Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-06-17

of the RECOMMENDATION OF silver. I'M
commission is now in France where i
has been assured by the president o
the French republic that France would
be glad to assist in the enterprise. /
is not impossible that Germany, Aus
tro-Hungary, Russia and Italy may
| likewise look on the proposal witt
favor. The cooperation of England is
not anticipated at this time, though
there is large and influential party il
that country in sympathy with bimet'
allism.
If the Republican platform is an
honest one, then the party stands
squarely for international bimetalIism.
We are aware that some Republicans
view this plank as simply campaign
buncombe intended to hold silver Re
publican votes, but otherwise moaning
less. However, until the party again
goes on record, it can only justify
itself by using every effort to get Eu-
ropean nations to enter a bimetalic
agreement with us The difference be-
tween the parties on the silver ques-
ton is therefore this The Demo-
Populists favor independent bimetal-
lism, without waiting for the co-opera-
ton Of other governments while the
Republicans urge the maintenance Of
the present gold standard until such
time a. other nations are rcady to CO.
operate with rs. to induce which CO.
operation they pledge their hearty
endeavor. The nature Of this endeayor
is understood to be conciliatory, rather
than offensive We are to urge other
nations on the ground Of their self
interests. If we can demonstrate to
them the advantage it would be TO the
whole world TO have silver rchabilitated
and get them to agree with us on
basis of its relative value to gold the
object OF the Republican platform in
this respect will have been accom-
plished. 1t is yet too early to predict
the result OF this attempt. 1t may or
may not be successful. II successful
if the leading European nations are
willing to cooperate with us, there
can certainly be no loop-hole Of escape
for Republicans from reinstating silver
rs a money metal. If unsuccessful.
the party will have TO determine
whether it will longer continue TO
maintain the gold standard, and if 50
how much longer, or whether it will
Join its political adyersaries in pro-
noting independent bimetallism.
The Demo-Populists openly charge
that the existing gold standard is un-
Just; the Republican platform by in
ference admits it, for If the present
standard is perfect there is no need Of
urging Europe to improve it by the eN-
tended use of silver. II is apparent,
then. as Senator lIoar and other prom /
inent Republicans have stated, that
both parties are in favor of bimetal- !
lism. Both parties seem to favor the /
restoration of the status that existed I
prior to 1873, when gold and silver /
were alike coined free. But the Re
publican party wishes to restore as far
A. possible all the conditions that then
existed. The decentralization of silver
by this country was followed by SINH /
lar action in other countries, the result /
being that silver has fallen in value 80
per cent since 1873. The Republican
party does not believe that this coun-
ny alone can raise its value more than !
il then deprecated it. while if all or
nearly all of the governments that
nave since demonetized it, each sub
.racting something from its value,
would agree to remonetiZe it the pros
)ect would be favorable for a complete
of the former relative value
If silver and gold. What this country
done could only do in part, the united
lction of the commercial world could
accomplish. The restoration of this
-elative value is the sine qua non OF
as favored by the Republic
AN party.
The Democrats, on the other hand,
Irge immediate action, leaving them
'pen to the suspicion that instead of
they really favor silver
as that would certainly
De the result if this country undertook
rec coinage at Is to l alone. The
parity of the two metals could not be
and gold would rise above
,ar and 90 out of circulation, leaving I
Is on a cheap money basis. The DEM
,crats favor taking this risk to what
hey allege to be the evils of the pres
mt system. The Republicans, while
Wiling to remonetiZe silver. insist