The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-09-27
The Shrewd Movements of
Foreign Goldbugs.
THE GERMAN BI-MEqALLIC SESSION
Though 1T Came to Naught So Far ms
tho Government h Concerned,
One Of tho Most Remarkable
Arguments In Favor OF the
Restoration OF Silver IL
Due to tho Meeting.

PRESIDENT Andrews OF Brown Univer-
sity, who is perhaps the most active in
the new propaganda of international BIZ
metallism, and who IS certainly among
the ablest and most earnest advocates OF
the silver cause in America, has done a
good thing IN presenting to the country
the declaration of the bi-metallist NOM
bers of the late silver commission IN
Germany. 1t will be remembered that
Count Won Posadowsky, secretary Of the
imperial treasury, was the prime mover
in the organization of the commission
which met in Berlin in February last.
The friends Of bi-metallism were hopeful
at the time that something would re-
suit from the affair. Posadowsky, on
assuming the presidency Of the commits
sion, promised that there should be an
exhaustive exhamination on the subject.
1t was known that several of the most
learned and influential bi-metallists in
Germany had been invited to sit on the
commission. Accordingly it was thought
by some that the result Of the delibera-
tlons OF the commission might be to
cause the imperial government to coz
clude to take active measures for the
restoration of silver.
But those who were SO hopeful of
results counted without their English
host. When the 1abors of the comm1s-
sion were finished it was found that the
conclusions had been cut and dried, as
they say in our American vernacular,
and that the German government was
still determined to slayishly follow-the
Cleveland administration ID in the same
-boat-the English sovsrntAeat in OPP
posing any departure from the gold
standard. 1t was repetition of what
occurred at the Brussels conference.
It was then discovered by close OBJ
servers Of German politics that the
creation OF the commission and the fair
promises Of tho secretary Of the imperial
treasury were part Of shrewd movement
to quiet the agitation for bi-metallism,
which was just then becoming very
troublesome among tho agarian party in
Germany. @ .z..
However, while the commission came
to naught 80 far as any governmental
action was concerned, it did result in
giving to the world one OF the strongest
and most remarkable arguments in favor
of the restoration Of bi-metalllsm which
has yet appeared in the literature of the
subject.
The Review of Reviews for September
prints President Andrews translation of
the document, which is entitled "Decla-
ration OF the Bi-Metallist Members Of the
German Silver Commission" It appears
to have been originally published as an
appendix to the record of the translations
Of the commission. In an Introductory
note to the article the editor of the Review
states that this is the first publication in
English OF the paper or Of any part Of it.
The declaration is signed by Arendt,
Won Kandorf- Wobnitz Leuschner, Won
Schalscha and Wulfng, who stand IN the
first rank in Germany as economists and
fnanciers.
It would be impracticable hero to
closely review the comprehensive argu-
ments OF these German bi-metalllsts. It
will be interesting to note, however, that
they fully agree in all essential matters
with the English and American econo-
mists and financiers who favor return
to the joint monetary standard.
After first giving their reasons in
brief but cogent7argumsnt for assuming
that the purchasing power OF gold has
enormously and dangerously advanced by
reason of the demonetization of silver
and the adoption Of the gold standard,
they proceed to set forth what they term
the resulting industrial evils. They
enumerate no less than thirteen, some of
which are particularly applicable to Ger
many, but all OF which are apparent in
a greater or less degree throughout
the Industrial world. Among the most
striking of these evils is the ever
burden which is falling on
The debtor in favor of the creditor. In
this assertion they quote
from the remarkable paper OF Archbishop
Walsh OF Dublin, where he says that the
Encouragement caused by this state Of
things is SO deep that eense OF hopeless
ness masters the entire business world.
Speaking themselves, the commissioners
say: "a suppression of the desire to en-
gage in industry IS the natural result OF
falling prices
But. as the commissioners point out. !