The San Francisco call., 1896-08-08
INTERNATIONAL BIMETALLIsM

In giving to the country pledge to pro-
mote an international agreement for the
free coinage of silver the Republican party
makes no vain promise to the people, nor
does 1t ask them to expect something
whose mplishment is either remote or
improbable. European sentiment in favor
of international bimetallism is rapidly in
creasing in strength. and if we do not act
foolishly it will be in the power of our
Government to materially advance the
cause for which ali bimetallists are work
ing.
1t will be remembered that when Har-
rison was President an international
monetary conference was called to meet
at Brussels, and strong and able bimetal-
lists were sent to represent us there.
Nothing was accomplished at that confer
ence beyond laying the foundations fol
future work and arranging as far as posi-
bic the preliminaries of future agree
ment. Had Harrison remained in office,
or had any Republican succeeded him, the
work begun at Brussels would have been
continued, and no one can question that
at the proper moment the whole power
and influence of our Government would
have been thrown on the side of bimetal.
lism, and by this time, if the free coinage
of silver had not been provided for, there
would have been, at any rate, much en-
larged use of it as money.
The success of the Democratic party In
1892 completely blocked the hopes CT BIZ
metallism. Cleveland took his stand solidly
for monometallism and sullenly refused
81 IS ;,ix 81.
For the purpose of compelling him to take
some action in the matter, resolution
was passed by both houses of Congress,
instructing the President to invite an in
ternational conference to resume the work
which had been begun at Brussels. These
instructions Cleveland utterly ignored.
He paid no attention to the resolution
whatever, and as Congress had no means
of compelling him to obey, the whole plan
of arranging for an international agree
ment on the subject was necessarily
dropped, fer of course Europe would not
act without the United States.
Since the adjournment of the Brussels
conference there are unmistakable evil
dences that Europe is more than willing
to meet America half way in restoring sill
yer to its place as a money metal. The
closing of the Indian minis to silver coin.
age and the repeal of the silver purch asing
act in this country were followed by fall
in the price of silver, which affected the
trade of European nations much more
powerfully than ours. AS consequence,
even in England itself strong bimetailic
party has grown up, and numbers among
its leaders some of the ablest members oi
the Salisbury Ministry. All of these men
would heartily cooperate with American
bimetallists in any wise and business-like
plan, but all advise against the folly OF
our attempting free coinage alone. The
election of Bryan would disturb trade,
drive gold from this country to Europe.
open market here for European silver
and ruin the hopes of international BIZ
metallism. The election of Mckinley, on
the other hand, would restore prosperity
in America, draw gold from Europe, force
the people to feel the need of silver money,
and thus lead to an agreement which
would remonetize silver and establish a
uniform bimetallism all round the world.