The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-03
SILVER SENTIMENT IN FRANCE.

Mr.. William z. Curtis writes the Chi
cago Record from Paris of the silver
sentiment in France. He says that all
! though that country is not a silver
producing nation, yet the sentiment in
favor of free coinage is much more
general there than in the UcEted States
In fact, says Mr.. Curtis. the sentiment
is almost universal, and its advocates
include rot only the president, the min
isory and ella majority of the senate and
chamber of deputies, but several OF the
most powerful fnanciers in The coun-
try, who are presidents Of banks, trust
companies, boards of trade and other
commercial EXAMINATIONS and corpora
tons. Among the active members of
the Bimetallic League are NJ. Mel.me,
president of the cabinet; Henrd
Boucher minister of commerce and in
dusytry; NJ. Loubet, president, and NJ.
Nfagnan, vice president of the senate.
Who is also president of tlle Bank Of
France; VI. Sabline, president of tg7e
National Manufa cturers' association;
Edward Gaze, president of the National
Agricultural association; NJ. Muzet. pres-
i1ent of the French board Of trade: NJ.
de Vernel presl5eut of the Paris stock
exchange; Al. Herbault, president Of the
stock exchange last year: NJ. Tetard.
president of the Sugar Manufacturers
association, and other men of similar
standing in the republic Outside of
Paris among the active members of
tbs league, are the presidents of sew
eral chambers of commerce, boards of
trade. stock exchanges and other f1nan-
eial. commercial and industrial organ
izatdous- In fact, the class of men who
are most interested in the movement
here represent interests similar 20 those
of the leaders Of the goldbugs ia the
United States. The Bimetalgic league
has in its membership $4,000 active bust
ness men, manufacturers, merchants,
bankers, capitalists and others of large
interests and responsibilities. 1t has
the cooperation of 12S industrial and
agricultural associations.
Mr.. Curtis further says that the
French government has been able to
keep its silver money at par with gold
by a firm determination and able man
as'ement, and because Of the high cred
it of the Bank Of France, which has
withdrawn from circulation and holds
in its vaults as a part of its reserve
$3.50 600 of the silver coin of the
Latin union. He says that the conf
dence of the people in the bank is so
great that they are willing to take its
notes without inQuirdng whether they
are secured by gold or silver, although
the people are perfectly aware that the
bullion value of the silver coin is not
more than, half as great as it was 20
years ago
This shows that there is a very much
stronger silver sentiment in France
than the goldbugs of this country have
been willing to admit If France, a non
silver producing country, has so great
ain interest ian silver how much greater
interest in it has this country. And If
this government were Sc jealous 70
maintain the parity between the two
money mstaIs as the French government
is, there would be a very small fran
cial question. In this country we have
secretaries Of the treasury and comp
troIIers Of the currency making
stump speeches against the metal out
OF wllieh one-half Of the money Of re-
dernption of the country is coined. Can
anyone imagine a French minister of