The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-24
A DOUBLE STANDARD
COUNTRIES WHERE BOTH GOLD
AND SILVER ARE USED.
A Comparative Statement Prepared ~
the Buresu az Statistics ~ ths state
Departmsnt. which Has Special
Bearing ON the Pressnt Monetary
Controversy.

Washington City. Oct. 9.-Ths bureau
OF statistics of tho state department has
just published . volume OF interest. en-
titled Money and Prices In Foreign Coun-
sries--BeinS a series OF reports upon the
currency systems OF various nations in
their relation to prices az commodities and
wages OF iabor."
This work has been In preparation for
months past. On July Is last. Secretary
OIney sent a letter OF instructions TO all
United States diplomatic and consular Of
ncers. calling for explicit Attenuation on
the subjects embodied under the above
head. They were Instructed to tell OF the
standard OF value In their respective coun-
tries. the amour; of money In circulation
per capita. the proportion OF gold. silver
and paper and the amount OF reserves. the
effect N the existing system on manu-
featuring industries and rates OF labor.
the value of agricultural exports and the
mining practices. The reviews were TO
cover the ten-year period between 1855 and
1855, and the figures were to Be ofhcial
wherever possible. The result OF this IL
q volume of "a pages.
Annexed IL summary Of the findings
prepared by Frederick Emery. chief Of tha
bureau OF statistics OF the state depart
mens. In which ne says:
Two important facts seem to be estab-
Ushed:
Fsrst--That there has been . general
decline I'm the prices OF commodities, es-
pcclaiiy In certain raw products through
out the world. II Ii claimed on one hand
that tsis decline OF prices Is due to
scarcity OF money, ard on the other hand
u IL to be attributed 20 progress IN inven-
ZION and increased production. both OF raw
materials and manufactures, causing
keener competition. with the inevitable
accompaniment OF lower prices. II will be
noted that In Mexico prices have been
steadier for articles which could be most
probably exported for gold and that
sharp fluctuations, due to local scarcity OF
product. have occurred In such articles a.
wheat and corn. in which tho prices have
been generally downward in the markets
of the world.
Seeond-ThAt there has been . general
advance In wages. especially marked In
the leading Industrial countries. all Of
which have either . single gold or q
double standard with q gold reserve.
These state ments are supported by . Ia
bic which Is annexed. showing the follow
Ing facts:
Great Britain. single gold. shows . gen.
e-al decline in prices Of per cent and
advance IN wsssa except farm wages,
which are lower.
Belgium. double standard. decline tn
pr.ces. except beef sugar. slow but r~su-
lar advance In wages.
France. double standard. decline IN
ss-.ses except beet sugar. slow hut regular
advance In wsges
Germany. single gold standard. decline
In cereals. pork and certain raw products:
inreease In beef and many lines OF manu-
featured goods. general advance In
wages.
Austria. gold standard. limited silver.
general decline in prices. advance In
wsGeA
Italy. double standard. general decline
Ia prices. especially farm labor.
Mexico. nouiinslly double, actually ell
Yer. no change as 10 food products. no,
exported: advance IN price Of imported ar
sic@es and coffee. meat. sugar. unskiIled
labor unchanged. advance ia skilled labor
Costa Kics AMI Columbia. silver. fncrease
IN prices. increase In wages, as measured
In silver ard paper
The tAstea States. double standard. gem
erai decline IN prsceS general advance IN
wages up 10 iss2 The latter statement 10
ess~si upon abe senate finance committee
reports OF The Fifty-second congress-
Fer comparative purposes. tables are
supplied saowias in deal prices ard
wss~< n the United States. msssa Of shs
Information being obtained from tha 3D.
sssa cf statistics az the treasury. senate
c<srnnisiEes reports aud cher cfYicsa,
xossFxes