Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-11-18
A SHOW FOR IT.
INTERNATIONAL BIMETALLlSM
NOT DEAD YET.
The Fact That England Declines to
Commit Herself Does Not End the
M~atter-Larger Use OF the white
Metal.

49, ~ 1NiA1tO NOlAoIL IL lis III
borers in behalf of international BIZ
raetallism. But ii cannot be said.
however, that the assumption of many
newspapers and writer's OF the coun-
try that their trip has proven unsuc-
cessful and ended the prospects of in
ternational b~!metallism. is well found
ed. Their mission abroad was to con-
suit with ether nations and learn
whether they would be willing to CO.
operate In steps looking to true bimet-
alllsm. The fact that England has
not seen mt &c pledge herself in adj
vance OF any such international con-
ference TO any given line of policy does
no prove at all ~discouraging to the
friends or International bimetallism,
nor does 1t convince them that the
British government intends to stand
aioof from, or frown upon the PROPOSE
ton for International action. On the
cntragy, IT is believed that Great Brit
aiu VIII willingly send delegates to the
proposed international conference and
De dsposec TO cooperate in favor OF
an increased use of silver by the on
certed action on the part of all nations.
The fact that she has not pledged her
self In ADVANCE to any given line Of
policy is rot at all surprising, nor does
II prove that she will decline cooper
alton with other nations when a full
conference with these nations can be
nae. as a last resort the free silver
men are making the assertion thar
Erglan6's recent action in regard to
her India miits precludes the idea of
any international action on silver and
that the only hope for the white metal
Is in the independent action of the
United States. But it is a generally
conceded 1act that the free silver idea
is on the ware.
II is not surprising, too, that the
free silver advocates find their forces
breaking away from them, and taking
grounds in favor of absolute fat
money Large numbers of men who
supported free silver last year are re-
! ported from all sections Of the country
as transferring their party adhesion
from the silver ranks to those of the
parties and organizations favoring an
enormous issue of paper money by the
govern ment. 1t is entirely logical that
the men who a year ago were willing
TO see the government issue dollars
which would be 60 per cent fat. are
by this time willing to go further. and
make the dollars all fat. Will Mr..
Bryan follow that wing OF the late sill
yer party which is now declaring in
favor OF the free and unlimited issue
OF paper, which costs nothing, instead
of silver, which costs forty cents on
the dollar? 1t would not be surprising
to see him do this. since his express
sions have all along shown him a fiat
list at heart.
considerable satisfactory comment is
occ2sioned by the appointment by The
President of Mr.. John A. Kasson as
reciprocity commissioner. The recip-
rocity features Of the Mckinley law
were carried out by the state depart
meDt, which occlsioned much delay.
owins to the slow and tedious routine
or that department. and the need is
now felt for a better and quicker
transaction of the work required under
these features of the Dingley law. AL
though an experiment under the Nc
Kinley law, reciprocity was proven a
mcst satisfactory undertaking, and one
OF the most serious plumbers of the
Democracy in 1894 was in the repeal
OF all reciprocity features of the tariff
the resembling of all special agree
ments entered into under the McKin-
ley law. The avowed policy OF the
Democratic administration was free
trade, and these agreements were look
ing to that very end with all nations
who desired to enter into them, so that
from even a Democratic standpoint
they should have been retained. 1t Is
understood that a number of foreign
countries are anxious to at once en-
ter into reciprocal agreements with
this country, and it is thought that
these features of the new law will be
among It's most popular provisions.
The general impression prevails that
our foreign trade will improve largely
under the arrangements to be made.
especially with the South Ameican
countries, with which we are especially
qualified to deal r~eciprocally. 1t Is
thought by men familiar with affairs
that reciprocity during the present ad-
mipistration will gain such a foothold
as IL. become a permanent institution,
regardless of changes of politics in adj
ministrations.
Considerable interest is ~reawakened
here in regard to the Cuban question.
The Spanish government has learn
ed very definitely and very distinctly
the views of President Mckinley on
the Cuban question, and finds that they
are sufficiently vigorous to warrant Il
in taking steps for a very early set
Element Of this question. People who
were six months ago clamoring for in
slant action by the President on Cuba,
now see that their demands were un-
reasonable. and that the delay on the
part Of the President is likely to not
only result advantageously to the Gu
bans. but in a way which will prevent
the serious complications and the
blood-shed which would have been