
much misrepresentation as to the atti-
tude of the Republican party on silver.
They are not for gold alone, nor for sill
yer alone, put for both gold and silver.
The only question is how to secure that
free use of both metals. If it can be ac-
complished by mutual cooperation
among nations, with a defensive tariff
alliance against non-eilver using nations
that may be the best solution"
Mr.. Burrows was asked if such tariff
reciprocity among silver using countries
would be surrender of the protective
doctrine.
"By no MEANS" said he. "a fair
measure OF protection to American IN
dustries could be maintained even with
those countries using silver, and there
would be added protectlon against non
silver using countries. No one would
suggest reciprocity equivalent to free
trade"
Representative Tracy, of New York, the
Democratic anti-silver leader, voiced the
views of that element
"Mr. Reeds plan is wholly impractjc-
able" said he. "There is no economic