New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-03
THE NEWS OF EUROPE.
RETURN OF THE AMERICAN BIMErAh-
LIST COMMISSIONERS TO LONDON.
SENATOR woIcoTr CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS
THE SALISBURY GOVERNMENT AND Thh
ACTION OF PARLIAMENT-PRoGREss OF
THE BEHRING SEA CONTROVERSY


ACTION OF PARLLAMENr-PRodREsso OF
THE BEHRING SEA CONTROVERSY
icy CABLE THE rRIBUNEl
London. Oct 2-Senator Wolcott has returneo
to London. and. with Mr. Stevenson, Is awatins
the arrival Of General Paine from America. ne
is at cheerful and as reticent as ever H's
faith In the ultimate success OF the movement
for international bimetallism is unclouded WIN
doubt or suspicion The reasons for that fath
he Is too wary to disclose. and he Is WISE H's
success in dealing with the French Government
and the British Ministry has been due In large
measure TO his talent for silence. He corners
confdeItially with fnanciers and Ministers. ana
has the good sense to keep his work out or the
newspapers He cannot be drawn into an inter-
view or premature statement of his purposes.
which would only serve to excite contr oversy
and expose him to attack.
His work escaped observation In London until
the letter of the Governor OF the Bank Of Eng.
land was published. and bankers in the City be-
gan to suspect that the Government was seri-
ously meditating reopening the Indian mints.
He was not responsible for the revelation which
prematurey revived the controversy over the
two standards in the press before the Govern
ment had decided upon its line OF action. he
has not attempted to convert the English press
to birnetallism, but has been content TO nego-
tiate quietly effectively with the French
| Government and the Chancellor OF the Ex-
chequer Whether he and his colleagues sue
coed fail, the Mckinley Administration Will
have the satisfaction of knowing that 1t has
done everything in its power to redeem the oi-
metallist pledge Of the Republican platform by
employing diplomatic agents Of exceptional skill
and intelligence. The lnancers Of Lombard
| will a
Salisbury Government will decline outright TO
open the Indian mints or make any concession
to the United States and France. They may be
right. although 1t Is more probable that the Min
! listers will ask for additional time. and not give
definite answer to the Two Governments early
this month.
II the bankers forecast be fulfilled. the Sails.
bury Government will convict itself OF inconsist-
ency and the reputation Of pledges. When
Parliament by a unanimous vote. two years
ago. instructed the Government to do every
thing in its power to secure by international
| agreement a stable monetary par OF exchange
between gold and silver, the Ministers were
! emphatic in their pledges. Sir Michael Hicks
| Beach declared that IL the other nations formed
a bimetallic league, the British Government
would reopen the Indian mints. and by other
means promote an increased use Of silver In
Mr. Balfour asserted that in these circumstances
| Great Britain would do more for bimetallism
than any other country in the world.
| The United States and France have taken the
| Ministers at their word; they have made prac.
| tical proposals for establishing a bmetallic
league II Sir Michael Hicks-Beach. Mr..
Balfour and their associates now decline
| TO reopen the Indian mints. and to adopt
other expedients for promoting bimetallism on
an international basis they will repudiate their
| own pledges to Parliament In that contingency
the Mckinley Administration. which has Loyalty
attempted to redeem the party pledge commit
ting it to international bmetallism. will have
record Of consistency and good faith superior 70
that Of the Salisbury Ministry
Meanwhile, monometast writer's who are an
ticipating and possibly rejoicing prematurely
o,,ar tna defeat of Senator Wolcott and his COL
leagues are not agreed on the proper course 70
he pursued in India. Lord Farrer asserts that
the ultimate solution Of the question OF lndian
finance is the adoption Of the gold standard.
O,hor exnerts are unable to follow him. and
consider It hopeless to attempt to convert India
into gold country with silver in use only as
srhs,diarv coinage. Lancashire, with its cotton
trade steadily declining. owing 10 the shrinkage
of the purchasing power OF the native popuia-
ton OF India is hostile to any policy tnat VIII
| involve & further depreciation OF silver II
.,.ono,y favors international action the sill
YER question: and the reopenng or the indian
mints as relief measures far more practical tnan
famine funds and Government works IL 10.
| however doubtful II the Salisbury Government
hos the courage required for dealing with an
immortal question Of such vast importance
| lord Salisbury himself seems to be In IN
irritable suspicious frame of mind, ana 70 %
afraid TO make any reasonable concession on
anv question lest he may be charged Win or
derIny a fresh surrender. His Eastern oip'o-
macy has exposed him TO the reproach OF having
been baffled ar overreached by the "er'"a"
Emperor He apparently hesitates 10 co"'"i'
himself on the Behring Sea quesuoh lest No
,,ov be charged with allowing the American
! government the credit Of having drawn Eng
land into a conference against the wishes OF
! Canada 1t is Unnecessary to accuse MIN OK
acting in bad faith, but it cannot be stated TOO
| o.,,i,o,v that in all the negotiations which
nroceded his letter Of July % TO Ambassador
Nav no did no. object to the presence or the
pussan and Japanese delegates to the confer.
ono. No other proposition was presented by
,h American Ambassador, as is clearly shown
~, tho text Of his letter Of July %. which ought
| 20 have been included in the last Blue BOOK
but which was not printed in the London press
until yesterday.
The no;on that Lord Salisbury and Amoas-
sador Hay agreed upon scheme Tor con-
| ference which did not include Russia ana Japan
e an illusion. Lord Salisbury understood tnat
both those Powers would be invited, but EVIL
IDENTIFY was afraid that he could not carry can
ada with MIN, aid qualified his acceptance OF
the invitation so as to keep bridge open Tor
a retreat The sum OF the whole matter Is that
OTTAWA is in command Of the situation SO far
os tho Foreign Office is concerned. Canada can
drag England out of the conference II 1t wishes
90 do 90 but IT cannot break up the conference