Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-11-19

easily the frst Of Americas bimetall-
lets, and takes rank second to none
abroad Ia this particular field OF propa.
His position in relation to the
demand for independent free coinage
by the United States, which has been
lately SO signally rebuked by the peo-
pie, 10 we'll known, but Z restatement
Of II may not be without interest in
view Of the fact that 10 some quarters
there is manifested q disposition to en-.
deavor to galvanize the silver Issue into
q new life. A statement Of his views
was made by him an Saturday last in
an address delivered before the Massa-
chusetts Schoolmasters' Association.
General Walker said that the ques.
ton was often asked why, II France
could do 30 much BY herself alone in
maintaining the parity Of the two met
ais, could not the United states look to
produce a similar effect? To this he
answered, in the first place, that the
time had passed when even France her.
self could maintain the function she
performed from 1909 TO 1879, SO greatly
have the stocks Of the precious metals
been increased, 90 vast is now the mass
Of securities Immediately marketable,
80 much more rapid IL the communion
ton OF news and the transportation Of
specie, so potent has been the influence
Of Germany through its pa1kage from
the silver to the gold states, 90 much
have trade and production developed
with the Improvement Of arts and the
increase of population. II the next
place, he said, the people Of the United
States normally use vastly lets metal
money than the French now do, or than
the French did in the early time, and
by consequence this couutry is not and
has never been in a position to exert
an equal effect on the market for the
money metals.
Finally, he said, If bimettallism is in
deed to be re-established for the great
objects which have been pointed out, 1t
must be sought through international
agreement. No single state is power
ful enough to do this work alone. and
every state owes 1t to it's own citizens
not to venture upon rash experiment.
the failure of which might wreck its
credit and destroy it's commerce aud in.
dustry. Nothing Is to be gained by q
venture which could only result in
throwing an additional onus and odium
uponthis subject. During the past
summer . few ardent European bimet-
talists, under the excitement of seeing
the United States apparently about to
undertake the free coinage OF silver
alone, have been led away into giving
some doubtful encouragement to the
proposal. But the general sense of the
bimetallists Of Europe is distinctly op-
posed to any such measur on our part.
IT." he continued, sthe advantages OF
blmettalism shall not prove s~uflcient
to overcome the jealousies and animosi-
ties OF European nations, we can at least
say that the people of the United States
by reason Of their high standard of
WAGES, their large accommodations OF
wealth and their vast undeyeloped re-
sources, q endure the eyils Of gold
monometallism as long as the rest Of
them"
1t can scarcely be said that the view
here taken as to the outlook for in.
ternational bimetalism by one Of tie
main promoters is any too sanguine.
On the other hand, the chosen leader
OF the silver forces in the late cam
paign speaks, in an address issued BY
him, Of the ''delusive hope Of inter-
national b~imetalism. /" and declares that
before the year 1900 international BIZ
metalism will cease to deceive" The
advocates Of the single gold stand
ard 9 look upon the situation With
c~omplacency, but they should relax
none Of the strenuousness which won
the recent victory at the polls, and
which may conceivably be needed to
give the free coinage movement q Anal
quietus In the future.