The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-03-27
Seeking Common Ground.

WASHINGTON, March ia confer
ence was held in this city today be-
tween the republican silver senator's
who voted against the consideration Of
the house bill in the senate and a
number of manufacturers, principally
OF Pennsylvania, for the purpose, if
possible, of arriving at All understand
ing on which the silver advocates and
prOtectionists can unite. The meet
ing was brought about largely through
the efforts of Messrs. Wilhelm of Potts
vile, Pa, and Mr.. r. F. Diffendorfer
the latter a Philadelphia manufacture
er and secretary of the National
Bimetallic committee. The confer
ence was preliminary to others which
will probably he held, and while it re-
suited in no joint declaration, those
present expressed themselves them
selves as satisfied that the result
would be to promote both interests
and that an important step had been
taken to bring them nearer together.
The meeting resulted from CORE
spondence between Mr.. Wilhelm and
Senators Teller of Colorado, Dubois of
Idaho, Carter and Mantle of Mon tana,
Cannon of Utah and Jones of Nevad a..
These senators were all present at to-
days meeting, as were Representatives
Hartman of Montana, Allen of Utah
and Wilson of Idaho, and also some
thirty representatives of manufactur-
ing interests. The conference was
organized by choosing Senator Dubois
as chairman and Mr.. Wilhelm was
secretary.
Brief speeches were made by all the
senators present. They defined their
position in such manner as to make
it plain to the manufacturers that
there could be no protective tariff
legislation, either at this session OF
congress or the next without the re-
habilitation of silver, and that bime-
talism and protection, as regarded
from their standpoint, constituted an
issue before the country. Some OF the
manufacturers themselves. endorsed
this position as being the logical result
of the country's necessities and the
political conditions.
President Dornan of the manufac-
turers club of Philadelphia expressed
the opinion that tariff duties could
not be made high enough to protect
manufacturers of our country under
the gold basis.
Mr.. James Dobson came out un-
qualifedly for free silver coinage, by
international agreement if possible,
otherwise by independent action. He
believed that independent action would
induce international action. Free
coinage might create temporary dis
turbances, but it was the quickest way
to permanent relief.
Henry A. Frye of Philadelphia said
the sooner we took independent action
for bimetalism the better it would be.
He declared for protection and blmet-
alism. Charles Heber Clark, editor OF
the Manufactures of Philadelphia, said
he had labored in season and out OF
season to convince the manufacturers
that protection would only prove effica-
cious in conjunction with the restora-
tion of silver. Richard Sampson de-
clared himself in favor of the restoration
of silver, but thought that the cause
Of bimetalism was not advanced by the
defeat of the revenue measure.
Senators who were interviewed with
regard to the meeting expressed the
opinion that it was the first note OF
warning to the republican party
against the adoption Of single gold
standard plank in the st. Louis plat
form or the nomination of a gold stan
dard man on straddle plank.
MANY letters in harmony with the
nurposes of the meeting were received
from manufacturers throughout the
country who were unable to be present
at the meeting. Senator Cameron
name was mentioned incidentally IN
|connection with the presidency during
the meeting and met with evident
kapproval by many present.