Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-06
MONETARY COM MISSION
The Representatives Selected Not Clear as
to What Will Be Expected.
Germany, 1t is Believed, Will Issue
the Call and the Meeting May
BE In the Summer or Fall.


by Congress as the representatives of their
respective houses on the proposed interna-
tional monetary commission. have. SO far,
very indefinite ideas as to what will be ex-
pected Of them. Whether they will be call
ed upon tc act at all will depend first upon
the important contingency Of whether such
conference will be called, and If so
whether the President will decide that the
United States shall be represented. The
provision for the conference explicitly
leaves this matter to his discretion, but
there Is thought to be very little doubt that
IL some important European nation takes
the initiative he win put into effect the law
providing for the representation of the
United States.
Germany May Issue the Call.
1t is also believed that Germany will is
sue the call and that the conference will
be held during the coming summer or fall.
Where it shall be held will depend upon
the time of the cali, as will also the basis
upon which the question Of ratio or the
extent to which silver shall be used is dis
cussed. On this latter point it is under
stood that the advocates of free coinage
on the commission will demand that the
ratio shall be fixed at 16 to l, and that
they will not Swerve from this. AS now
appears they will constitute a majority of
the commission from this country, as five
of the six already chosen hold views favor
able to independent free coinage. The dele
cation will not be complete until the Presi-
dent shall select the three members of it
whose appointment is left to him. If those
three should all be,opposed to free coinage
under existing conditions in this country,
as Mr.. Hit is, the commission would still
stand five to four for free coinage.
Not Much Different From the Brus-
sells Conferences,
The law in the present case is not ma
terially different from that under which
the Brussels conference was appointed in
1892, except in the number. of delegates
and in providing the means in their selec-
ton. The Brussels commissioners on the
part of the United States numbered five
oEly, and they were all appointed by the
President. The wording Of the law as re-
garded the purpose of the conference was
in that case the same as in this, the Ian
guage in both cases being that the con-
ference should be held with a view to
secure internationally a fiXity of relative
value between gold and silver, as money,
by means of a common ratio between those
metals. with free mintage at such ratio.
In 1892 an appropriation Of $4,000 was
made to pay the expenses of the commits
sion, while s100,OG0 is now provided.
Personnel of the Commission.
The personnel of the commission, so far
as formed, is a striking one. The men
selected have been in public life fer many
years, and all have distinguished them
selves sufficiently to make a national repu-
tation. Mr.. Culberson entered the Forty
fourth Congress, Mr. Hit the Forty
seventh and Mr.. Crisp the Fiftieth, and
all have served continuously since. Mr..
Crisp Is serving his second term as
Speaker, and previous to his election to
that office had distinguished himself on the
floor and IN committee. MIR. Culberson is
chairman of the committee on Judiciary
and Mr.. Hit is eX-chairman of the COM
mittee on foreign relations. Mr.. Hit had
also served as assistant secretary of state
before entering the House, and was for
seven years first secretary of the legation
and charge d affaireS OF the American lega-
ton in Paris.
The Seuate Representative.
Senator Teller entered the Senate in 1877,
in 1887. Senator Teller has made a special
ty of the study of financial and economic
questions during his entire term, and has
thoroughly identified himself with the
movement to secure the remonetization of
silver at the old ratio of 1G to 1. While
they have not so completely identified
themselves with this movement, his scna-
torial collea gues have both taken prominent
part in 1t, SO that 1t Is known that the
three Senators stand upon the same foot
ing with regard to silver. Senator Jones Is
a leading member of the committee on
finance and was prominently identified
with the tariff contest of last session. Sen
atcr Daniel Is man of learning and is
recognized as one of the leading lawyers
and orators of the Senate. Representatives
Crisp and Culberson are both silver advo-
Gates, but are conservative on that QueS-
ton. There is little doubt, however, that
they will stand for all that can be had for
silver in case the conference is held. MIR.
Hit is classed as bimetallist, and is un-
derstood to believe thoroughly in the re-
hablitation of silver, provided it can be OBJ
tanned by an international agreement.
All the members of the commission are
lawyers except Hit, and all except Teller
and Hit served en- the confederate side
during the war of the rebellion. All are
fifty years ard over as regards age. Speak
er Crisp is the youngest member, being
fifty. Senator Teller and Mr.. Culberson are
each sixty-four. Jones fifty-five, Daniel
ffty-two and Hit sixty-one.
THE yEASHuHf.TnN rU-N