The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-18
And Summarizes the Situation by Say
ing Britain Will Not BE Party
to international Agreement.
HE PRAISES THE PRESIDENT
hut TRIES TO MAKE TROUBLE BY
SCORING SECRETARY GAGE.
Long speech i'm the Senate That Was
ey Republican Members.
peeial 10 the indianapolis Journal.

Special 10 the indianapolis Journal.
w ASHINGTON, Jan. 17-Senator VOL
colts report of the failure of the interna-
tional bimetallic commission was made with
dramatic effect this afternoon to a mag
nifcent audience. The Senate seats were
full, the galleries were full and every avail
able inch of standing room in the Senate
chamber was occupied. The senator fol-
lowed the general plan outlined at least a
month ago, except that he did not formally
wrench himself loose from the Republican
party What he did, however, was tanta-
mount to that for he, in effect served no
tice that he was only in sympathy with
that organization long it made bimetal-
lism the keystone of its platform and sub
ordinated the gold standard thereto. He eX-
tolled the President in eXtravagant terms
for his answering allegiance to bimetal-
lism. and then proceeded to excoriate Sec
rotary Gage for misrepresenting his chief
by talking gold standard and presenting a
financial plan and bill based on that the
DRY. Although the speech was directly along
previously advertised lines, it nevertheless
produced a sensation, for Senator Wolcott
is a rarely gifted orator and master of
language. He is the most popular and at
tractive speaker in Congress, and when he
ton. The straight Republican senators
listened to the speech with a sour taste in
their mouths, for to them Wolcotts mean
ing was plain. He was making a shrewd
but professionally futile effort to cause
breach between the President and Secre-
tary Gage and serving a covert threat upon
the administration and the party as a whole
that if it did not yield to the free-silver
sentiment there would be further assertions.
The independent free-silver Republicans
listened to the speech with sardonic salts
faction and the sneering comment I'VE
told you so. You'll be coming all the way
over next time. You'll be in our camp
soon. We told you the Republican party
was playing you. You'll believe us next
time
HE SPOKE UNOFFTCIALLY
Senator Wolcott was in fine voice, and
spoke with only occasional reference to
his manuscript which he had before him.
He was accorded the closest attention by
his auditors, among whom were many
members of the House. He introduced his
subject by saying that he was glad to make
statement respecting certain phases of the
work of the recent bimetalIic commission
but that in doing so he spoke unoffically
mot committing his associates in the Slight
est degree either to his opinions or deduc-
tons. Later in the session. he continued,
I'VE are certain to have ample discussion on
the subject of silver. and it will probably
be acrid and bitter enough" In his remarks
to-day he said he must avoid, as far as
possible, anything which might give rise to
controversy.
Taking. up the subject of his remarks. the
commission had, he said, in its six months
stay abroad, visited only London and Paris
and he added that whatever measure of
success or failure had been melted out to
the commission, lit had been hampered by
no lack of authority or sanction or admins
trative support" Summing up the favor
able conditions under which the commission
operated, Mr. W olcOtt said: I'VE have had
then a law broad and full in its powers; we
have been free to act under its provisions;
our views have been identical and earnestly
favoring an International agreement; and
we have had the hearty support of our am
bassador at the court of st. James. Further
than this, from the day of our first entering
on the fulfllment of our duties until now
the President of the United States has ex
tended to the commission his answering
support in all its efforts to bring about an
international agreement. There has been no
moment that we have not known that, back
of our efforts, was the earnest desire of the
chief executive to carry out in us integrity
the provisions of the platform of the Re
publican party pledging it to every effort
to bring about an international bimetallic
agreement"
Mr.. Wolcott detailed at some length the
joint negotiations on the part of the Ameri
II
sador in England. At first, he said, there
seemed but few difficulties in the way, and
he quoted the resolution of the House of
Commons and the utteranceS of Mr. Bal
four and Sir Michael Hicks-Beach of March
II 1896. I'VE were not, therefore, he contin-
ued, ''intruders. We could present our
selves with the certainty of that reception
which must follow direct and open invita-
ton. And the welcome we had the right
to expect we received. From the day we
reached England until we left 1T finally in
October, our official treatment was every
thing that could be desired The English
Ministry, in terms, asked the French am
bassadOr and ourselves to suggest wherein
in our opinion England could materially
contribute to a solution of the question and
at the same time maintain for her own peO-
Pile the gold standard; and what are termed
the proposals were not volunteered. but
plicit request of the English Ministry When
they were received they were treared with
full consideration, as were the representa-
tives of the two governments conducting
the negotiations.
LONDON PRESS SCORED.
Mr.. Wolcott admitted, however, that it
was not surprising that another view should
have prevailed in this country. a view
based, he said, ION the Incorporate ard
hostile and somewhat brutal utterances If
the London press respecting the proposals
of the French and American representa-
tives. The newspapers of London, like the
newspapers of many capitals 0f the world"
he went on ARE dominated by ana allied
with the banking element, and reflect their
views and often their expressions. The bust
ness of money-loaning is an enSrossing
pursuit not always lending to the cUltiva-
ton of the amenities of life, aud ii is not
to be wondered at that the London newspa-
pers. voiciEg that industry, should, III their
hostility to q policy of which they dJSap-
prove, forget for the moment that courtesy
which is due to the stranger within the
gates especially when he Games upon invi-
tation, and that they should he led to char
acteriZe proposals as impeachment which
were made only upon the request of their
own government 1t was perfectly realized
allism for England was out IF the question.
India was the vital point of all The negD.ia-
tions with England. and all 's;her proposals
were insignificant in comparison with that
respecting the reopening IF the nints OF
India to the unlimited coinage Of silver and
the repeal of the order permitting goll &c tie
paid for government dues and TO be eX-
changed for government r1paas.
Mr.. Wolcott spoke al some length upon
the conditions in India and the refusal of
ITO us" Mr.. Wolcott continued. the In
dia situation is inexplicable. Millions of
people, most of them extremely poor. have
for years invested all of their savings in
silver. These accumiiarIons teW years
ago were worth Thousand million of dol
lars and more. To-day. they are worth less
than half that sum- iiy the close of the
India minis and the ARTIFICIAL sold N8lCe
given to silver. india IS at a gIal. diSadvan-
tage with the nelghbOring countries the
exports OF which are .tlTuniatei by tie
higher premium on goil. ana tho are rob-
and export trade. rhe present policy i'm
nfcfS l:DOD India Well. tA1.s q an