Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-01-27
WOLCOIT EXPLAINS
WHAT HIS commission DID.
. Change of Ratio Nccessary-Criticiscs
sVme Members of His Party.

SuAuk VI Ahhtsu uANCCuobhry-SSAtAcAbcb
svme Members of His Party.
Washington, Jan. 1S.--Senator VOL
eott's much advertised speech was
made In the Senate yesterday, in part,
as follows:
Mr.. Wolcott introduced his subject
by saying he was glad to make state
ment respecting certain phases of the
work of the recent bimetnllic commits
sion, but In SO doing he spoke unoffi-
cially, mot committing his associates
in the slightest degree, either to his
opinions or deductions"
later in the session." he said, 1--WE
are certain to have ample discussion on
the subject of silver, and 1t will prob
ably be acrid and bitter enough" In
his remarks yesterday, he continued,
he must avoid, as far as possible, any
thing which might give rise to contro-
yersy.
Taking up the subject of his remarks,
] he said that when Congress met year
ago, soon after the national election,
there was IN universal expression by
the Republican membership In the Sem
ate that the pledge Of the party In its
st. Louis platform to promote internn-
tional bimetallism by every means In
7 Its power was an undertaking to be
faithfully carried out, without evasion
or delay.
4 He then gave M account of the np-
pointment of the committee, saying
that all three of It's members were bi-
metallists.
'.Our views werc," he said. known
to the President before our appoint
ment. There wns no one of us who did
not, and does not now, believe the
financial question Overshadows all 9TH
ers, and that continued adhesion to the
single gold standard means only disas-
ter tc our agricultural and commercial
interests"
eix months stay abroad. visited only
London and Paris, and he added that
whatever measure OF success or fail
ure had been meted out to the commits
sion, ut had been hampercd by no lack
Of authority or sanction or admlnistra-
tive support"
The language OF the Inv had been the
commissions guide. and there "wcre
never at any time" he said. "instruc-
tlons given lis that sought In the slight
est degree to change or hamper or limit
the full powers conferred upon us by
law. We have been" he continued, ''of
one mind and In entire agreement dur
Ing NIL of our negotiations. and our cf
forts have been loyalty furthercd by
our representatives abroad, who were
fortified by strenuous Instructions. In
England. especially. the able and intel
ligent and cordial cooperation Of our
ambassador was OF great advantage in
our delibertions."
Summing up the favorable conditions
under which the commission operated,
Mr.. Wolcott said:
1--WE have had, then. law broad and
full In Its powers; we have been free
to net under Its provisions; our views
have been Identical and earnestly fnv
oring mn international agreement. and
We have had the hearty support Of our
ambassador Mt the Court OF st. James.
Further than this, from the day Of first
entering upon the fulflllment Of our du-
ties until now. the President Of the
United Stntes has extended to the conf
mission his unswerving support In nll
Its efforts to bring about an internn-
tlonnl agreement. There Inns been no
moment that we have not known that
back of our efforts was the earnest de-
!. sire OF the chief executive TO carry out
In Its integrity the provisions Of Tie
platform OF the Republican party
pledging It to every effort to brinH
about an international bimetnllic agree
ment."
"The failure OF former International
, conferences" he said. "mnde 1t evident
that unless some prior understanding
wns arrived Mt with some OF the CON-
merclal nations, another failure would
he the result OF nm international con-
ference at this time. nihi rs France,
Germany and Great Britain had with
in the year made declarations favor
able to silver, It was decided to bring
the subject TO the attention Of these
various countries. md, naturally, the
FIRST turn was made to France, for
many reasons. but. above all, because
of Premier Melinc's belief In himctal-
ilsm.
"In France" he said. "the question
Of bimetallism was regarded rs strict
ly nm international question, and 1t was
ngrecd thnt France md the United
Stntes should unite In presenting the
question to Great Britain. He contend
cd for the importance of the prclim-
lnnry understanding with France, be-
muse of the large per capita circula-
iion Of that country.
"IInd England even adhered to her
assurances of the 18th OF March, 1896.
countries representing more than half
of the total money OF Europe md the
I United States would have agreed prior
to n conference that. upon terms to he
settled at such conference. they would
reopen their mints to the unlimited
, coinngc of both gold aud silver"
Mr.. wolcott detailed nt some length
. the Joint negotiations on the part of
the American commissioners md the
French ambassadors IN England. At
first, he said. there seemed but few
difficulties In the way. and he quoted
the resolutions of the House OF COM
mons and the uttcranccs of Mr.. Bal
four and Sir Michael Hicks-Bcnch of
March II. 1896. I'VE were not. there
fore" lie continued. "intrudcrs. We
could present ourselves with the GER
tninty of that reception which must
follow direct and open invitation. And
the welcome we had the right to cx-
pcct we received. From the day we
reached England until the day we
left finally. In October. our official
treatment was everything that could
be desired. The English ministry. In
terms. asked the French ambassador
md ourselves to suggest wherein, In
our opinion. England could materially
contribute to solution of the ques-