The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1895-04-09

in silver, also had propelling
force. A good deal of silver is
now under lock-. It will come
out fast enough when specula-
tors believe that the advance Is
over. / cannot see in the move.
ment, much beyond the specula-
tive feature. Talk of bimetallic
action by Germany and England
seems to have subsidized. If it is
to be revived it must be done by
those countries. A debtor
country like the United States
cannot lead in such movement.
We have had silver troubles
enough without inviting others.
In regard to an idemnity to be
paid by China, it has seemed to
me that gold might be demanded.
Dispatches speak more of silver,
but Japan is earning reputation
as country of advanced ideas,
and it may be that talk there of
putting the finances on a gold
basis may be emphasized in the
demands on China. / am inclin-
ed to look on the present move
ment as speculative. A gentle
man who is thoroughly familiar
with the market for silver bull
lion, but who declined to allow
the use of his name, talked upon
the causes that had led to the re-
cent advance in the price of sill
yer. He said E: I'm order to
thoroughly understand this mat
ter it is necessary to go back as
far as 1890. AT that time the
Sherman silver bill was in force,
and silver had gone up to $1.20
or thereabout. From that time
until this it had fallen with few
slight fluctuations, steadily, until
in June, 1893, it touched SO cents.
The decline in price was brought
about through the repeal of the
Sherman silver bill, and the
more recent action of the British
government in repeating the law
permitting free silver coinage in
India. OF course many reasons
can be assigned to account for
the advance in prices, but it is
probably as largely due to specu-
lation as to other causes. When
war was declared between China
and Japan up went the price of
silver, because the silver men
argued and believed that the mu-
nitions of war must be paid in
silver, since both China and
Japan are silver countries. 1t
looks as if it were being put now
on talk of peace between China
and Japan, and the former
country paying to the latter
country a large indemnity"
In an interview with a reporter
of the Record Chauncey M. De-
pew, ON the silver question said:
1.-The question of free coinage is
not taken seriously in the eastern
, states. 1t is not mentioned in
politics; it is not discussed in the
papers. I will venture that 9s
, per cent. of the people of the
east are in favor of the gold
standard without any apologies.
: Where the alleged issue of silver
coinage is thought about at all, i
/ may be all right for one to take
, it up as a hobby if he has th'
a time. / do not wish to be bigot
> ed in reviewing the situation, be
g cause know that in the soutl
Y the sentiment is very nearly un
' animous for adopting the silver
2 basis, and the west also clamor'
for the same end. But it remains
> true that the east does not at
e tach importance to this fact, no
. do our people expect any serious
3 step toward the change. Tn
4 Democrats will have to make
J. stagger at indorsing free silver
: to hold old Democratic states
e but it will not be constitutional
: The Republicans will steer clea
d of the question. Either party,
:. is safe to say. will only treat tn
e matter SO far as politics may dc
n mand to hold their old strengt
s and keep wind from the sails c
v a third party. But some of th
). party leaders have declared fc
J. the restoration of silver to II
ID monetary function. None of thel
d mentioned the fact while the
d. were candidates. Nothing but
II miracle can wrest triumph frol
the Republican party"
The above is from one of th
cy leading Republicans and he state
k how his party stands on the 81
1t yer question. He is on the insid
9, and knows whereof he speaks