The record-union., 1895-05-24
ROYAL BAKING POWDER
Highest all in Leavenng Power-Laest U. Govt Report
R}!5>!As!l! q! ks;;iI3s Eskasl! !
ABSOLUTELY PURE
MEANING OF BIMBTALLISM.
Washington's Governor on the S1lve
Conference.

MEANING OF BIMBTALLISM.
Washington's Governor on the Silver
Conference.
The following letter by Governor J. ii.
McGraw of Washington to Governor
Richards OF Montana, declining to APP
point delegates to the silver meeting at
Salt Lake, may be read with profit by
all students of the financial question:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
OLYMPIA, April II, 1895.
His ErcelIency, the G0Uelnor, Hete1,d,
Mont.-oIR: Your esteemed favor OF the
4th inst, inclOsing an article from the
pen of the Hon. Thomas q. Merrill of
your city, and inviting me to name three
gentlemen to represent this State at
conference to be held at Salt Lake City
May 10, 1895. TOR the purpose OF perfect
ing an organization Tor an educational
campaign on the money question, was
received in due course of mail and ac-
knowledged by my Private Secretary.
My answer TO your courteous invita-
ton has been delayed by reason of
temporary absence from the Capital. as
we'll as 10y my desire to give careful con-
sideration to your proposed plan OF cam
paign before deciding for myself whether
the organization you favor is indeed for
the common good" In the meantime. L
have carefully read the copy OF COINS
Financial School" which you so kindly
sent to me.
L am not able to convince or persuade
myself that l should appoint delegates
to represent this State at the conference
to be held at Salt Lake City for the pur-
pose of providing tor the dissemination
of free silver literature; that Is to say,
for the purpose OF devlsing ways ana
means for the education OF the American
people to the idea that surcease Tor all the
Ills of commerce, trade and industry de-
pends upon the free and unlimited coin
age by the Government OF the United
States of silver at tho ratio OF l6 TO l.
The reasons which prompt my decllna-
ton to make the appointments you nave
suggested ars as follows:
First-Executive activity or action in
the matter OF naming mel to participate
in such conference, when not author
lied by legislative direction, should I'M
ply on the one hand sanction by the
public opinion of the commonwealth, or,
| on the other, the justification of plain
ly-avowed principle OF the party oil which
tho chief magistrate is member.
Second-The free and unlimited COIN
age OF silver at the ratio of Ii to is not
popular doctrine in this State. The ap-
proximate plurality OF the Republican
ticket at the last State election was lO.0O0.
In the preceding convention held at Spo-
kane the most ardent and enthusiastic
tree-siIver community IN the State. u
money plank reat1irning the policy laid
down in the National Republican plat
form in 1892 was adopted, after an eX-
haustive and spirited debate. During an
immediate adjournment the weight OF
local pressure was such that Il reconsider
alton after the recess resulted i'll favorable
action on substitute proposition In the
nature of compromise. The substitute
simply declared for the coinage OF the
American product OF silver at the ratio OF
I6 to l. The convention, and 1t was highly
representative, was unalteraOly op-
posed TO the free and unlimited doe
trine of l6 10 coinage. The people were
press, apprIsed of that fact. Yet they
gave the party tick the majority quoted.
and elected an overwhelming RepublIcau
majority in the Legislature. l take this
to have been deiermlnate disapproval
of the unlimited free-coinage idea.
Third-It is with unteigned diiiidence
| that l venture to oppose my views on
the money question to the opinions of
gentlemen who advocate the free coinage
| of silver by this Nation, regardless of the
attitude of the Other commercial nations.
| But am bimetallist and it can scarcely
| be denied that to put into practice the
monetary theories OF Mr.. Merrill and Mr..
Harvey, the author Of COINS Financial
School," would be to Immediately put
this country on silver monometallic
basis. What the result would be l am
unable TO foretell, but my reading of
! history leads me to fear the consequences.
| 90 farther, and would prefer to see this
| grave monetary question met as one
| which should he settled tor all time, now
that the path of solution seems 80 broadly
open. tluctuation Of coinage ratios and
Instability OF the financial legislation ap-
piled to the metal currency of the civil
! lied nations is not to be remedied by the
mintage laws of the United States, nor
by those of any other country. IL seems
to me that the next great movement In
| international growth of civilization is to
be achieved through the establishment
by both creditor and debtor nations of
the just ratio long since determined by
| scientific authorities under one and the
same fat law. 1 have no more sympathy
with the silver monometallst than
IL have with the gold monometal-
! list. / believe that the commercial
world can find abundant use for all OF
the gold and all OF the silver that can be
taken from the earth, except SO much OF
each as may be used in the arts, and
whenever the friendsiof bimetallism shall
take action looking toward an interDa-
tional agreement that will unite this
country with The Latin Union, or with
Germany, or, better still, with both the
Latin Union and Germany, l shall be
| found with them most earnestly.
Inequalities in the specific weight OF
metal currency in countries of common
intercourse and exchange, particularly
when the fiat quality is withheld i'll one
and conferred, or attempted to be main
tanned, in another, can only produce re-
curing pauics and crises, because OF the
| impossibility of maintaining an equilib-
rum Of value in any one or between them
all. Therefore, if the moderation, wisdom
and civilizlng force Of the American peo-
pie is not to be recognized and sustained
by International action, l should favor
accepting the prevailing European ratio
OF l5t to |, aud lighting it out on this line
to the last ditch. Either plan of cam-
aign-international agreement if we can.
| a legal-tender free and unlimited coin
age Act at the ratio of l5t to l if we must
is a battle for human rights which is the
| foundation of American patriotism and
| the inspiration of American genius.
/ l have the honor to be, with great re-
spect, very truly yours,
J. II. MCGRAw.
Common Errors In Speech.
The verb to get is one of our much mis-
used words: itneans to acquire, win, OBJ
! ,,ri,, ri sir 10 r