Arizona silver belt., 1897-01-07
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1897.
REPUBLICANS AND SILVER.

While the Republicans were vic. tor;ous in the late presidential election there is abundant evidence that they appreciate the dangers ahead, if the financial policy outlined in the cam paign is not revised to inc ude the larger use of silver. The improve, ment in the commercial world prom ised by the election of Mckinley has net only failed to materiaiize. but con. ditions have grown steadily worse un- til in some of the cities of the east they are on the verge of financial panic.
 Recent advices indicate that the Re publican leaders have awakened to Il reahzntion of the danger, aLd two remC dies have been suggested and are being earnestly discussed Que is the forlorn hope of international agree ment for the wider recognition of sil- yer as money. We say ''forloru hope" advisedly, for have not there been five international conferences on the silver question, all of which came to naught? The first convention met in Paris ou the l7.h of June, 1867, and resulted ip a resolution favoring the gold standard. The second conference, called by the United States, assembled in Paris ou Aug Is, 1878, The difference of opinion between the delegates from the United States and those from European cuuntries, with the exception of Italy, on the question of common ratio pre- vented an agreement. The third con ference, called ly Frarce and the United States, met in Paris in January, 1881. The resolutions presented on behalf of France and the United States by ex Senator Evarts, recited the in jury to commerce and general pros perity through the depression and fuctuatiUn in the value of silver; the advantage to be expected from bi. metallic convention between nn impor- tai.t group of states, and recommended the coinage of silver and gold at the ratio of l5l to l Upon the recon mendation of the opponents of the resolutions, the conference was ad journed to April l2, 1882, and never reassembled. The fifth conference was between representatives of the United States and other countries on the American hemisphere. All the delegates except those from the United States, who were divided on the propo sitiUn, agreed upon the adoption of . common silver coin which should be legal tender in trade between the American nations. Nothing came of the conference. The fifth and last ir- ternational conference met in Brussels on Nov p, 1892. The opposition of England was chiefly responsible in de feating action. The conference ad- journed Dec. 20, 1892, to meet again on the 30th of May following, but did not roassemble after recess.
 u would appear, therefore, from n review of past attempts to secure in ternatiOnal agreement upon the silver question that any further efforts on that behalf are useless, and Senator Wolcutt's mission to Europe will be devoid of results, especially now since all the nations of Europe are more strongly than ever welded to the gold standard.
 The second proposltIOu for au agreement between the countries of the Western hemisphere, suggested by the Washington conference in 1892. and is more plausible. The idea of adopt. ing common silver coin, to pass cur rent between the American Republics vas the idea of James G. Blaine, ad- voceted by him in connection with reciprocity, as a means of promoting trl.de and winch he believed would go far toward solving tue silver question for the United States. Today the huc- tuation is demoraiizing aud retarGing the trade of the United States with every country on silver basis. A common coin, it is conceived, would re- move tue element of fuctustion. It would also provide an extensive use and a growing demand for silver, wLich would bring up the value of the white metal.
 The experiment is at lesst worthy of trial, and might open the way to the free coinage of silver by the United 6tates.
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