The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-12-21
Silver Issue Net Dead.
A Republican Senator On the Finan
cial Question. Chandler, New
Hampshire, Gives His
Views.

shire, who is conspicuous occasionally
as double standard advocate, is
more convinced than ever "that the
gold standard is not to be fastened
upon the world" Circumstances, he
admits, seem to be against the re-
cogni'ion of silver and they might
have been different, with opposite
effects upon public opinion. He
does not consider the issue dead.
No, " said the senator emphati
cally today, sit is not dead and while
the fight may last for twenty-five
years it will continue to be fought.
With England face to, face with tbe
Indian problem, and with her failure
to borrow the gold with which 70
supply currency for India, the qaes-
ton is still very much alive"
',Yoa still believe, ther, in the
possibility of an international bimet-
a lisms" Mr.. Chandler was asked.
so such an extent was his reply,
that if I were President Mckinley
would appoint another commission,
picking out active and interested
men like Charles A. Towne, for in
stance-mens who would secure a
favorable resuls-and would notify
Great Britian and France of my ac-
ton. / would not send the commits
sioners abroad at once, but would
waitsfor them to be invited. In my
opinion, Great Britain would soon re-
quest their presence, and co opera
ton might also be expected from
France, if that country had the time
10 the midst of her internal troubles
to consider financial matters.
1T might be necessary to abandc n
the present ratio of 1S to ] and sub
stitute 20 to 1, but upon some COM
promise I believe international bimet-
allism could be secured.
IF by 1900 nothing is accomplish
6 ed in the direction of international
bimetaliism, / am almost willing
now TO say that I would advocate in
dependent coinage by the United
States. I would not, however, be
willing to leave the republican party
on such an issue, but I should try to
convince my republican friends that
such course was the proper one to
pursue.
Silver has been called dead, and
damned enough, but it does Lot seem
to be buried out OF sight. Why,
when you think for moment of the
conditions throughout the world, you
can see that the silver agitation is
certain to continue. Two thirds of
the people of the world are SO situa-
ted that they are compelled to use
silver. In China there are 100000,
900 and in India are 3O0,009,0OO,
with millions mere in Africa, and as
long as gold is the standard in one
part OF the world and silver in an
other, just so long will there be a
dislocation of exchange and a dis
tubance of commerce. A fixed stand
ard ef value for silver is necessary,
; and until it has been reached the
silver question will not be settled.
IF president should be elected
iu 1900 who is forcible in his charac-
ter aid who is friendly to silver, it
would not be impossible to produce
an effect upon the senate, even if
that body should be apparently op.
posed to free coinage. We have seen
administrations convert the senate to
3 position against silver, and why
may We not witness the reverse? II
addition to this, is quite reason
able to believe that if the reople
spoke for free coinage of silver in
1900, the senate would be influenced
in favor Of some sort Of Legislation
friendly to silver.
1t will not, however, re quire leg
islation to bring the silver question
to the front. If the next president
believes in silver, he will appoint
secretary of the same belief, and
together they can order the green
backs to be renewed in silver, while
the interest on the coin bonds can
be paid in the same metal.
As matter of fact we now practi-
cally pay interest in silver. When
you deposit your interest check in
bank and then later 60 to draw
against it t1e chances are that you
will receive silver certificates.
SIN more than one way, as I have
pointed cut, the silver question will
be kept alive. It is not dead yet by
any manner means"
Klozdiks Talks Again.