Evening star., 1897-03-08
MONETARY CONFERENCE
The Topic Much Discussed in Political Cir
cles Just Now.
One Republican Bimeta1list Gives His
Views as to the Character OF
Delegates.

The Presidents reference to the subject
in his inaugural address, and the return of
Senator Wolcott from Europe with infor-
nation which gives him comfort as a
friend of silver, combine to make the topic
of an international monetary conference
very interesting in political circles. There
is much discussion of it, and confident ex-
pectation in some quarters that confer
ence will take place.
A republican leader who believes in BIZ
metallism, and hopes to see that policy
adopted by international arrangement. said
to a representative of The Star today:
Character of the Delegates.
IF conference is called the American
delegates to il should all be advocates of
interna tionai bimetallism. There should be
neither single gold standard man nor
an unconditional IL to silver man among
the number. The delegates should all be
united and stand clearly for the same
thing. That would give the country the
proper representation in the body and fully
develop the question from the administra-
tion's standpoint In no other way would
/. be possible to impress the delegates
from other countries with the sincerity of
our desires.
The Brussels Conference.
"At the Brussels conference the Amer
can case though not by design. lacked
conference. There was, in fact, no case
presented. The American delegates were
men of ability and high character, but
they were not in agreement about the busi-
ness they were considering. Mr.. Jones of
Nevada was then, as he is now, an I'M
conditional free coinage man, and the con-
ference knew it, Mr.. Allison was bimet-
allist with gold leanings. Mr.. McCreary
was bimetallist with silver leanings.
And so on The discussion brought out all
of this. and failure was inevita BILE. This
time definite case exists and should be
presented. The party in power is pledged
to promote international bimetallsm and
consequently any delegates sent abroad to
labor to that end should be in accord with
that policy.
Difficulty With Single Standard aIen
Besides. it would not be fair to ask men
OF another view to serve in such capacity.
1t is not that the gold standard men and
the unconditional 16 to l men alike do not
believe in international bimetallism, but
they do not desire it. The gold man does
not want that standard disturbed by any
arrangement, International or otherwise.
He considers that only disastrous results
would flow from such an achievement.
The unconditional free silver man wants
no assistance in reopening the mnts to
silver, for the reason, as he holds, that If
| assistance is conceded to be necessary to
| reopen them, assistance may be found nee
| csSary to keep them open. He wants his
! country to pioLeer the proceeding and not
/ only assert but maintain it's independence
Of all other countries in restoring silver to
| full power as money of redemption. So.
you see. no man holding to either one or
| the other Of those views could be expected
| to go to conference and work for that
| which bis judgment disapproves."
If No Action Results.
Suppose the conference should resul
| in no action. Would not the extreme slve
| men. IL unrepresented charge that silver
| interests had not been properly cared for?'
Il think not. If they We're to it wouli
| make no impression. The question is pret
| ty well understood now. Bimetallism, a
| distinguished from gold monometallism o
| silver monometallism, is what the republi
| can party is pledged to. If that can b
| brought about by an International arrange
| ment. that is as far as the party need g
| or will go. If that cannot be brought abou
| except as an Independent act by this coun
| try at a ratio of IL to l, the delegates vii
| have only to report the facts to Congress
| and to the country. 1t will not be dfticul
| for the Pl esident to secure men for tn
| mission on whose integrity and ability III
| country will fully rely