The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-04-17
The Mckinley Commission.

y
To the Editor OF The Times:
The commission TO promote interna-
tionai bimetallism' will be watched with
interest here, but with something akin to
amusement by other countries. It's puf-
pose is not To seek out and set In order
what is best, what is true, what Is prac-
ticable, but the whole movement, having
been taken in hand by Mr.. Potter of
Texas tSenator WolcUtt Of Colorado, VIII
be managed with the aim to keep that
statesman square with the Colorado yot-
ers, who, just now, view him win dis
favor We should not forget that IRON
1865 to 1876 there were five monetary
conferences held at Paris. OF these, four
were of the Latin union and enc interna-
tional, at which the United States was
represented. Since that there have been
several International conferences, one OF
the most noted, and certainly the m ost de-
cisive and influential, was the one OF
1878, although not the most recent.
The tone of that conference is today
the tone of Europe. and it has echoes from
far Japan and India. Our delegates brought
back a rich reward of cordial thanks
And besides, they learned three things:
First That the question Of the lmIta-
ton OF the coinage OF silver should he
left to the decision OF each State for
ITSELF
Second: THAT there is no ground for
discussing the question OF an international
ratio of value to be established between
the two metals"
Third: That cordial thanks are due to
the United States for having elected an
international exchange of opinion"
The gentlemen whothus wned fTeighted
with cordial thanks were: Elk Senator
Fenton, OF New York; Mr.. Groesbeck, Of
Ohio; Prof. Francis A Walker. of Massa-
chusetts, anG Dana Horton; the two last
named, economic experts ex-professo.
OF the commission just appointed, the
indications are that none of the lot can
he said TO be anything more than tyro
in the science in which he is to minis ter
The ex-yice President is an amiabIe old
gentleman of excellent heart and cleanly
record Gen. Paine is an unknown. Sena-
tor Wolcott, 1.-THE descendant of Oliver
Wolcott," Of whom on that account great
things are hoped, proves to be the son
OF Sam. the son OF Elihu, the son OF
second Sam, the son Of Gideon, the son
of Henry, the son of Simon Wolcott, Who
MAS DFpukHt " AitlGAiNb AZ viz SSO Va
fifteen, in 1880. | mention this only u
show that hopes OF inherited ability for
great economic affairs in the Senator from
Colorado are not well founded
In addition to the conferences named
| there was an adjourned session or two
! which were virtually new conferences:
| another in $50, to say nothing of PTesi-
! dent CIeveland's special envoy TO European
| courts, Manton Marble-a man OF real
| knowledge of the question and the British
| gold and silver commission. about $50. AS
| long ago as 1876 there was, also, par
/ liamentary committee. of which MIR. Cos
| chen was chairman. The shelves of every
| great library are filled with the literature
| Of the question. SO that anyone is at liberty
| to make desutory study Of the question,
| and work himself into a state OF confuS-
| ion: nor need il cost the taxpayers $780,
| 600, and, what is worse, make an ex-
| hibition of our stupi dity, as we are now
| about to do.
The obvious answer to any invitation
| extended to other nations to join US in
setting the world Co rights would be that
| we should first regulate our own heterogen-
| eous and injurious monetary system. To
| send Wolcott. Paine, and Stevenson TO cor
| rect the ways of an obstinate world is like
| sending men to drive the forty-horse band
| wagon when they have not shown the abIl-
| ity 70 drive billy-goat carriage.
| Let US not be unprcpared TO receive the
| answer, physician heal thyself"
| International monetary agreements are
| not new From many an ancient river
| their story comes to us, and one and all
| are stories of makeshifts and failures
In other columns, and at other times, /
| have compared the arbitrary interna-
| tional agreement on a ratio to the great
| international agreement OF long ago to
| crv boo 80 that it might be heard in
/ the moon.'' Altogether, 1t will be fine
iunket. will this international thing '
Like Heine's feast. when he dreamed that
he was lord of all thigh up in Heaven
sitting" il will also be great fun, aud
| s.with ne er q bill to follow"
| POSEY 8. WILSON.
Washington, April 10
| The Girls Reform School.