St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-20
SEEING THE CONNECTION.

Some little time ago we noted the
pronunciamento issued by Wharton
Barker, the Philadelphia fiatist, in
which he embodied declaration signed
by sixteen silver senators that free
coinage was absolutely necessary to
the industrial salvation of the country
This was made the basis of an appeal
by Wharton to the manufacturers Of
the country to aid in the rehabilita-
ton of silver, backed by the statement
that these senators were determined,
if silver could not share with other
products in protection, then none
should have any. The movement
seems to be bearing fruit quickly, for
the Washington Star says that dele
cation of Philadelphia manufacturers,
some sixty in all, with James Dobson,
ex-president of the National Manufact-
urers' association. and maker of pushes
and carpets, are soon to visit Wash
ington and notify leading Republicans
that, if silver gets no substantial recog-
milton at st. Louis, they will not only
not vote the Republican ticket, but
more serious, will not contribute a cent
to the campaign fund.
This, if true, only indicates that these
manufacturers are beginning 20 see the
true relations of free coinage at six
teen to one to protection. 1t is not to
the credit Of their acuteness that they
have not seen it before. When West
ern Republicans insisted that protec-
ton by tariff and protection by free
coinage were identical. it probably
struck them as mere abstraction.
Secretary Carlisle's proposition that no
gold circulates as currency in silver
countries made the same impression.
But when Minister Romero took pains.
in his magazine article on free coinage
and silver basis in Mexico, to say
that it operated as protection against
imports to the extent of the difference
they began to "see the cat" When
William Elroy Curtis wrote back from
Japan that 'the man who goes to Japan
with United States or European money
that is at par with gold finds his funds
doubled Immediately" they saw the
cat still more clearly If a foreign gold
dollar doubles it's value in a silver
standard country, then it inevitably
follows that foreign manufactures.
with gold valuation, would have their
value doubled when expressed in the
terms of the currency of the
country using silver as its sole
metallic money. The effect would
be precisely equivalent to a protective
tariff of 100 per cent Then if, in addi-
ton, the people can be induced to re-
store McKinleyism, with its additional
81 to 100 per cent, would not the manu-
facturers be in protection clover?
So, although the conservative Ledger.
of Philadelphia, is unable to get con-
f1rmation among local Republican poll
ticians of this alarming situation" it
has the support of the presumption that
these men at least see on which side
their selfish interests lie. and purpose
serving them regardless of the effects
on the public or the party. But their
concern for the public has always been
of the Vanderbiltian kind. 1t cannot be
denied, though, that their position is
logical and harmonizes action with.
fundamental principles. Free coinage
rests on the proposition that it is the
duty of governments to make produc-
ton profitable, and the means used is
immaterial, whether it be doubling
prices by taxation or by fiat. Mr.. Dob
rying their party policy to it's legiti-
mate end.