The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-25
A SOUND MONEY" ADMINISTRA-
TION.

The published text of the official ac-
count of negotiations between the VOL
colt commissioners and the British for
eign Office is most amazing display Of
perfidy. If any one thought that the
GIob was too severe when it char
acterized Mr.. McKinley's appointments
on this commission as a betrayal Of
the trust reposed in him by the peO-
pie, what must he think Of the respon-
sibiIity and authority assumed by
those commissioners in dealing with
the British government? We said that
If Mr.. Bryan had been elected instead
Of Mr.. Mckinley, he could not have
constituted q commission more often
give in its makeup to the sound money
sentiment of the country. We say
now that, if Mr.. Bryan instead Of Mr.
Mckinley had appointed a commission,
1t could not have gone further or done
worse than Mr.. Wolcott and his asso-
ciates
We have already shown that these
gentlemen went out of their way to
assume powers not delegated to them
by the law We find now that they
have done so much worse than that
that they have put the United States
in a position before the rest of Europe
fully as unjust, improper and injurious
as the emissaries that Mr.. Bryan would
have sent abroad. Call to mind, if you
can, the heat and violence of the cam
paign last year, the predominance of
the financial issue, the solemnity Of the
pledges made by Mr.. Mckinley and
his supporters, the adherence express
ed for the free coinage theory and the
frantic appeals made to sound money
men of all parties to stand together for
Republican success, and then read this
extract from the report:
The Marquis of Salisbury asked if France
was ready to open her mints to free coinage
and Senator Wolcott replied, yes"
The premier thereupon inquired at what
ratio France would open her mints. Senator
Wolcott said at 1872, adding that the Amer
lean ENJOYS had accepted this ratio.
'The American ENJOYS had accepted
this ratiow That is the representation
which the exponents of a professedly
Sound money administration dared
to make in the name of the American
people to the British minister in a mat
ter of the most solemn and momentous
import. The chairman of this commits
sion, carrying with him ostensibly the
credentials of the government of the
United States, and certainly not acting
without consultation before his depart
ure with his official chief, or without
instructions from the white house, said
openly that the American ENJOYS 'ac-
cepted the ratio of 151a to l."
Has there ever been in all the an
nails of American politics bolder, more
defiant, more outrageous violation of
trust than this? The whole nation was
convulsed year ago by the PROPOSE
ton that the mints of the United States
should be opened to the free coinage
of silver at 16 to 1. That proposal was
negatived by large majority of the
voters. The men who were elected
standard as against 16 to 1 free coin
age. They were also pledged to sound
the other governments of the world
with a view to the meeting of an in
ternational conference, and nothing
more. They go abroad and deliberate
Iy state to the premier of England that
they acting under the name Of the
American people and on their behalf.
agree not only to the opening of our
nlfnts to free coinage, but to a ratio
still further divergent from the COM
merciaI ratio than that demanded by
the followers of Mr.. Bryan. The fact
that they had no authority to pledge
or promise any action whatever on the
part Of the American people does not
disclose their worst offense. They not
merely exceeded their rights and pow
ers, but they went beyond them in or
der to express their contempt for the
decision of the American people and to
place this administration on the plat
form of favoring the opening of the