The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-01-21
SENATE HEARS WOLCOTT
he Tells Of the BimetalIie Connie
sion's Trip to Europe.
Commission Was Wen Treated In France
and England bat Newspapers Were
HostIIe-Says international
Action IL Not q Myth

| WAsHINGTON, Jan. 1S-The feature
/ Of yesterdays proceedings in the senate
was a speech BY Mr.. Wolcott about his
labOrs in connection with the bimetal.
I lie commission and embodyinC his re.
tirement from that body. He intro
duced his subject by saying that he
was glad to make statement respect.
/ ing certain phases Of the work Of the
recent bimetallic commission, but in
/ doing SO he spoke unoficially mot
committing his associates in the
/ slightest degree, either to his opinions
or deductions" He detailed at some
length the joint negotiations on the
part Of the American commissioners
/ and the French ambassador in En-
/ gland At first, he said, there seemed
/ but few difficulties in the way, and he
/ quoted the resolutions Of the house OF
commons and the utteranees of Mr.
BalfOur and Sir Michael Hicks Beach
/ of March Il, 1896. Said the senator:
| We were not, therefore. intruders We could
present ourselves with the certainty Of that re-
| ception which must follow direct and open in
vitatiOn- And the welcome We had the right
i 70 expect received From the day
reached England until We left it finally in Oc-
/ tOber, cur of1Cial treatment was everything
/ that could be desired The English ministry
| in terms, asked the French ambassador and
ourselves to suggest wherein, IN our opinion
England could materially contribute to q sOlu-
tion Of the question and ut the same time re-
tain for her own people the gold standard; and
what are termed proposals. were not vOlun-
TERED but were made by way OF suggestion al
the explicit request OF the English ministry
| When they we're received they we're treated
with full consideration. as were the representa-
tives Of the two governments conducting the
negotiations
The newspapers OF London like the newspa-
pers OF many Of the capitals Of the world, are
dominated BY and allied with the banking eie-
ment and reflect their views, and often theiI
expressions The business Of money lOauing fs
an engrOSSing pursuit not always tending &C
the cultivation Of the amenities Of life, and Il
is not C be wondered at that the London news
papers, TOiCing that industry, should. in theif
hostility to a policy Of which they disapproved,
forget for the moment that courtesy which Is
due to the stranger within the gates especially
when he comes upon invitation, and that they
should be led to characterize proposals as ''in1-
pertinent which were made only upon the re-
quest Of their own government
II was perfectly realized from the beginning
that bimetallism for England was out Of the
question India was the vital point Of all the
negotiations with England and all other pro-
posals were Insignificant in comparison with
that respecting the reOpening OF the minis Of
India 70 the unlimited coinage Of silver and the
! repeal OF the order permitting gold to be paid
I for government dues and 70 be exchanged f0I
government rupees
Many English Tnonametaiiists Of wide infiJl-
/ ence believe the policy to be a mistaken one
and would be glad TO see the India minis re-
| opened, II 1t could be done without stimulating
/ the cause Of bimetallism and as separate and
| distinct action
Mr.. Wolcott next enumerated the
obstacles with which the commission
/ had to contend, in which he included
! the remarkable dropin the price Of sill.
yer, the eOincident tariff legislation in
| the United States and the statement
| Of New York bankers in England, who,
he said, sought access to the English
officials and treasured them that any
sentiment which had formerly existed
in the United States in favor Of bi.
metallism, was dead. Other statements
made by the bankers, according to Mr.
WOlcOtt. were the following: That
the mission was sent solely as q sop 70
a few far western republicans; that
the country generally favored the gold
standard and that the president of the
United States shared this view.
Questions of possible future negOtia-
TONS continued Mr. WOlcott. ''be-
tween France and the United States
and other countries. and the question
of change Of ratio are for the moment
held In allegiance"
Mr. Wolcott then announced his In
tentiOn to retire from the commission
and continued:
It is my sincere conviction that an interna-
tfoual bimetaIlfc agreement is still feasible by
the terms Of which certain countries viii jOiu
us and open their mints TO the unlimited coin
age Of silver and others viii contribute 70 the
plan and enlarged use OF that metal as money;
and I say this the more freely because shall
give way upon the commission 70 somebody
more fitted FOR such negotiations and better
able 20 give them his constant time This re-
suit cannot be broU-ht about without the exc
Dendfture OF both time and patience. and the
persons fntrusted With the duty Of negotiation
must have back OF them the hearty support o.
the president and congress
The senator then wound up as fol-
lows:
Whatever diGereuces Of opinion may exist az
20 she ability OF this country alone 20 maintair
the parsty between silver and gold. there IS nc
question that the concurrence OF other nations
would help aud not hinder the cause OF bimet-
aIlism in the United States. and efforts 20 Sc
cure IL ought 70 receive the cordial support o.
every citizen who IS opposed 20 gold mOnOmet-
allism- International bimstalli>m Is not
myth q chfmera The people Of Europe are
even as W are. rusgling 20 keep their heads
above water IN seeking blindlF for that which
may make for prosperity and for progress
Much Of the recent legislation in Europe
looking 70 the increase OF god holdings and thf
depreciation OF silver finds its Origin In the eZ-
igeucies Of q situation where readiness for VTal
IS the paramount necessity. There Is hardly
statesman n Europe who believes the fasf
word has yet BEEN said upon the question %
thu reconciliation o. silver and hardly one
who would not welcome an efort 70 settle The
question internationally. Only few days ago
Just before CHRISTMAS in q debate in the French
chambe-- II Eeliue again declared from The
tribune that the French government was alone
with the United States on the question q BIZ
mesaliism
IN the face Of such q declaration e Is as
coHarrilT 70 abandon hope as u IS false 70 talk
about failure International bimetallism Is e
the gold nonDuetalllsts . Stumbling blocE an
% the silver u1onOmetallists fo0ltshnsss- bit d
Is nevertheless q splendid possibility. It's
colsplfshusc1t would be The greatest blEssiuf
that could befall our people aud 70 achieve Il
might vel afford 70 sink foE fke tine. thf
hostilffles Of party and the bLckerisgs q fac
tons
PENSIONERS DEFENDED.