The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-19
Results of Mr.. Wharton Barker's
investigations.
MINIS MAY OPEN
BUT ENGLAND WILL NEVER
OPEN HER OWN.
Mr.. Barker's Interview With the
President of the British Bimetallic
League-England Will Do Moth
ing Further Than Reopen the In
dian Mints-Attitude of France.

+, New York Post: Among the passen-
gers on the American liner st. Louis,
which arrived in New York Friday
night. was Mr.. Wharton Barker. the
well known editor of the American of
Philadelphia, whose pronounced bimet-
aliist leanings induced him to support
the Democratic-Populist nominee for
| the presidency in the late campaign.
| Mr.. Barker returned from a confer
! ence with the bimetallists of Great
Britain and France, which was the
prime object of his trip abroad He
talked freely with a reporter for the
Evening Post about the position OF his
colaborers in the cause of bimetallism
here and abroad. In response TO an
inquiry whether he was returning from
4 holiday or a political mission, he
said:
4 left Philadelphia the 1st of JUNG,
and arrived in London a week later,
my purpose being to discuss with prom
inent British bimetalliSts the situation
as seen by them. and to let them know
what American bimetallists thought OF
the policy of the Republican party, and
what they themselves were likely to
do in a political way. l hoped also to
have some conference with Messrs.
Wolcott. Stevenson and Payne. mem
bers of Mr.. McKinley's bimetallic COM
mission, but. unfortunately. | was I'M
able to meet any of them"
Whom did you meet in London?"
The day after my arrival. my con-
ference with the British bimetallists
began. 1 met Lord Alderman. the
president of the British Bimetallic
league; Sir William Houldsworth.
member of the house of commons, and
chairman Of the executive committee
Of the British Bimetallic league; the
Right Hon. A. ]. Balfour, the Right
Hon. Henry Chaplin, Mr. J. J. Fara-
day. editor of the Manchester Guar
dian; Mr.. Moreton Frewen, Mr.. W. H.
Grenfell, Mr.. Make, editor of the Ma
tional Review. a Conservative political
monthly OF great influence; also Mr.. ].
Barr Robson. and many others. Lord
Alderman said in the most emphatic
manner, in his directors room at the
Bank of England, that Great Britain
would, he thought, without doubt, open
the Indian minis to the free coinage of
silver, on the old terms, the moment
the United States opened the American
minis, and France the French minis.
and that no further contribution to BIZ
metallism would be made by Great
Britain.
Sir William HOuldsworth confirmed
the statement made by Lord Alderman,
and said that. in his judgment, there
were no doubt votes enough in parlia-
ment to force the government to open
the Indian minis, even if some men,
bers of the government might be OPP
posed to such course.
Mr.. Balfour and Mr.. Chaplin were of
the same Opinion with regard to the
opening of the Indian minis and said
that in no event would the British gov
eminent, at this time, either open or
consider a proposition TO open, the
British minis on Tower hill
''Messrs. Frewen and Grenfell go
further than some of their British as
sociates in believing that the United
States can re-establish the parity with
out any assistance from Europe. and,
as they believe that Mr.. Mckinley is
under the influence of the gold stand
ard people in New York and will not
accept the opening of the Indian minis
as a sufficient contribution by Great
Britain, that the settlement of the
whole question must be left until after
the elections of 1898 and 1900 in the
United States. These gentlemen con-
cur in the other opinions expressed by
the British bimetallists and members
of the government as TO the prospects
in the situation there.
'AH of these gentlemen are opposed
to a conference simply for talk. and are
willing 10 have a conference only TO
settle the details of a plan of inter
upon before the conference takes place.
Mr.. Make agreed as to the British
contribution TO bimetallism. and said
that the British bemetallists supposed
President Mckinley knew the extent of
the possible action of Great Britain,
and chat in sending the WOlcott COM
mission to Europe seeking a conference,
he had done SO with an implied sug-
gestion that the United States, as re-
nv rod nv rafx-
would be satisfied with the British con-
tribution of opening the Indian minis.
''All of these men said that the Brit
ish government, through Sir Michael
Hicks Beach, the chancellor of the eX-
chequer, had some months since, in the
house of commons, said that Great
Britain was ready to open the Indian
minis if France and the United States
opened theirs; and that this is as far as
the government can offer or undertake
to go, because, as at present situated,
no government could stand for forty
eight hours against the pressure which
would be brought from the city against
the opening of the London minis TO the
coinage of silver, if such were made
condition by the United States or
France
What was the result of your visit
to the French bimetallists?
In France I communicated with NJ.
Meline, the prime minister of France,
at considera Die length, and also with
NJ. Edmund Thery, editor of the Econ
omiste Europeen, the leading financial
journal of Europe.
These two gentlemen are undOubt
ediy the most distinguished bimetallists
in France and the controlling spirits at
this time. AS both these gentlemen
had already conferred with the Wolcott
commission, l VIII leave an expression
of their views to be gathered from the
commission report.
1T is noG unfair TO say. however. that
France considers the opening of the
Indian minis as a sufficient contribu
ton on the part of Great Britain co the
the cooperation of thar country can be
obtained on that basis.
The president OF the United States
can learn Immediately, if he wishes 10,
the correctness of this statement. by
having the American ambassador in
London ask the foreign office in
Downing street. and It would seem to
me that it IS due TO his own party.
and TO his own country, to make this
inquiry at once. and also make known
to the British government and the
French government whether or not the
Republican party would consider the
opening of the Indian minis a sufficient
contribution"
DO you consider it likely that, either
before or after the report of the VOL
colt commission, if you have correctly
foreshadowed its substance, the pres
ident and Mr.. Gage viii take any action
other than to submit the report to con-
sress in due time; and what do you
think will likely be the action of con-
gress in December next? ?"
I'VE can only judge the future by the