The Springfield herald., 1897-12-24
WOLCOTT EXPLAINS.
SAYS HE is STILL HOPEFUL.
He VIII Explain Further After Christmsi
The Commission Has Not Reported

Yet.
Washington, Dec. 1T.-Mr. Wolcotf
of Colorado. chairman of the COM
mission appointed by President Nc.
Kinley to secure, il possible, the CO.
operation of foreign countries In an
international conference upon the sill
yer question, made n brief statement
in the Senate. 1t was made in con-
nection with the scussion of Mr..
Aliens resolution calling upon the
President for information about the
instructions given to the International
Monetary Commission and the report
made to him by the commission.
Mr.. Wolcott said that the commits
sion had not made a report to the Pres
ident. The English government, he
added, has published resume Of the
proceedings of the commission In
Great Britain. That document will
soon be here, and, as it covers the sub
.ject fully, it will be valuable to sena-
tors and others.
IT hope soon," said Mr.. WOlcott, ito
make statement concerning the work
of the monetary commission. Quite
naturally, the statement l shall make
will be unofficial, but 1t will contain
some information that may be OF In
tereSt and value to the Senate.
LAS 1 have been absent from the
country about nine months, have not
since my return. on account of an ac-
cumulation of business, been able to
prepare such a statement as l should
like to make to the Senate. If the
senator from Nebraska (Allen) will
permit, the question might so over un-
til after the recess, when. about the
middle of next month. shall be able
to discuss the subject"
Mr.. Wolcott asked, and the Senate
ordered printed, a speech delivered
by NJ. Meline in the French Chamber
of Deputies on the Goth of November
last, in which he dealt at considerable
length with all subjects bearing upon
bimetallism. IN. Meline shows" said
Mr.. Wolcott. that the steady depre-
citation of prices of agricultural prod
uctS is due solely to competition be-
tween gold and silver countries"
Mr.. Stewart of Nevada said he had
been satisfied from the first that the
efforts of the commission would fail.
He had always advocated Independent
action by the United States to secure
bimetallism and he thought that the
effort to secure the cooperation of
foreign nations would not only be un-
necessary, but dangerous. he said
that the cooperation of France with
our commissioners was more than he
had had reason to hope for, but he
was perfectly satisfied that England
could not be brought to agree to the
free coinage of silver. In the course
of his remarks, Mr.. Stewart said that
the utterances of the President and
the secretary of the treasury proved
that this was gold standard admins
tration.
This statement brought Mr.. Chandler
of New Hampshire to his feet. He
said that Secretary Gage had never
announced that the present admins
tration was in favor of a gold stan
dard, and he did not believe that the
senator from Nevada desired to mis-
represent the administration.
Mr. Stewart disclaimed any inten-
tion to misrepresent President Mckin-
ley or Secretary Gage. but he insisted
that the words and actions of the sec
retary established the truthfulness of
his statement.
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska, the author
of the resolution. said he was not dis
posed to press it at this time If the
senator from Colorado NIr. WolcotD
desired to speak upon it at later
date. but he thought that the matter
ought to be cleared away.
In response to an inquiry Mr.. VOL
colt said he did not think the commits
sion had any intention of making
report at this time, and rs n matter OF
fact he did not know when the yeport
would be made.
There is no desire upon the part of
anybody" said Mr.. Wolcott. ito pro-
long negotiations after all hope of sue
cess has disappeared. No member of
the commission would delay for an
hour the announcement of its decis-
ion after decision one way or the
other shall have been reached
Mr.. Allen said he had always been
satisfied that international bimetallism
was n dream-an ideality that would
never be attained. but he was willing
to afford the commission all reasona-
BILE latitude. He asked that the reso-
luton 60 over until the 18th of next
month, and it was SO agreed to.
A resolution directing the secretary
of war to send supplies to Americans
and other sufferers in the Klondike re-
gion was passed.
The House yesterday passed Il bill
appropriating $4,000 for the relief of
the people who are in the Yukon river
country. and also the bill passed by
The Senate yesterday to prohibit pc
lagic sealing by American citizens.
The former bill encountered practical
ly no opposition. As passed the sum
carried by it is to be expended under
the direction of the secretary of war
fer the purchase. transportation and
distribution of subsistence stores 1t
provides that these subsistence stores
may be sold at prices fixed by the
secretary of war or donated where the
people are unable to pay for them.
1t empowers him TO purchase reindeers
and employ drivers not citizens of the
United States. and afterwards to dis
pose of the reindeer.