Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-08-28

HOW AMERICA MAY RULE.

n-the-manger silver policy. Gold mono
metallsn is convulsing two continents and
gravely compromising the future of the poorer
states in Europe. The feeling has been voiced
in America by Senator Lodge, whose proposal
virtually is to shut out British goods from the
United States until we assent to bi-rnetallic
convention, though extreme and absurd, ndi-
Gates the trend of sentiment on the other side
of the Atlantic.
Senator Lodge is not silver man in the us
ual sense, being opposed, out and out, to free
coinage in the United States under existing
conditions, and therefore his views, though
tinged with strong feeling may attract more
attention here than those of the pronounced
silverites. Mr.. Lodge is bitter about the fail
ure of the Brussels conference of last year,
where the attitude of the British official dele
gates was "scarcely less than discourteous" to
the United States, and he believes that nine
tenths of the American people regard it in that
light.
A feeling of this kind is not to be lightly g
nored. We have frequent diplomatic diferen-
ces with the United States, but as a rule there
is seldom associated with these any sense of
aninus between the people of the two countries.
But now we are encouraging the growth Of
feeling that is que stion which affects the
prosperity of millions of individual Americans.
England is inclined to entertain views unfriend-
ly to the United States. We know, of course,
that the unfriendliness is accidental, and that
our monetary standard is controlled by purely
selfish considerations-so purely selfish that
we do not mind seeing India suffering from our
action much more than America does. The
Americans are sufficiently old-fashioned enough
to believe that it is part of friend to show
himself friendly, and when this country turns
deaf ear to the plant of half the world, they
naturally take it unkindly.
1t is not for us to say whether the feeling is
wholly justified or not; it exists, and that is
the main point. Moreover, it is taking a
shape that may entail very awkward conse
quences on us. The recent proposal to coin
Mexican dollars in San Francisco was bid to-
ward giving us an object lesson by ousting us
from our commanding position in eastern
trade.
There is plain moral in the remark that if
the United States would venture to cut herself
adrift from Europe and take outright to silver,
she would have all America and Asia at her
back, and would command the markets of both
continents. "The barrier of gold would be
more fatal than any barrier of a custom house.
The bond of silver would be stronger than any
bond of free trade
he ohO,,+ hat In,
tied States would adopt silver basis tomorrow
British trade would be ruined before the year
was out. Every American industry would be
protected, not only at home, but in every other
market. Of course the states would suffer to
certain extent, through having to pay her obi
cations abroad in gold, but the loss on eX-
change under this head would be mere drop
in the bucket compared with the profits to be
reaped from the markets of South America and
Asia, to say nothing of Europe.
The marvel is that the United States has not
long ago seized the opportunity, and, but for the
belief that the way of England is necessarily
the way to commercial success and prosperity,
undoubtedly it would have done so long ago.
Now Americans are awakening to the fact that
$50 long as they narrow their ambition to be-
coming larger England" they cannot beat
us. 1t has been piece of luck for us that it
has never before occurred to the Americans TO
scoop us out of the worlds market by going on
a silver basis, aud it might serve us right, if,
irritated by the contemptous apathy of our gov
to the gravity of the silver problem,
the Americans retalliate by freezing out gold.
1t could easily be done.-Financial News, Lon