The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-18
POWER AMPLE.

Summing up the favorable conditions
under which the commission operated,
Mr.. Wolcott said:
1--WE have had then, q law, broad and full
in it's powers; we have been free to act I'M
der it's provisions; our views have been iden-
teal and earnestly favoring an international
agreement, and we have had the hearty sup
port of our ambassador at the court OF ST.
James. Further than this. from the day Of
our first entering upon the fulhllment of our
duties until now, the president of the United
States has extended to the mission his I'M
swerving 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 de-
sire of the chief executive to carry out in its
integrity the provisions of the platform Of
the Republican party pledglng it to every
effort to bring about an international bime
tailc agreement The failures Of former in
ternational conferences made it evident that
unless some prior understanding was arrived
at with some of the commercial nations an
other failure would be the result of an in
ternaional conference at this time, and as
France, Germany and Great Britain had
within the year made declarations favora-
bic to silver, it was decided to bring the
subject to the attention OF these various coun-
tries. and naturally the first turn was made
to France. for many reasons, but above ALL
because Of PremieF Melines belief in bimet-
allism.
I'm France the question OF bimetaligm
was regarded as strictly an international
question, and It was agreed that France and
the United States should unite in presenting
the question to Great Britain. He commended
for the Importance of the preliminary I'M
derstanding with France, because OF the large
per capita circulation OF that country Had
England even adhered to her assurances of
March II, 1896. countries representing more
than half of the total money of Europe and
the United States would have agreed prior
to conference, that. upon terms to be set led
at such conference, they would reopen their
minis to the unlimited coinage of both gold
and silver"
Nv oil
length the joint negotiations on the
part of the American commissioners
and the French ambassador in Eng
land. At fist, he said, there seemed
but few difficulties in the way. and he
quoted the resolutions of the house Of
commons and the utterances of Mr.
Balfour and Sir Michael Hicks Beach
of March T. 1894
I'VE were not therefore intruders. We
could present ourselves with the certainty of
that welcome which must follow direct and
open invitation. And the welcome we had
day we reached England to the day we left
it. our official treatment was all 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 a solution of
the problem, and at the same time retain for
her own people the gold standard, and what
are termed the proposals were not voiun-
teered. and were made only by way of sug-
gestion at the explicit request CT the Eng
lish ministry. When they were received
they were treated with full consideration as
were the representatives of the two govern
ments conducting the negotiations"
HOSTILE PRESS.
Mr.. Wolcott admitted, however. that
1t was not surprising that another
view should have prevailed in this
country, view based, he said ION
the Incorporate and hostile and some
what brutal utterances of the Lon
don press respecting the proposals of
the French and American representa-
tlveS. The newspapers of London. like
the newspapers of many of the capitals
of the world" he went on. ARE domi
mated by and allied with the banking
element and reflect their views and
often their expressions. The business
of money loaning is an engrossing pur-
suit, not always tending to the cultiva-
ton of the amenities of life, and it Is
not to be wondered at that the Lon
don newspapers, voicing that industry,
should in their hostility to a policy Of
which they disapproved, forget for the
moment that courtesy which is due to
the stranger within their gates, es-
pecially when he comes upon invita-
ton, and that they should be led to
characterize proposals as impertinent'
which. were made only on request Of
their own government"
'Tt was perfectly realized from the
beginning" he said, that bimetallism
for England was out Of the question.
India was the vital point Of the nego-