The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-29
THE NEXT GREAT ISSUE.

From the washington otaT'
There IL u growing belief among many
of the political gosalps at the national cap
ital that the next few months will find the
Republican party aligned for bimctalllsm
and the Democratic organization divided
into distinct and aNoWcd gold and silver
munometallistlC factions. This belief. 1t Is
explained, IS based upon some recent
events and upon review of past occur
rcnces. The people who entertain this
opinion say that nothing further iS needed
to demonstrate that the Democrats Will
divide upon gold and silver monometal-
lisn than the presidents recent declara-
ton OF the coming fight lying between
sound money and silver monometalllsm,
and the subsequent announcement OF
some of the party leaders in favor Of gold
monometallsm. This in connection with
the efforts now under way in several
states east Of the Mississippi to get free
silver conventions, is proof positive, they
say, of the great chasm that Is yawning
in the Democratic party.
1t is claimed that the Republicans pro-
pose to avoid precipitatlng any such Sc
we're Issue in their own party, and are
going to begin early to take the firm
ground that bimctal!ism Is possibility
and not u hopeless case, as represented by
inent Republicans, Senator Allison and ex-
President Harrison in particular, are
pointed as straws indicating the trend of
opinion In the Republican party. In this
connection references are being made TO
the Developments before the International
monetary conference, and the statements
of the prominent flnanciers Of the world
at the gathering are being recalled and
invested with peculiar interest at this
time. One statement which was made at
that conference is distinctly remembered
by many politicians, who have seen what
they claim is a fulhllment of phophecy
made NJ. de Rothschild, one of the dele
gates of Great Britain, and recognized as
representing the sentiment Of that gov
ernment at the conference, made this
statement: 'If this conference were to
break up without arriving at any definite
result there would be q depreciation in the
value of that commodity (sllver) which 1t
would be frightful to contemplate, and out
of which monetary panic would ensue
the far-spreading effects of which it would
be impossible to foretell." That phophecy
was made in November, 1892. The confer
ence did adjourn without arriving at any
definite result, and the following summer
saw the commencement of that great
financial and Industrial depression which
everyone recalls.
It is claimed that the last two years
have demonstrated an increase in the BIZ
sentiment of England-that Is,
among the Industrial classes-as in this
bordering in a degree upon the
extent Of the spread of bimetallsm among
the people of the United States. The point
Is made, however, that the mass of the
people, the element that it Is claimed will
eventually determine the fiscal policy of
the nation, are showing q decided lean
ing toward blmetalllsm and clamoring for
a trial of 1t anyhow, and that If an inter-
national conference can be held within the
next year or two the opposition put forth
by the British delegates at the last meet
ing will have at least been modified TO
such an extent as not to present an in
superable bar to an agreement. This Is
said to be the belief of great many Re-
publicans in this country, who are at least
willing to wait a year or two longer, IL
necessary, in order to give 1t n trial,
rather than to rush either to the extreme
Of gold monometallism, which they de-
clare to be un-American. or to silver
At all events, they say 1t
is too early to give up absolutely, and to
say that 1t must be gold monometallsm
or nothing" or to take ground that bmet-
allism Is chimera and unlimited national
free coinage the only alternative of gold
1t is argued that the pur-
suance of the line of action thus indicated
will draw into Republican ranks the con-
servative people of all classes Democrats
included who would regard this position
as the safest and as most likely to con-
tribute to national prosperity.