The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1896-02-19
No. "a

States would fix and maintain an
actual parity between the market
and coinage value Of silver. / desire
to read briefly from the report OF
the royal commission OF 1883 on gold
and silver. The report was made in
three parts. Part | was signed by
all Of the commissioners. consisting
Of six-yold standard men and six sill
yer men: one of tile gold-standard
men, Mr.. Courtney, has since re-
nounccd his go}d-standard views and
declared for bimctaliSm. This is
tho statement made by that COM
mission:
Nor does it appear to us a prlori
unreasonable to suppose that the cx-
istcncc in tic Latin Union Of 1t
binctalIc system with ratio OF l5A
to | fixed between the tWD metals
should have been capable Of keeping
the market price oi silver steady at
approxmatcly that ratio.
The view that it could only affect
the market price to he extent to
which there was 4 demand for it inr
currency purposes in the Latin Union
or to which it was actually taken TO
the mints Of those countries is, ,'e
think. talacious.
Tie fact that the owner If silver
could in the last resort take it to
those minls and have it converted
into coin which would purchase COM
luuditics at the ratio Of 49, OF silver
to | OF gold would, in our opinion,
be likely to affect The price Of silver
in he market generally. whoever the
purchaser and for whatever country
it was destined It would cuabIc
the seller to stand out for a price.
approXnating to the legal ratio,
and would tend to keep the market
steady at about that point.
1t will be observed by Inspection
Of the report Of the Director of the
Mint of 1885 that the total stock of
silver coin in France is only $751;
900 600. The report Of the Director
for 1881 shows that there was S7On.-
600. 900 Of silver coin in France. 1t
is difficult to understand upon What
basis the last estimate OF the Dircc-
! tor is made. il HE estimate Of 1891
is correct, unless it be upon tho hy-
pOthcsis that it IS a part Of the ad-
ministration's policy to attempt to
show that France is discardng her
silver money, for an examination OF
Mr.. j. Barr RODcrtSOn'S work on
bimotaIlsn, published in 1895,
shows that in 1892 the imports nf
silver into France exceeded the eX-
ports $720, 900. and in 1893 the inl-
ports of silver exceeded the exports
1920, ,0OO while in 1894 The exports,
only exceeded the imports $3.50, 00U-
! Therefore if this table be corrert,
ord ~ * cvr,Il;s.a s~~>e> i,~. >,~~.-
beers estimates. it would seem that
there is no foundation FOR the charge
that France is abandoning her sil-
Yer money. 1t may be. rs an rxpla-
nation for he discrepancy, that the
Director Of our Miut IIl, failed ta
take into consideration the foreign
silver coin amounting to over 5l20,-
GOO. OCD in circulate ion in France.
Tie gentleman from Maine seems
to shrink Wi, horror when he con-
templates Nc danger oi this country
being placed On a par with Mexico.
Mr. Speaker. while il mas never
been The belief Of the advocates OF
bjHi@talIisIn by tie United States
hat it, adoption would lead to sill
yer n,0nom"lnlliSln. it is bat fair to
say tha' the condition Of Mexico and
.IuljHt, both >ilycr-ll~illg cnuu .rics,
is SO much better from the stand
point Of profitable production than
lH;'t Of the United States U.!trr the
-oll standard that fee! Il diyniticd
. silence upon the part Of our people
f when making comparisons between
those nutiou> and ours in their pres
cnt industrial conditions would re-
, douud to our benefit.
The following extract from the
Boston Herald, undcr date of Feb
= ruarN |, 1896, Indicates, Il condition.
f OF aI1iirs in Mexico which | am Of
{ The opinion he distinguished gentle
| man from Maine would be glad to
, have 1ransplautcd to some 81 ,!:c
! Idle factories OF lie NcW England
r States;
| The remarkable prosperity OF
Mexican cotton mills, which are de-
clariny big dividends, in some cuscs
20 per cent. has attracted the u1tcn-
> tion OF the press.
And | want to ask the gentleman
J from Maine how many mills in the
! New England States within the last
i twelve months have declared Il 20
| per cent dividend or Il 10 pur cent,
Q dividend:
The Mexican Herald declares
; that
: Mexico is now in position to in
4 wade he markets Of HE west rO,st