The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-01
Ohio Bi-Metallism Displeases
the New York G0ldbug.
HE CALLS IT STANDARDIZATION
Hill Would Burn the Greenbaeks and
Coin Bigger Silver Dollars.
He Advocates the Ratio OF 3 1-2 to L,
and Believes the Suspension OF Pur-
chase and Coinage of Silver Is
Bringing the Nations OF Europe TO
Terms.

Albany. ". Y, May sl-senator Hill was
asked today whether he had read Senator
sherman's speech on the monetary ques-
ton.
Yes" said the senator. II have care
fully perused Senator Sherman's speech
on silver. II an Ohio Democrat had made
the speech there would have been con-
demnation all along The Republican ranks
The Implication startled me that there are,
in a prosperous state like Ohio, Repuhli-
can voters who wish 10 degrade our dollar
standard repudiate one-haIf our public
debt, and pay their debts In cheaper money
than they promised TO pay.
II have not met such voters in New
York IL is difficult for me to believe that
a majority IN any American state or in
any American congress VIII vote 10 create
a new dollar merely in order that thereby
debtors may evade the payment OF one
half or one-quarter or any percentage OF
what they owe and have promised. That
would be worse and more tndefensioie
than the creation in 1851 by Senator Sher-
mans party of a full legal tender dollar
Then the country was in the agony OF
civil war but now there is profound peace
Reputation OF private contracts had not
been attempted I'm our history until 1852
whether our standard dollar was silver or
gold. or both, IL was from 1872 TO iss2 an
honest standard. an undegreded standaro.
Senator sherman said at GAINESVILLE
what was new TO me. that for fourteen
years after the resumption of specie pay
ment, while the Republican party was In
power. we had gold, silver and paper
money passing current in all parts of the
commercial world | had never known
that from 1880 to 1ss4. when Cleveland
came. our silver dollars and greenback
dollars were exportable like our gold dol
lars One Of my objections to our present
government making full legal tender sill
yer and greenback dollars is that they are
not exportabie.
II would exterminate forever the green
back dollars. which. by their endless re-
demption character. make the chieIest or
our existing currency woes. | would. by
international bi-metallisn. and by coinage
at a ratio of 15Is TO l. and not by Senator
Sherman's bastard bi-metallism. eXemph-
fed in his Law OF 1880. now repealed, lift
our standard silver dollar into d world
wide parity with our gold dollar. | would
thereby put an end 10 the degeneration
OF any coined dollar OF ours | would
not have as now one ratio. which is Is
TO l. for our silver dollars and higher
ratio. as now. for our mined silver. OBJ
ject to Senator Sherman's misdescription
of the bi-metalisln OF 1892, which. on an
international ratio of i5i2 10 !, advocate.
1--WE have suspended the compulsory
purchase Of silver and the coming of sill
yer dollars. | urged il in the interest of
international bi-metallism. The suspen-
sion is steadily working in Europe TO that
end. II has pursuaded Bismarck. II /
could have my wish | would have the
treasury purchase not another ounce of
silver or coin another silver dollar under
existing conditions. The possibility of in
ternatonal bi-metallism on a ratio OF i5i2
TO / has been fairly tested by the whole
power OF the United States exerted ear
nestly and in good faith by congress, the
president and cabinet, the secretary OF
state and the country's diplomatic and
consular agents everywhere"