The record-union., 1896-07-25
GOLD AND INTERNATIONAL b.
METALLISM.

There is diligent effort on the part of
the Democratic press to lead the people
to believe that the Republican party is
the enemy of silver coinage and the un-
wavering advocate of gold only as a
currency. But, as we have frequently
said, the Republican party is the true
friend of silver; 1t is the consistent and
reasonable bimetallist. It's platform
declaration makes no assault upon sill
Yer, INDUCES in no abuse of it or those
who favor it as the chief medium Of
exchange.
The platform declares that 1T is op-
posed to the free and unlimited coinage
of silver under present conditions, be-
cause of the conviction that this coun-
try cannot alone uphold free, unlimited
coinage of silver as against the nom
concurrence of the commercial nations
of the earth
But, says the party, we are in favor
ment with, not all, but the leading
commercial nations of the world" And
it follows up this declaration by a
pledge to promote such agreement
The Record Union" has repeatedly
set forth its friendship for silver While
it supports the Republican nominees in
this campaign, it finds nothing in that
relation to antagonize this friendship
for silver. 1t has said, and says again,
that it is favor Of a larger volume of
silver in circulation; indeed, 1t has
said that the demand for a larger use
of silver is a reasonable one, and that
ii will not be denied, and should not be,
and that the Republican party, which
has ever proven equal to any emergency
arising, will meet that demand as 1t
should be met.
A few days ago this paper pointed out
hat there Is a. middle ground between
the radical and uneompromising de-
mand for absolute, irredeemable, un-
limited silver free coinage, and the hard
and fast insistence upon gold use only,
and the Record Union" described this
middle ground as one safe, easily at
tainable, and that meets the necessi-
ties of the times, namely that we
should make all kinds of silver coinage
legal tender for sums Of $50 and less;
issue no bills or coin of gold, or based on
gold, for less than $50; coin the bullion
now in the treasury amounting to $780,
100000. This would practically make
silver a legal tender, for nearly all do
mestic bills can be paid in silver. This
course would put in circulation four or
five hundred millions of silver, because
transactions will necessarily be in sill
yer, since there will be nothing in the
gold form of less than $50.
We then said that in this proposition
there is nothing antagonistic or contra
dictory to the Republican platform ex-
preston. The more the matter is stud
led the clearer the truth OF this declara-
tion has become, and we have noted
with qualification also that numbers Of
our ablest exchanges have printed the
proposition and have given it the appro-
val Of their judgment.
Now, then, since 1t is obvious that
gold is the only metal that is to be
thought of under present conditions as
an international currency, fact that
we do not think will be challenged by
those who are open-minded and fair in
the money debate, and who have any
considerable knowledge of the world S
commerce. it follows that congress of
nations could bring about agreement to
change conditions and admit silver to
the international currency channels 1t
is. then. a matter of agreement, to be
reached precisely as the Republican
platform declares, and to the further
ance of which agreement the party is
pledged.
Silver will always be used as cur
rency, but this country standing alone
Is not able to make 1t international cur
reucy. The most radical OF the free si1-