The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-03
A GOOD MOVE.

A GOOD MOVE.
Everybo1y who participated in the
last campaign and hung with anxiety
upon it's result will be glad to see the
commercial bodies of the country NOV
ing toward practical action for the re-
form of our monetary system. No
man who is honest and patriotic will
rise in defense of that system as it
now stands. Whether he believes in
the gold standard or the silver, he is
disguised with the heterogeneous mix
ture Of different forms Of currency un-
like one another, and resting on no
sound principle whatever, which make
up the money in use by the people of
the United States. We have token
coins Of copper, nickel and silver. We
have full legal tender coins of gold and
of silver. minted at ratio that de-
f1es market valuation. We have paper
money that rests only on the promise
of the government to pay, paper issued
against gold, paper issued against sill
Yer dollars, paper issued against silver
bullion, and paper issued against gov
eminent bonds deposited in the treas
ury by the national banks There is
no unity and no sense in this tumble
of different additions of circulating
medium made at widely separated in
tervals, each on the demand Of the
hour, and without connection with or
Tpa1k ~
OF course no political body is fit to
deal with the situation. No thorough
going reform Of the currency will ever
be accomplished as a political meas
ure. Made a party issue, it tends to
one extreme or the other; and only
some broad question, like the conflict
Of the standards, can be decided by the
popular vote. The arrangement of de-
tail is a matter for men whose studies
or whose daily occupations make them
familiar with the practical aspects of
the currency question. 1t is very fit
| ting that the chambers Of commerce,
boards of trade and other commercial
organizations should take this matter
up at once, in the lull that follows a
national campaign, and thus at a time
when the people can reflect upon such
conclusions as may be reached without
party bias. In the end the question
will be decided best by reference to
body of experts and by following their
conclusions. The system of Great
Britain, which has stood the test of
eighty years of service, during the
time when business conditions have
changed again and again, and when
the trade of England has multiplied
enormously, follows the Bullion
Report. Such a commission as
framed that report and such a series
Of conclusions agreed upon by it would
be the greatest boon this country could
ask. To discover the issue from politics.
as far as that is possible, the assump-
ton of it by our commercial interests
will be the first step and long one
We do not hope that the national
convention of trade bodies that has
been called to meet next January will
accomplish permanent results. We do
hope that it will so interest business
men everywhere, so far lead them to-
ksward a community of view and so i'm
press them with sense of their duty
in the premises, that they will under
stand that currency reform is their
business. The politicians will never
accomplish it, The business men of
this country, to whom safe and sound
monetary system is vital, can accom-
plish what they please by first har-
monizing their views and uniting their
action, and then requiring their rep
resentatives in the several districts to
carry out the plans agreed upon. It
ought to be evident to every man that
this money question must be settled,
and that it ought to be a long way
toward settlement before two years
have elapsed, and thus before another
presidential election begins to be agf-
tated. Business men complain bitterly
that politicians disregard their inter-
ests They have an opportunity now
to show how far they are willing to
look out for themselves, and to perform
the duty to their country, as well as
to self-interest, that must rest first and
last upon them.