The Irish standard., 1895-06-08


the other, 1T not for the supremacy Of
silver, at least for its equal recognition.
Each side accuses the other of ignorance,
selhshness, treachery and an indiffer-
ence as TO whether or not the country
shall be plunged into a hopeless mess
of poverty, helplessenss and universal
degradation. The gold advocates claim
that the silverites are either the owners
Of silver mines and consequently hope
to reap a profit from the sale Of the
metal, or are sadly In debt and wish to
wipe out their obligations with q denre-
clated currency, or that they are too tg-
uorant Of the results of the free and un-
limited coinage for their arguments to
have any weight. On the other hand the
silver advocates claim that the gold men
are grasping, grinding, selfish monop-
olists men who care nothing for the
toi1ing, struggling millions and who have
only In view their own sordid aims to
accumulate fortunes at the expense Of
labor and by buldozing the minds of the
people. II u .s#:
Is These are certainly grave accusations
and both sides are eqaully vehement in
denunciation of each other. It is not at
all difficult to understand the question
as to what is proposed to be done. The
difficulties arise as to the results. The
silver men insist that the mines Of the
oil S3l1yoss
bullion offered to it. They ask that the
gold and silver dollar shall pass current,
the one equal with the other, so far as
the transaction of business is concerned
OF course the relative value, intrinsfcal-
", shall be ascertained and settled by
law and it is pretty generally accepted
by the silver men that the different in
trinsic values shall be as 151s or 16 to l.
without going into detailed argument,
they claim that such a course would
restore the country to its former pros
perity; that wages would be higher and
prices for products better and that no
one would ever again experience the suf-
fering through financial depression that
has been experienced during the last
two years. All this is strenuously de-
MED by the gold men. They argue that
the silver would be a deprecated cur
rency and that as soon as 1t was seen
that its advocates would bow their way
the European holders of American Sc
curities would demand payment and as
a result the country would be drained Of
its gold Further, the gold men MAIN
tain that supposing they should relin-
,quish their opposition to, silver nothing
could be done unless America and Eu-
ropean countries should come to an I'M
Outstanding and an agreement regard
ing silver SO that commercial relations
between these countries could be carried
on upon a settled principle Of monetary
valuation. II,
The proposition laid down by the gold
ties that we cannot do anything unless
by the sanction and cooperation Of Eu
ropean countries is exasperating to the
silver men who say that II European
countries do not wish to enter into a
conference for the purpose Of settling
this question that the United States
should ignore them altogether and that
we: should proceed with our own financial
affairs, irrespective of what the other
countries might think or do. This coun-
try, they say, Is in it's swaddling clothes
no longer and that it should bring the
blush Of shame to every American cheek
for our people to be obliged to acknowl-
edge that they cannot take a step In
their own interest without counselling
countries that ARE commercially and
financially opposed to us. In addition
to this we are reminded that we demone-
tized silver In 1873 without counselling
Europe and that it seems strange we
cannot restore to it Its former standing.
without seeking the advice Of our trans
atlantic cousins. .It5 js 5s
In this matterSof a bimetallic confer
ence it is believed that Germany is will.
ing to proceed but that It awaits the ac-
ton OF England and that the monied in
terests Of the latter country are slow
or unwilling to take the necessary steps,
preferring to have present conditions re-
main. 4 I n. ii 53
Whatever the outcome Of the present
struggle may be, as regards its effect up-
on the coming presidential election, it
is certain that the contest Will be waged
with vigor. Already silver conventions
are being held IN different states and
the advocates are ontsp0ken and the
platforms are written in unmistakeab1e
terms It is the intention to hold q ma
tional free silver convent Ion during the
SUNNI perhaps IN August 80 that a
full expression Of the people may be OBJ
.tained before the cam aign is entered
upon. the stion has become so In.
tense that present conditions cannot re-
main. The free and unlimited coinage
.of silver viii result or a conpromise Of
tie ,llestfon will be entered into.
rhere Ii 81 Baptist minister
ii all,ed Jon ID Bird Who
.aat
Mo !sls for ND nine
ssn S 6 lIla 1l 81
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