The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-18
WHAT THE BIMETALL1sTs SAY

ohe VI 0ne ieW papers favoring the gold
standard thathas not lost it's head, and is
apie TO see things as they are, is telling
It's conferees some very disagreeable
truths.
one OF the favorite arguments of the
gold, bug journals, while they are playing
on the part of international bimetallism
-1or they are one day an international
blmetallist and he next straight out sim
gle standard gold ..monometallist-is that
Europe is unanimously against the propo-
sition contained in the Democratic plat
form, the free coinage of silver by the
United States, independent of any other
country; and that oil the European bi.
metallists declare that the success of free
coinage in the United States would be
suicidal to the cause of silver.
Inc Springfield Republican replies to
this one of the stock arguments of the
goldbugs with the terse reply that it is
not true. 1t is true, it admits, that n
short time ago the leading bimetallists
regarded independent action by the
United States as likely to prove harmful
to the cause; "but there has since been. -
the Republican contends, Gas much flop
ping in their ranks on this question as
In those OF the two great parties in the
United States on the question ut issue in
the campaign. First, Henri Ce,nuschi,
of France, the so-called father of bimet-
allism, shortly before his death last
spring, announced change of views, and
declared his belief in the efficacy of indie
pendent action by the United States
helpful alike to this country and to the
matter of an international. agreement.
Then President Andrews, of Brown Uni
versity, turned about in the same way;
then DIR. Otto Arendt, of Germany, fol-
lowed up an article written in MAY, de-
preclating single handed attempt in the
United States, with an article written in
August opposite the course. Then came
several minor lights of the bimctallic
school in England with similar express
slons, and now the president of the gen
eral council of the English Bimetallic
League, W. II. Grenfell, comes forward
with the statement that if he were an
American he would vote for free silver
lie has suddenly, like all the rest, come
to believe that the United States is rich
ana big enough to settle the ratio of the
two metals for the world; besides, he be-
lieves that other countries will come over
if we lead the way
Remember, this is from gold stan
dard paper, which would like to make a
good showing for its cause, but which is
too honest to distort facts 1t thoroughly
disposes of one of the chief arguments
OF the Republicans and goldbug Demo-
=
point as absolutely untrue.
How comes it,, the Republican con
tinues, THAT SO many bimetallists have
In moment abandoned views long held
that the United States is not big
enough to do all this, and that free silver
coinage by this country alone would de-
stroy the possibility of an international
agreement-and taken up with the con-
erary positlon' We know but one answer
to this question, and that is that they
Deileve their cause to be hanging in the
balance of the contest in the United
States, and likely to fall forever in case
of pronounced popular verdict for gold
next November That would be very
probable result of such verdict, and we
cannot blame them much for this sudden
shifting of position
The Springfield Republican recognizes
that the fight for bimetallism is now be-
ing made in the United States, and that
II 1T fails now there is no hope of ever reach
ing AN international agreement The
proposition contained in the Republican
platform, that the Republican party is
really In favor of bimetallism, but wants
to wait until Europe joins us in it, is in
the eyes of the Springfield paper, mere
trap to catch voters who know the evil
consequences of single standard and
Will not vote for it; and if the Democratic
party and bimetatlism is defeated in No
vember it will end forever any chance of
securing bimetallism by international or
other means. On this point the Indian
apolls convention was more hnest than the
st. Louis one, and declared outspokenly
for the single gold standard making no
pretense OF favoring bimetalism, whether
brought about by international agree
ment or otherwise. If bimetallism is de-
feated now it is ended forever, is the opin-
ion of the Springfield Republican; and it
believes that the same idea prevails
among the leading European bimetal-
lists, which explains why all the leaders
there have declared that any true friend
of bimetallism would vote the Demo-
cratic ticket. The United States. alone
and unassisted, can carry through the
free coinage of silver, they say; and once
it sets the example, it will soon find the
European powers following it. This is
quite different story from what the Re-
publicans have been telling us. The'only
hope of success for bimetallism, the ONLY
protection against single gold standard
and all the misfortunes that will result
therefrom, lie in the success of the Demo-
cratic ticket in November If bimetal-
lism is beaten then, it is beaten forever,
and silver will soon be eliminated from
the worlds currency.-New Orleans
Times-Democrat.
Dark clouds of pain and suffering van
ish before the bright sunshine of a bottle
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accept none but the genuine.