Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-28
PRINCE BISMARCK.
BELIEVES THE UNITED STATES
SHOULD LEAD BlMETALlISM.


Of Buda-Pesth. Hungary. Declares the
Success of Free silver in America Will
Rave Great Effect I'm Restoring silver to
the World.
Ihat international bimetaliism will
quickly follow the election of William
j. Bryan as president. and the restora-
ton of free silver coinage in the United
states. is clearly demonstrated by the
following letter written Aug. "a 1896 by
Prince Bismarck of Germany. and by
the declaration of the international ag.
ricultural congress now in session at
Suda-Pesth. Hungary. the latter dec
iaration being embodied in a cable
gram sent by members of the congress
TO William j. Bryan. These declara-
tons in favor of bimetallism, coming
from such distinguished sources, can
not fail to produce the first genuine po-
litical sensation of the present cam
paign. and effectualiy spike the Re-
publican platform and Republican as
sertions that this country cannot
cnange the monetary system of the
world. They mean that the election of
Mr.. Bryan will be hailed by the great
agricultural and middle classes of
Europe as the key to opening the mills
or Europe, as well as America. to silver
as we'll as gold. and consequent relief
from the paralysis which is affecting
the agricultural, business and laboring
classes in Europe as well as in the
United States. They give the lie to
the gold bug argument that the pres
ent agitation will operate against in
ternational bimetallism. and tears to
tatters the Republican platform plank
which pirates about the inability of the
United States to take the lead in re-
storing the money of the people to its
former place in the monetary system
of the world.
Prince Bismarck's letter in favor OF
binetallism was written in response to
the following letter of inquiry from Gov
ernor Culberson of Texas:
Austin. Tex, Aug. 10. 1S96.-Prince
Bismarck: Sir: The great question of
finance is now of supreme interest to
the people of the United States. 1t IS
presented in various forms, but in a
general way it may be said to be-
first, whether the United States shall
adopt the single gold standard. or, sec
ond, whether they shall adopt BIZ
metalliSm, with both gold and
silver as the standard, or primary
money. The argument in favor of each
is well known to you, but it is particu-
larly insisted that we should adopt the
policy of bimetallism because the sup
ply of gold in the world for coinage is
insufficient to meet the demand, or be-
cause such a standard will still further
depress the values of all property.
which. in your judgment. is the best
policy to adopt-the gold standard or
binetallism-Givingy your reasons?
What effect, in your judgment. will
the immediate adoption OF bimetalIism
by the United States have upon the
cause of bimetallsm in Germany, and
other great commercial nations?
tSigned.l &C. A. CULBERSON.
Governor of Texas"
In reply Bismarck said:
"Friedrichruhe, Aug. "a. 1S96-Hon-
ored Sir: Your esteemed favor has
been duly received 1 hold that this is
the very hour that would be advisable
to bring about between the nations
chiefly engaged in the worlds COM
merce a mutual agreement in favor of
the establishment of bimetallism. The
United States are freer by far in their
movements than any nation Of Europe.
and hence. if the people of the United
States should find it compatible with
t1,Aiv s,n<o
ton in the direction of bimetallism. l
cannot but believe that such action
would exert a most salutary influence
on the contamination of international
agreement.
tSigned.1 BISMARCK"
If this is not sufficient to spike the
guns of the goldbug combine. the fol-
lowing cablegram sent TO William J.
Bryan. signed by Count Alexander Kar-
olyi, president of the Hungarian cham
Der of agriculture, and fourteen other
officers and delegates of the Interna-
tional agricultural congress. in session
at the capital of Hungary. and at
tended by delegates from every country
in Europe and America. certainly is:
"Buda-PeSth, Sept. 20.-The following
cable message signed by the delegates
to the international agricultural con-
gress, called at Buda Pesth by the
Hungarian minister of agriculture, has
been sent to William Jennings Bryan,
headquarters of the Democratic party,
Chicago:
I'VE. the undersigned members of the
national agricultural congress. con-
vened at Buda-Pesth. wish you success
in your struggle against the domina-
ton of the creditor class, which dur
ing the last twenty three years. has
secured both i'll America and in Eu-
rope. monetary legislation destructive
of the prosperity of your farmers and
others. Should you be victorious in
November we pledge ourselves to spare
no effort to bring immediate pressure
upon our respective governments to
cooperate with the government of your
great nation in restoring silver to the
worlds currency. We believe that.
falling such restoration. gold will be at
a premium throughout all Asia and
South America, and will continue to
rob the farmer equally in America and
all Europe OF the rewards from his toll.
and that your election may avert from
the EurOpeap source the a grarian and