The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1896-12-12


promising project for helping our
boom.
Chambers Financial Views.
In an article published in the Ma
tional Review of London, Senator
Chandler reiterates all that has been
charged against gold recommendation
by the most positive of the free silver
agitators, and goes one step beyond
the American silverite in urging the
re-establishment of the free coinage of
silver not at Bryan's ratio of 16 to /,
but at the former ratio of 15} to /. He
declares that the American people
have to believe "that the quantity of
real money, and not the money which
must be redeemed in some other mon
ey, determines the prices Of the worlds
commodities; that the decentralization
of half the worlds real money is slow
ly reducing prices and crushing debt
ors, and that the use of only gold as
non-redeemable money is placing the
great instrument Of exchange in COM
merce upon such narrow basis that
the present depression in production
and trade will continue, with occa-
sional and temporary reactions, for an
indefinite period, and with manifold
evils to the human race the world
over"
Believing this, however, the Ameri-
can people have distinctly refused as
Senator Chandler points out, to
accept immediate and independent
free coinage as cure for these evils.
1t is accordingly interesting to see
what he, as an influential member
of the now dominant party in the
nation, believes will be the remedy ap-
piled.
To begin with, Senator Chandler de-
sires another international monetary
conference called, and that at once.
He would not wait for the coming in
of the new Administration, but would
have joint resolution passed by the
present Congress so that it might be
ready for Mckinley on his accession to
office. To this there could be no
possible objection, except from the
comparatively few who sincerely be-
lieve in absolutely gold monometal-
lism. The one cause of the demand
for the independent coinage of silver
by the United States was the belief
that nothing in the way Of an inter-
national agreement could be obtained.
Those who were loudest in that de-
mand will interpose no obstacle to the
effort to accomplish an international
agreement if the effort is made, as
Senator Chandler says it should be,
by honorable men who will not let
the matter DROP
Real bimetallists, who are not
blinded by party Affiliations, will find
encouragement in Senator Chambers
optimism. European bimetallists, he
says s'need not believe that the cleo
tion of Mckinley and Hobart by ov-
erwhelming majorities is decision to
permanently accede to the single gold
standard. This assurance will per-
haps be more pleasing to European
bimetallists than to Mr.. Platt and
the very vigorous band of Republican
monometallists in the Northeastern
States. Nor is it likely that the pub
lie men and journals, Republican
and Sound Money Democrats alike,
that have been declaring bimetallism
dead, and its very name lie, will ap-
plaud this assertion of Senator Chand-
Ter.
That the United States is opposed
to the gold standard and is in favor Of
retracing, in due course and with care
full regard to the national honor, the
steps taken in the decentralization of
silver, until both gold and silver shall
be admitted to free coinage at the ra-
tito of 154 to 1, and made the standard
money of the world and the measure
of the values of the worlds propo-
sition which would receive the suffra-
ges of four-flfths Of our voters, If this |
proposition alone could be fairly pre-
sented to them, even without further
debate.
Patriotic people, not wearing either
the crown or the letters of plutocracy
will applaud Senator Chandeliers ap-
parent desire to break down the gold |
fetish. The question of honest money
which is not based on gold alone
is a question which transcends mere
party ambitions, which breaks down
party lines. Bimetallism will be as |
great boon to the nation If it come
through Republican agencies as if-de-
mocracy had established it. But
while wishing Chandler God-speed In |
his enterprise, we may yet warn him
that in his new programme he will
have to encounter bitter antagonism
within his own party--may even, in
fact, see sound money Republican
faction created to accomplish his over
throw.
It doesn't require an act Of the
Legislature to prevent the missiona-
ries from playing football. Naturo
will do that for them.