The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-01-28
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"Hy far the most important utter.
apee made In any part OF the world
during the last month";" Is the Nation
al Reviews estimate Of NJ. Meline's
declaration in favor OF blmetallism.
NJ Meline Is the French premier, and
in the chamber Of deputies, December
9, he pointed out that the depression
in agricultural industry was que to a
"cause which can be expressed in
word"
There has bs en- a progressive fall in
the price Of agricultural products
during the past ten or htteon years.
II has not been confined to one particu.
lar country, although sILvEB STANDARD
countries have not felt It. In them
values have remained stable This
proves to the premier, he declares, that
silver has not fallen, but gold has
risen, and that gold prices haze fallen
for the very simple reason that in gold
standard countries Hthe enormous
privilege OF free coinage IS now con.
fined to gold alone"
Upon a member exelaimiDg, That is
a chinera," H. Mtline rctorted "No,
that is no chimera; IL is the law which
up to 1878, governed the world.
NJ Meline Ia not In favor OF the free
coinage OF silver by the rcpublie of
France, independent Of other nations.
Aud he is right. Geographical eitua-
tion and other conditions forbid, but
it 10 easy TO see where he would stand
II an American, or how he would act
II France was a considerable exporter
Of food stuffs and producer Of silver.
As II is. be favors international
agreement to bimetslli,m, and prom
ises to use his influence to that end.
Here is \ chance for Major Mckinley
and his party, II the declaration at ST
Louis was made in sincerity. France
is one OF the great powers, and the
prime minister Of France Ia an earnest
slpporter OF what Major Mckinley af.
feets to advocate.
We have very little faith in the Re
publican pArty's pretense In favor OF
any sort Of bimetallism, but we recog
nize the fact that II sincere the leaders
OF that organization will find the time
ripe for action in Europe.
Turning from France 70 England we
hnd but one avowed monometsllist in
the tory cabinet today, according to
the National Review, very high au-
thority.
The convinced bimetalists are Mr..
Baliour, Mr.. Chaplin, Sir M. White
Ridley. Lord James Hereford, Lord
Lansdowne, Lord George Hamilton,
Mr.. Goschen, Lord Cross End Mr..
Douglass.
Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Long and
Lord BAlfour Of Burleigh are classified
as open-minded." Five members are
unclassiAed, and Lord Salisbury him
self is set down as benevolent toward
bimetallism.
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach alone Is
hostile.
Tho Review predicts that the cabi.
net viii take the initiative and place
Great Britain at the head of "this
great international movement" We
do not think SO II seems TO us that
as creditor nation the mother couu.
try has nothing to gain by the exalta
lion or restoration Of the white metal.
But this opens up another argument
and one apart from the object OF this
article. The fact should be impressed
upon the incoming administration that
u II is not hypocritical II will be met
even more than half way by France
aud receive a not unfriendly hearing
" England in auy effort looking TO a
rcon ;iliAtion between the estranged
nut regal pair--the royal gold anC
the queenlY silver" act.