Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-23
Mr.. saifour and Bimssaliisn,.

whilst the President Is studying oime-
ta,lisn let us study It also.
7, the speech referred to by US ycster-
dav which Mr.. Baifour delivered some
months ago at the Mansion House In Lon
don. that gentleman made one statement
which Il liable 10 be misunderstood. In
deed. we notice the Chicago Tribune has
already placed wrong construction
upon IT,
Afr naIfour admitted that there are
some persons In the western states OF
America who advocate free silver coinage
ms means Of Initiating the currency
and thereby artncially raising prices
These men, he said. may desire to lower
tine standard OF values In favor of the
debtor as against the creditor. We no"
quote his language:
whether this be or be not true or
America. / most emphatically assert that
II is not true OF anybody OF opinion In
this country. Nobody ] know Of. no re-
sponsible person whom | have ever met
or ever heard OF. desires artihciaily 10
initiate the currency with the view OF stun
ulatIng trade, of relieving debtors, or of
robbing creditors"
Al that this disclaimer means is that
such bimetallists as Mr.. Balfour have no
sinister object in view in advocating BIZ
metallIsm. lie and they really believe
that measures may be originated in an
international bimetallIc conference which
will have the effect OF providing for the
free coinage OF both gold and silver without
causing the financial systems of the world
to fall to the single silver-standard, other
wise. silver monometailism. II there Is to ne
any real money used In larger commercial
transactions 1t must be gold. on the
other hand. II there Is TO be any real
money used I'm the retail trade In such
small transactions as all retail stores
have to take part IN, this real money
must be silver Those who oppose the
use OF silver must need shinplasters. or
paper currency of some sort. for employ
ment In paying all sums under a dollar
Why resort TO this imitation Of conti-
mental currency. or Confederate currency
when It will be 80 easy for the four great
governments Of the world-England.
IdHCS, btI ihdiys anu iht bhit'i s'Ah''o
of AInerica-to' insure the parity of gold
and silver everywhere. or IN other words,
a universal currency?
We quote again what Mr.. Balfour said
as TO a universal currency:
1T appears TO me 90 be a mere relic
Of barbarism, "A mere revival from the
Middle Ages. that that which Is legal
tender IN one country should not also be
legal tender In another country"
This is the ground upon which blmetaf
lists ought TO attempt 10 maintain their
contention as to the desirablity and
practicability Of supplying the whole
world with real money-god and silver
coins in abundance. The bmetallsts in
England and Germany claim that they
are daily gaining strength.
Mr.. Bafour's idea Of bimetallsm is
that silver shall be treated as gold. lie
claims that real bimetallism would con-
duce to the stability OF money values
and that a standard Of values ought to BE-
International.
The alarm in Boston and New YORK.
and other places I'm view of the possibility
that the President may sign the seignio-
rage bill is deporable The danger would
not be half so great IL the hnanciers ana
bankers and businessmen Of every sort
would refuse to pander TO It.