The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-18

z * ~ Ionkua6e OF the law had been 4.
Geudf1tGGic6'e guide and there were reye
- any time, " he said, .'instructions gtyc
~ that sought 10 the slightest degree !
y chnnas or hamper or limit the full power
conferred upon US w law"
Summing up the favorable condition
under which the commission operated, NJ
Wo}cutt naid;
1--WE have had then, law broad Hu'
3 full 10 It's powers: we have been FREQ Y
act under its provisions; our VIEWS hay'
been Identical and earnestly faNorinS ~
" international agreement and we have hat
the hearty support OF cur ambassador a
the court OF ST. James. There has beer
no moment that we have not known thai
back OF our efforts was tho earnest desirs
OF the chief executive to carry out IN 10
sntcgrity the provisions OF the platform Of
the republican party pledgins i 90 every
effort to bring about an international NJ
metallic agreement.
The failures Of former International con
fcrencts, be said made II evident that
unless some prior understanding was mr.
rived at with some Of the nations another
failure wotiid BE- the result Of CONFER
encc ut this time. and as France. Germany
and Great Britain had within year maze
declarations fayorblo TO silver u was de-
cided to bring the subject TO the attcn-
ton of these various countries
In France, he said, the question OF biz
metallism WAS regarded as strictly an IN :
ternational question, and IL was agreed
that France and the United states gholiii
unite In presenting the question TO Eng
land. he continued, for the understanding
with France was because Of the large rcr
capita circulation of that country.
Had England even adhered 10 Der as
eurances OF the 18th OF March 1896. eoun-
tries representing more than nalf o. the
total money OF Europe and The United
t.....s r.Nitp ff IN -
ference, thai upon terms 70 be retueii ~
snch conference they would reopen tbeir
minis to the unlimited coinage of 10th
gold and silver
Mr. Wolcott then detailed q some length
the Joint negotiations on The rsft o. tie
American commissioners and tie t'snch
ambassador In England, At iirst tntFe
seemed but few difficulties In the way, and
no quoted the resolutions of she house 81
+ commons and the utterancc. oil Aif- Biliolr
and President Michael Hioks beaea OF
March IL. 1886.
1--WE wcre not, therefore. lntrntlcrs. We.
could prefeut ourselves with the certainty
OF that reception which must follow direct
efforts. and the welcome we had me
right TO expect We received. From the
day We reached England antll we lefi IL
finally In October. our ofHial treatment
was everything that could he leaircd. The
English ministry In terms, asked the
/ Irrufn nfnbaFEllDl anu gulaoiNNs. ~ oHk-r
gcst wherein. In Our opinion, England opuld
materially contribute TO the solution of The
question and NJ the same time retain Tor
her own people the aold STANDARD; aud
what ore our proposals When tley we're
received they were treated With tai eon-
sideratlon. as were the reports Of he Two
govornmcf'.; conducting the negotiations
Mr. Woicott admitted however. Shat 1t
was not surprising that another yiaS should
have prevailed in the country view
based he said. ION tho Incorporate aud
hostile and somewhat brutal uttcFancos
of the London press respecting the pros
posals OF the French and American re-
publics. Tt, newspapers Of London. like
Tho newspapers Of many Of the capitais oi
the world no went Gu, arr dominated
by and allied with the banking clement
and reflect their Views and often their
expressions. The busiiiess Of money loan
ing Is an eugrossiug pursuit. not always
tending TO the cultivation OF the amenities
OF life and q Is not 10 be wondered nj
that the London newspapers. yoiciug that
industry. should in their hostility to n
policy OF which they disapproved, forget
for the moment that courtesy which Is due
to the stranger Within the gates, and os-
pecially when he comes upon invitation,
and that they should be ledtio charac,eri2e
impertinerce were made only on the re-
quest OF their own government, II was
perfectly realizabie from the heginning'
he said, that bmetnlllsm for England
Hias out of the question
India was the vital point OF all the nr-
gotiations OF England and other proposals
were magnificent In comparison with that |
respecting the reopcplng Of the mints OF
India to the unlimited coinage of silver and |
tho repeal Of The decree permitting gold to
be paid for government dues and TO be ex-
changed for government rupees.
Many English monometalllsts Of Wide
Influence believe the policy to bo !, mis-
taken one. he said, "and would be glad |
TO see the India minis reopcGed II II could |
he done without stimulating the cause of !
and as a separate and distinct |
execution There was q general opinion, |
not limited TO England, that the American
government would be quick To await itself !
OF an opportunity to reopen It's mints and |
would welcome any International attempt |
toward bimetDllism that would raise the |
value OF silver and would be glad ia co. /
operate in the attempt ! am sure that | |
violate no confidence when | say that In I
answer to the Indian government p0stpon- |
Ing against the reoneAing OF india ninIg |
WAS as much surprise to England aa II |
was a disappoin tnont to MS White thr /
protest was final, and Whilc The English |
government IN London could have oyerruled I
the objections from India. yet such action
would have been contrary TO all precedent |
As matter OF fact the home government,
II ~ said. unanimously upheld the report
To ns,' Mr.. Wolcott continued ,thn In |
Ola situatiun is inexpllcahlc, Millions az |
people most OF them extremely poor, have
for years invested all their savings in all
YER, These accommodations few years aao
were worii, Thousand millions OF dollars |
and more. Today they are worth less thau
half that sum BY the closing OF the lndin
mtnts and the artificial gold value given 10
silver. india Is at a great disadvantage with
Tho neighborlng countries the exports ar
which are stimulated by the higher pra-
MUM on gold, and they are robblng Indln
d much OF her misunderstanding and exuort
trade. The present policy infllcts upon In
la us well. the evils OF an Insufficient and
steadily lesscning currency evils which IN
gicissitudes of-tliat dependency during the
past twelve months have served to sympa-
1hize, The world has heard much Of Inc
anime in India and OF thu great funds sub.
sorihed for It's victims. II has not been
however so generally known that the tam
ne was one Of money rather THAI food
hat the contributions were chiefly fnr,
sarded TO lnda In the form OF money ana
lot grain, and that during the whole perlod
the famine rice was abundant where n,er !
we're starving and It's price WAS but ,rlfla
-.G 49,