Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-19
Gold and Silver Men in This Ooun-
try Take Comfort.
BIMETALLISTS In ENGLAND
Finance Was a Feature in the Re-
cent Campaign.
THE GOLD MEMS VIE W

The overwhelming majority by which the
conservatives, under Lord Salisbury's lead
ership have been returned to power In
England seems to carry a degree of COM
fort to both the gold and the silver men In
this country.
In their reasoning on the subject, the sill
yer men start with the conceded proposition
that both Lord Salisbury and his nephew
and principal lieutenant, Mr.. Balfour, are
bimetallists. Their they proceed In tnis
way: This fact was known to all OF the
English constituencies as also the addi-
tional fact that pressure was being brought
to bear in England, as in other important
commercial countries, to secure an inter-
national agreement in the interest OF
much larger absorption of silver as redeem
ing money into the financial system OF the
world The question, in a certain form, In
deed, entered into the campaign. Candi-
dates were interrogated by the Bimetallic
League, and some of the answers showed
that it was receiving due attention. mere
fore as the silver men reason, Lord sans
bury in office again means bfmetalllst IN
office and the great host at his back means
support for his opinions and policy all the
way through. Nor will he lack for an op-
portunity when the newly elected parma
ment meets to go on the record. If he does
not move of his own accord, the question
will be respectfully presented to him by
some more aggressive friend OF silver.
Action of some kind is confidently predlct-
ed and favorable action is considered prob
able In the light of the new premiers pow
er and opinions.
The Gold Mems Theory.
The gold men, on the other hand, make
this same overwhelming majority the basis
of their assertion that nothing will inure
to the benefit of silver as redeeming money
as the result of Lord Salisbury's return to
office. They ascribe the sweeping change
in English public opinion to one cause, and
to that cause alone: Mr.. Gladstone, by
force of one of the most fascinating per-
sonalities of the century, had carried the
country along for some years in favor or
a policy for Ireland which. his opponents
charged. would If enacted into law. weaken
the prestige of the empire. 1t would set up
q division calculated to widen in the end
into angry disruption. Lord Salisbury came
forward with his view, animated his party
with it, and won over. as he proceeded,
several of Mr.. Gladstone's former support
ers, Joseph Chamberlain among the num-
ber The battle was a long and hard
one. 1t required some years to win 1t, and
then the opposition had to lean upon a
species Of luck. The relentless tyranny Of
old age removed Mr.. Gladstone from the
active lists, and his younger successor
proved unequal to the burdens of the vet
erans arnlor. And SO it has come about
that. at last. the liberals are deposed, and
the conservatives are again exalted.
An English Policy.
But, the gold men ask, what instruction
does his success at the polls convey to
Lord Salisbury and his party? This. the
gold men reply, above all others: The new
policy must in every particular be an En-
lish policy, calculated for the English
meridian and guaranteed to increase and
preserve English power and prestige. No
tampering with any of the principles or
agencies that have made England great.
No experiments, on sentimental or other
grounds, that might result in Englands 8
loss either at home or abroad. The new
premier, the gold men declare, has been
as good as warned. He must guide by
the lesson of Mr.. Gladstones fate. Mr..
Gladstone's policy has been voted a menace
to the political prestige of the empire, and
the liberal party that supported it thrown
out How long, the gold men ask would
Lord Salisbury be likely to hold Office
should he propose a financial policy dead
against the business interests of the en-
pire? How many of the men now behind
him could he keep behind him In such cir
cumstances? His individual views about
bimetallism the gold men in this country
concern themselves little about. Their re-
liance-and it Is a firm reliance-is on the
capital for self-preservation. That capital,
The gold men think, will control the con-
!qervatives as in the past 1t controlled the
liberals. on all questions Of purely f1nan-
cial character.