The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-04-01
FOREIGN INFLUENCE lin AMERICAN POLITIm
B YHoH. j. B BRYAN, the Apsa arm.

ton above referred to, toqetbera4
the speeches delivered by Mr. Artbn.
Balfour and Sir Michael Hieks.p.
in support Of the resolution. la
commission to expect concessions
largely guided our commissioner +,
proposals made by them to the F5,t
, government.
Another evidence Of the domip,
force Of foreign influence i
found in the fact that the refusal
England to give assistance is aeesn.
by the leading advocates Of the
standard as proof positive that M
national bimettalism is at present
possible. Upon this failure the
nounced monometallists predicate IN
demandlfor the permanent maintenan
of the gold standard.
The English House Of Commons y
brief resolution leads international
metallists in the United States to Ia
for relief from the gold standard.
then the English government by Rein
ing to cooperate with the United STAT
and France, dissappoints the hon
aroused. and plunges our information
bimetallists into the depths Of disprt
Was confding innocence ever 50 unkih
ly treated2
The Republican platform Of ia
while so skillfully drawn as to sati4
the most extreme monometallist and
the same time delight the internaao
bimetallist with the phantom Of IA
eign aid, was, in fact, nothing more
less than an acknowledgement Of sB
se~ryiency to European dictation. m
restoration Of bimetallism in the Unit
States was by that platform made Il
pressly dependent upon the will Of ft
eign nations! and the duration Of h
gold standard in the United States VA
left entirely to the decision Of foreir
nations The platform pledged al
party to oppose "the free coinage Of an
yer, except by international agreement
with the leading commercial nations Of
the world" (which the party promised
to promote. and then concluded, Fun.
til such agreement can be obtained Che
existing gold standard must be Dr..
served
So far as I have been able TO Learn
this is the first American platform h
declare it necessary for the United
States to have a financial policy ident
cal with that Of other nations.
1t was said that the triumph Of tbat
platform would put an end to any fur
Their discussion of the money question
and revive prosperity by restoring con.
hdence. 1t seems, however, that Arqo
naut Gage continues to search for tbo
golden fleece and is advising congress
that something must be done to con,
init the country more thoroughly q
the gold standard, " in order to strength.
en- the credit Of the United States both
at home and abroad. The secretary Is
still endeavoring to conclliate foreign
~fnanCiers.
Within the last few months seveni
American citizens have announced,
upon their return from Europe, that
confidence in our securities cannot Be
fully restored until we retire an goy.
eminent paper and substitute national
bank notes
Thus it will be seen that European
opinion is continually at work shaping
the conduct of an influential portion Of
our country. When it is remembered
that the failure of our commission to
secure International b~imetallism YVES
largely due to a protest signed BY the
London bankers, it becomes evident
that the financial policy Of seventy mil
lions of American citizens is determin.
by a handful Of persons who owe no
allegiance to our government and have
sympathy with our institutions If
this domination is due to the fact that
the American people do not realize The
manner in which their political indie.
.pendendeace is slipping from them,
the danger will be o srcome By the
Of Intelligence; but il it Is
due to actual inability upon the part 81
the American people to control their
own affairs then, instead Of being a ma
tion, we are but a province.
Foreign influence has not only con-
taminated those whose ears are babita.
ally turned to receive instructions from
across the ocean, but It has been direc
ted toward the fears rather than toward
reason or conscience Of the people.
When foreign ~fuanciers have found
themselves unable to defend an appre
'lating misunderstanding have rscog.
lized their inability to prove the gold
laandard a wise standard. they have
threatened to visit a panic upon the
United States if our people are guiltyof
me presumptuous sin Of independence.
This threat operating first upon the
money magnates Of the metrop-
then upon the smaller banks
throughout the nation. then mon
merchants and manufacturers and,
.nally upon the army Of wage earn
has beena potent Influence in
ur elections. Win anyone defend for.
ign influence thus exarted anon the
.eaanies Of our republioi Most Of
aeae hnanciars live under governments
Mia wnifk4n Ns4- VNrgta