Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1895-04-18
Silver Gains Abroad.

"Bimetallism has besome a polit-
ical question in Great Britain and
Germany, just as it has in the
United States" remarked one of
the most prominet bank presidents
Of New York this morning, a man
who has made the silver sentiment
in Europe the subject of long study
"From present indications it will
be the principal issue in the next
English parliament and will be
more prominent in the canvass than
any other public question. Bimet-
allism has found many recent fol-
lowers even in the city of London.
The ranks of bimetallists have been
REINFORCED by several prominent
bankers, including Sir William Lid
derdale, formerly governor of the
Bank of England, and very many
of the leading merchants have be-
come interested in the subject and
attend the meetings of the Bimetal-
lie league. But the electors who
will vote for members Of parlia-
ment in sympathy with bimetallism
are largely small farmers and mill
operatives. 1t is quite generally
understood that the sentiment is so
strong throughout Lancashire now
that the present government con
cedes large gains in the house of
commons from that district. The
bimetallic league of England has
very rapidly increased its member
ship, has considerable fund at its
disposal for the dissemination of it's
views among the voters and is very
we'll managed by Sir William
Houldsworth and others of promi
nence. While the development OF
bimetallic sentiments much greater
oflate than it has been, the league
has been doing steady and effective
work for number of years"
"What was the significance of the
recent action in the house Of com
mons upon a monetary conferenceT'
''The leaders Of the party in
power were compelled to recognize
the question as an issue, and if Har-
court had opposed the resolution
the government would have been
defeated. Fortunately for Rose
bery's government, Hartcourt with
great diplomatic skill succeeded in
arranging for general resolution
rather than specific one in avoid
ing a debate. The matter was not
discussed to any considerable ex-
tent, but strength was developed
which surprised even the friends of
silver in England. AS a political
issue, the conditions in England and
Germany are somewhat similar to
those existing in the United States
that is, persons VIZ are inter
ested in agricultural pfsuits, and
in the manufacture ofSt3rtain com
modlties, those who ar9 the nearest
to the soil and who are interested
in its products, are, most of them,
bimetallists. Others among the
laboring classes understand that,
while the price of most naturalpro-
ducts and many manufactured arti-
cles has fallen, wages have advanced
considerably, and the unit stf value
will purchase more of the comforts
and necessities of life in most coun-
tries of the old world to-day than
ever before.
ut is an open question whether
this state of affairs is proper and
healthy or not. The equilibrium
appears to have been lost, or rather
a dislocation has occurred between
the different classes Of labor. The
general result appears to be that
land suitable for agricultural pur-
poses abroad is not bringing the
returns heretofore produced. The
same is true vf manufactured arti-
cles, while at the same time certain
classes Of labor find better remun-
GRAFTON than ever before SO far as
the necessities of life are concerned.
Bimetallists insist thai if silver was
once more in general use as money
metal the scales would be more
evenly balan ced between property
and labor. Laborers who work by
the day and skilled mechanics re-
ceiye a higher price for their labor,
measured by the necessities and
comforts Of life, than they have
ever received before, and the neces-
stiles Of life are cheaper at this
moment than they have ever been
heretofore, ~
"lxhat Yis the situation in Ger.
manv9'