Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-08-07
Significant Talk in England.

u ii
washington Post, gold paper.)
We believe that the London Financial
News is regarded as an authority on both
sides of the Atlantic, and yet it is saying
strange things just now about the silver
movement in this country. It says:
"There is a plain moral in
the remark that if the United
States would venture to cut her
self adrift from Europe, and take
outright to silver, she would
have all America and Asia at
her back, and the command Of
the markets of both countries.
The barrier of gold would be
more fatal than any barrier of
the customhouse. The bond Of
silver would be stronger than
any bond of free trade. There
can be no doubt about it that il
the United States we're to adopt
a silver basis tomorrow, British
trade would be ruined beforethe
year was out. Every American
would be protected, not only at
home but in every other market.
OF tburse the United States
would suffer to a certain extent
through having to pay her OBJ
legations abroad in gold, but the
loss ofexchange under this head
would be a mere: drop III the
bucket as compared to the profit
to be reaped FROM the markets
of South America. and Asia, to
say nothing of Europe. The
marvel is that the United States
have not long ago seized the. op-
portunity. 1t has been piece
of luck that it has ne yer occurred
to the Americans to scoop us out
of the worlds markets by going
on a silver basis, and it might
serve us right if irritated by the
contenlptuous apathy of our gov
eminent toward the silver prob
lem, the America rs retaliated by
freezing out gold. It could be
easily DONE"
We have heard the prophecy before. 1t
has been made by more than one prominent
European writer on finance. Moreton
Frewen has insisted for long time
that the United States was blind to it's own
interests in hesitatlng to adopt free silver
coinage, and then enter into a commercial
union with Asia and South America. He
has always insisted that under such an az
the silver countries of the world,
while they might sell to England, would do
all their buying here. Professor Ahrent, the
great Germun authority, has also argued
that the United States, if followed by Ger
many, Belgium, and Italy-as he thinks it
would be, sooner or later-cOuld, through
the medium of free silver coinage, almost
destroy England's foreign trade. He has
been extensively quoted by the gold men,
but chiefly as to the difficulty, in his opin-
ion. of our acting alone. He has invaria-
bly, said that a concert of action among the
nations named above would give them con-
troll OF commerce in every qnarter of the
globe. And now comes the London Finan-
,ial News with the positive statement that
Tree silver coinage by the United States,
acting independently, will multiply its
,rade beyond conception, and isolate Great
Britain, SO far as concerns the silver using
countries.
1t is needless to say, of course, that the
Post does not intend to surrender its con-
victiOns at the instance of British news
paper. The Post, however, believes in a
sair and impartial discussion of public
questions, and we therefore reproduce this
.ather unexpected utterance as contribu
ion to the controversial contribution,
~ the way, from source hitherto regard
ed as of high authority.