The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-15
NATIONAL BOARD Of TRADE.
ANNUAL REPORT TREATS LARGELY
OF CURRENCY REFORM.
in the Extinction of the Free
silver Question. Which Is BEING
Coupled with That of Fiat Money.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 1.-THE National
BOARD Of Trade met here today for IT'S
twenty-elghth annual session. exGov.
S1anarG. o. Missouri. presiding. TIE tS-
ectstve committee made its annual report
which was adopted, On the subject Of car
rency, the report IN pavs says:
Probably there is no subject which is
sitn of 50 much Importance as that Of cur
reucy. While the great uprising IA favor
or sound money il 1886 was not without its
soea effect there s silll muea 10 De desired
IN the way OF persna aent prosperity. which
condition is mainly due 10 The faes that the
future OF cur monetary system Is still
largely In doubt. 0ver-coaffdence as To the
continued influence for good of the defeat
OF silver At the lasi election is a serious mis-
take. Whila hard times are undoubtedly
q stimulus 10 unseund systems of anance.
il i a mistake 10 suppose that the numer-
Gus friends Of such systems VIII he entirely
satisfied by the return Of prosperity.
Hard times which did not originate the
silver question. have undoubtedly been
used by interested parties TO inSt4i false
ideas into the minds Of many OF our peo-
pie, principally work!nssnen and farmers,
wnicn aass become a part OF their political
belief. \ spirit of unrest and dissatiSfac-
ton skill exists among such classes. and
there il no evidence that among suCh
any great conversion from the free silver
doctrine has taken place. anywhere In the
country. In New York or Ncora ska, tho
opinions Of the dissatisfied are now prac-
ilcaily The same aS before the election Tho
u.
but form, and a natural sequence Of the
sreenhaek craze The tendency Is now 10
lndorse fat money rather than the silver
falsacy. bat in whatsoever form IL shows
Itself. il has become a general theory OF
public policy and a conspicuous tenet in the
doctrine OF national political party. To
such. the free silver or fiat money question,
ard all considerations Of currency reform,
will be made suhSeryient.
The only way 10 meet IL is by persist
ent education for which some of the sound
and ma tional one formed, though without
very much popular interest or support. ana
ny me adoption 81 sound hhShsl1i pe 9a
including not only coinage. but banking
and currency.
while our present system exists there
is the ever-impending danger of repeti-
lion OF our late financial difficulties. when
the country would he al the Siercy or those
who do not have its best Interests AT heart
In the observance of careful attention IN me
meantime. unless by some very unexpected
contingency we shall have an unprece-
dented degree of national prosperity Al
the time of the next general and presldea-
siai elections. We may expect 10 see the naI
money question the issue OF the campaign.
one of the most important reports PIE
scented and adopted today was that OF JONI
athan A. Lane, of Boston. on the reform
of the consular service. The report adVo-
Gated the extension of the civil service
rules to cover the consular service. TO the
end OF securing practical business men IN
the service rather than purely political APP
pointees.
A resolution was adopted that import
ers be compelled to present their goods
before the consul at the point where the
goods are obtained.
A resolution was passed on uniformity
of state laws, This locks especially TO the
unification Of commercial laws I'm the va
rious states. Somewhat In the same line
is the object Of the Torrey BILL which re-
ceived the Endorsement of the meeting.
This measure relates To the unifying OK
the land laws of the several states.
The recommendations of Surgeon Cen
eral Wyman for a national quarantine
law were discussed at length and heartily
Endorsed.
Mr. Speak, OF Boston, submitted n re-
port on the bankruptcy laws. stating that
"A bill similar to the Torrey bill would soon
be introduced before the house of repre-
sentatives and urging its Endorsement.
This report was referred 20 special COM
mittee.
The venerable president Of the board,
Frederick Franey. of Philadelphia. who
has held office ever since the organization
of the board. was unanimously reelected.