Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-23
Politicians Wrestling With Fl
nancial Plank for St. Louis.
INTERNATIONAL FREE COINAGE
Suppose England and Germany
Should Decline the Invitation.
A DIFFIC ULT BUSIN ESS

Politicians with knack for turning
phrases are trying their hands on fnan-
cial plank for the ST. Louis platform. 1t is
difficult business, as the samples so far
turned out testify. Some of these have
been passed around in confidence, and
have occas.oned interesting discussion.
An international Agreement.
A very great difficulty is encountered in
dealing with the question Of an interna-
tfonal agreement as to free coinage. How
shall that be expressed? 1t seems to be
agreed that the old form will not do. The
silver men denounce that as a promise IN
fulfilled. They charge that had the pres
ugs of the government been properly en-
ployed in Silver's interest, an international
agreement would some time since have
been obtained. 1t will not be sufficient.
therefore, simply to declare that the party
is in favor of free Coinage if it can be in
augurated through the medium of an in
ternational agreement.
How Much Further:
But how much further can the party af-
ford to go? Shall a definite program be
mapped out? Shall it be stated that the
party, if successful at the polls, will i'm
mediately upon coming into power call an
international conference on the subject of
silver? And shall it be proposed to hold
the conference in this country? In Wash
ington, here? And shall the candidate for
President pledge himself in his letter of
acceptance 70 do all in his power to bring
the other nations with which this nation
trades to realization of the strength of
the silver sentiment in this country?
Complaints of the silver Men.
There seems to be disposition to meet
the wishes of the silver men in part.
Nobody outside of the distinct silver coterie
proposes free coinage pure and simple, but
some of the complaints of the silver men
are very sympathetically considered.
For one thing, the silver men complain
that Europe is not latitude in which
silver can hope for justice. Europe,
they assert, is under the dominion of the
Rothschilds, all of whose interests are
bound up in gold. Past international con-
1erences, therefore, held over there, have
simply fallen, as might have been eX-
pected, under the dominion of the gold
kings, and did not, and could not come
to anything.
Without subscribing to this opinion, some
of the conservative republicans would be
willing to aid in the calling of an interna-
tional conference be held on this side
of the water, simply that the question of
local influence might thoroughly be tested.
They want the question properly tested.
They want silver to have a fair chance,
and they want the silver men to be ad-
vised of the whole procedure, from first
ITO last
But now comes up the question of the
acceptance of invitations to such confer
ence. Suppose England and Germany and
France should politely decline to attend.
Suppose they should give as a reason the
fact that gold serves their present purposes
very well, and they have no desire to
change their standard. What would an
Internal ional conference be without them?
What would an agreement amount to which
Il ind fhny,, Nov, bit
would find itself face to face with the
proposition either to go it alone in the mat
ter of the free coinage of silver, Or else to
declare unequivocally for the gold stand
ard
\ knOtty Problem.
The whole thing is very knotty problem.
A great deal Is thought to hang on the
condition of international agreement.
Nearly every state platform contains it,
but none enters into specifications. Those
seem to be left to the st. Louis convention,
and the hard thinking being bestowed on
the subject shows both it's Importance and
it's great difficulty.