The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-03
POSITION OF ENGLAND.
Interview With Senator HOar on
Bimetallism.
BELIEVES BRITISH GOVERNMENT
FAVORABLE TO THE PLAN.

Tinaidity of Public Men in Espousing the
France Would Both Agree to the Coin
age of Metal.
Worcester, Mass, October 2.-Senator
George f. Hoar arrived last evening. In
terviewed by a reporter. he said:
II have had an opportunity of seeing a
good many prominent English BIZ
metallists, and of conversing with a CON-
siderable number of persons who are very
important and Influential leaders in the
party now in power in England. There
is undoubtedly very strong opinion in
England. eager for the restoration OF
silver to it's place by the side of gold as
a standard of value, legal tender, and
the servant Of national and international
trade and commerce as currency.
81 suppose, indeed think I know, that
this Ia the opinion Of a majority of the
present cabinet. Perhaps they would not
think 1t wise that England should open
her own mints to free coinage of silver,
even II there were an agreement Of all
other commercial nations. to do the same.
They think that might result in a drain
age Of their gold to the East. But they
would at least favor re.opening Of the
Indian mints, requiring the Bank OF
England to keep large portion OF Its re-
serve in silver and perhaps the discon-
tinuance of the use OF notes under the
denomination OF ten pounds, with the re-.
suit that their place in circulation would
be very considerably supplied by silver.
''It is well known that large majority
| of the French assembly passed resolu-
| tions within few months expressing a
desire of Erance to cooperate in such q
step, and there is large party in Ger
many of the same way of thinking.
Monsieur Meline, the present premier
minister declared in his speech that
whenever the other nations were willing
to take that step they would not have to
walt for France.
but there is in England considerable
difficulty in she matter. The leaders of
the opposition, Sir William Vernon
Harcourt, especially, and Mr.. Gladstone,
who. although out of office, Is still a
great political force, take the brutal view
| that so long as other countries owe Eng
land an indebtedness estimated by some
persons as high as ten thousand million
dollars, that everything that increases
| the value OF coin In which the debt Is
| 10 u6 pal0 l6 OlohE gain W ueF.
"The administration is timid, and al
though majority Of the administration
are bi-metallists, they would encounter
GONE opposition among themselves, and
they do not like to encounter ban king
and investing GLASSES in London. SO it
does not seem to me that the English BIZ
metallists mean business.
"They seem to he rather willing that
the United States should take the risk
Of pulling this chestnut out of the IRE,
rather than have England do 1t herself.
They are not ready to say to the admin
istration: If you do not do what we
| want in this matter we will not support
your administration. At the same time,
in spite of this obstacle, believe Mr..
Mckinley can, II his administration be
wise, sffect an International agreement
which wNl remove this vexatious
question from our politios.
81 do not think any large number Of
country or England tolerate for q
moment the plan of having the United
States esta blish the free coinage of silver
at the ratio of to /, or any other ratio
without the cooperation of other
pat1ons.'