Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-19
Nr. Hill on Siiver-tGnin.

There was no inconsistency between
Senator Hills speech of Saturday last
and his previous utterapces on the silver
question. although the telegraph tells Us
that on that day he made an impassioned
appeal totthe Senate. Mr.. Hill Is strong
man. He Is. too a bold man. But he Is so
grounded in the faith in which he has
been reared that he can scarcely appre-
clate what is said in the Senate against
recommendations The best money Is
what his resolution of Saturday demand
ed. He seemed not TO heed the views
presented by other senators. lie appre-
ciates however. the fact that the wrong
of which the silverites make so much
complaint is the payment in gold Of what
the government promised to pay in coin.
and so he speaks as If he thought silver
and gold could be brought TO parity by
legislation, yet insisting that If they can
not thus be rendered equal, the govern
ment must pay its debts in that one OF
the precious metals which Is dearest and
hardest to get hold OF. Thus the govern
ment would use its strong hand to prevent
the parity or gold ana silver.
We have held all along that this was
Mr.. Hills positlon--namely, that he was
not bimetallist In the sense in which
the advocates of the free coinage Of silver
are bimetallists but was in favor Of put
ting a gold dollars worth of silver into
every silver dollar that might be coined
I'm the mints OF the United States. We
understood his speech of Saturday last
and his resolution tor teach the same doc
trine But his speech does not seem to
us to be a full or candid statement OF the
position he occupies. His utterances on
the question Of standing by the President
IN his effort TO negotiate a new gold loan
we're highly creditable to him. Nobody
could fail 10 see where he stood. But his
speech Of Saturday last, whilst there is
nothing In 1t which can be pronounced
inconsistent with his former utterances
IL not as clear in expression as the speech
in which he so boldly ranged himself on
the Presidents side of the scheme for
effecting a new gold loan.
Mr.. Hills resolution declares for the
double standard. but 1t adds that If parity
cannot always be maintained the govern
ment will pay in gold. Our experience
seems TO prove that we would under this
pledge have to pay gold all the time. The
latest news from Germany on this subject
gives some ground upon which to base
the hope that bimetallism may yet become
popular even I'm Europe. But all that that
news promises at once is another interna-
tional bimetallic conference. In the mean
time Senator Hill would content himself
with such utteranccs or promises as the
following, which we quote from his speech
Of Saturday last. He said:
Congress should inform the country.
and inform the world as well, that the
policy Of the United States is not to main
tain the single silver standard. or the
single gold standard: but the double
standard. and he thought It wise TO
make this declaration emphatic. brief
and appropriate"
That Is plausible. But see how Mr.. Hill
explains away all its meaning. He added:
II believe that this is an important
declaration at this hour--the declaration
that we believe In the double standard,
that We believe In both gold and silver.
and I'm the use Of both alike, but that
we reserve the absolute. legal right to
pay our bonded and other debts. In either
coin. and that, II 1t should occur that
there is any difference between the two.
then we announce, not by statute. but
We pledge the faith Of the government,
AZ a matter Of policy. that we will pay
N the best coin in use"
In other words Mr.. Hill would promise
% pay gold, after all his palayer in favor
n tho right 20 pay In silver.
We have warned our readers that Con-
yress might have to be convened in extra
session very soon 10 legislate upon other
mbjects than the gold bonds. Mr.. Hin
makes the same forecast. lie says:
II may be said that II II unwise TO
contemplate possibility OF failure TO
maintain bimetaIiism. IL may be said
that we ought not to assume the possi-
oilaty Of our inability To maintain thu two