The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-04-09
International BimetaIic Conferences We're
Called by Them.
The Silver shouters in Democratic and Popus Ranks Are
Opposing International Action.
They the Question Settled Might End Their
Employment.

Who are the true friends of silver? Is
It the men who own silver mines or are
employed by silver mine-owners and
those who by their advocacy of an i'm
practicable system manage to keep their
names before the public and themselves In
fat offices, or is it the men and the party
which gave to the country its great vol
ume of silver money, which originated all
efforts at international bimetallism, called
all the international conferences which
have been called by the United States, ap-
pointed all delegates TO international con-
ferences. and declared in their national
and State platforms time after time IN
favor of the only practical system OF utli-
izing silver, international Sbimetallism
These are questions which the people
of the United States can afford to con-
slider, carefully, at the present moment,
when the people have, by an overwhelm-
ing vote, declared against independent
free coinage by the United States and in
favor of international action, and in re-
sponse to this Republican Congress has
passed an act authorizing the calling OF
such a conference and the appointment OF
delegates to it, and Republican Presl-
dent, William Mckinley, has said in his
inaugural address that the question OF IN
ternational bimetallism will have early
and earnest attentian. "It will be my con-
slant endeavor," said he, Ito secure 1t
by cooperation with the other great COM
mercial powers of the world"
1t has been charged over and over again
that the men who make the loudest clamor
for the free coinage of silver upon the
basis which the people of the United
States have declared impracticable, do so
and have done so for the purpose of re-
tanning their hold upon public Office and
their control of certain class of voters
of their States or sections. 1t has been
charged that many of these men were
moved by mercenary motives of more
direct character in the ownership of sill
yer mines, or by being directly in the
employ of silver mine owners. Whether
this is true or not, every man who studies
the attitude of the alleged friends of sill
yer in both houses of Congress during
the recent discussions upon the interna-
tional bimetallic conference bill, must be
convinced that they are not the true
friends of silver, and that it is difficult
to explain their attitude by other than
selfish motives Add to this the further
fact that the Republican party is the one
political organization which has from the
first urged and taken practical steps in
favor of the system which the people of
the United States have just declared the
only feasible one with reference to silver
bimetallism-and there can
no longer remain doubt in the mind of
the honest student of this subject. As
to the party and the men who are the
true friends of that system which the
people have overwhelmingly declared the
only practicable one for the restoration of
silver-internationa bimetallism-the dis
cussions in the Fifty-fourth Congress will
show conclusively.
When Senator Chandler Republicanl,
on January 27, 1896, asked unanimous
consent to take up in the Senate the bill
authorizing the appointment of delegates
to an International conference on bimet-
allism, and the calling of this conference
If necessary, Senator Pettigrew (Silver-
Republican,, refused unanimous consent,
saying: Il cannot yield, Mr.. President: I
wish to dispose of the appropriation and
l think we can better do it now"
On January 9th Senator Chandler
again attempted to call up the bill, and
Senator Daniels (Silver-DemocraD OBJ
jected, saying: 81 hope the Senator will
not interrupt me at this moment" and in
sisted upon retaining the floor and dis
cussing the Nicaragua Canal Bill, thus
again preventing the discussion of the bi-
metallic conference bill.
On January 2Sth, when Senator Chand-
Ter succeeded in getting the bill before
the Senate, Senator Stewart (Silyer-Pop-
ulist), although protesting that he had no
disposition to embarrass and hinder the
passage of the bill, proceeded to embar-
rass and hinder it as far as possible by
saying, first, that it placed the United
States in humiliating position; second,
that there are grave objections to inter-
national money, which ought to make us
hesitate before we enter into any COM
pact with the world; third, that the es-
tablishment of such money would "cause
great inconvenience to those involved in
the complication" and ended by declaring
his opposition to international money and
denouncing the proposition as "a fake,
an old fake"
On January 29th, when the bill was
again called up, Senator Villas (Gold-Dem-
ocrat, spoke against it, saying: Il desre
simply to express my opposition to this
bill" and proceeded to do so to the ex-
tent of remarks covering several pages of
the Congressional Record.
ou JdHudFy -olu, uuFluS the discussion
of the bill, Senator Pettigrew (Silver- Re
publican), said: Il wish to record my pro-
test against the passage of this BILL" and
proceeded to detail his reasons for oppo-
sition at considerable length.
On January 10Th, during the discus
sion of the bill. Senator Allen (Silver-P Pop
ulist), presented long argument to show
that the effort would be unsuccessful. and
said of the bill: 1T is a useless thing. 1t
is a work or supererogation."
On January 18th, during the discussion
ef tba bill, Senator Cannon (Silver Repub-