The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1898-07-26

| pert-Foreign Capitalists Aided.
| This series OF letters is the result of per-
sonal visit TO Mexico made by the writer
Michigan Republican Newspaper Association
to investigate the monetary system of that
country.1
There is much in Mexico to please
and interest the tourist and traveller and
more that Will reward and crafty the
student and lover of history. Although
separated along its northern boundary
from the United States by only mar
row, shallow river and imaginary terri
torial lines, yet so unlike the greater
republic has been it's history, SO distinct
has been the manner and matter of its
civilization and so varied its govern
mental career that with all its progress
and development of recent years the
| Mexico of today is more foreign to the
| United States, so far as relates TO the
customs and peculiarities of its people,
than is any country of Europe.
There is in present practical opera
ton in Mexico q monetary policy the
adoption of which is being vigorously
advocated by one of the great political
parties of the United States, and the
candidate Of this party at the last presi-
Dental election visited Mexico, and
upon his return announced that he was
more than ever convinced that the in
terests of our country demanded the
adoption in the United States of such a
| financial policy Us Mexico now possess
es, the free and unlimited coinage OF
silver at the ratio of 16 to /. This visit
of Mr.. Bryan to Mexico for the evident
\ purpose Of learning by actual observa-
ton what conditions accompany or
were coeXistent with the free and un-
limited coinage of silver at practically
| the same ratio favored and demanded by
the party OK which he is the spokesman
and leader gives present and practical
value to candid review of the policy
and conditions here, the observation OF
which seems to have added to Mr.. Bry-
ans desire for their adoption in his own
country.
1 desire, however, to have it well un-
derstood that it is not my purpose TO
J charge against the currency system OF
Mexico conditions which it neither Gre
ated nor could remove, but to confine
myself to conditions as l have observed
them, which the free coinage system
does unquestionably affect, to the sever
; af industrial indications, to which Mr..
| Bryan himself alludes, and TO the theo-
retic claims made by the advocates OF the
free and unlimited coiSage of silver in
| the United States as compared with the
practical operation of such system in
| Mexico Throughout the entire discus
\ sion of this question on the part OF the
advocates of free silver there have been
certain peculiar claims which they have
| uersistently advanced, certain classes to
whom they have constantly appealed,
and certain interests which they have
| confidently asserted would be favorably
| and other interests which would be un-
favorably affected by the adoption of
their policy. These claims and assertions
are in great part founded upon theory
and assumption. The experiment they
seek to have made has never been sat
isfactorily or successfully made in the
history of the civilized world, and it is
therefore important and necessary that
so far as possible we subject these
claims to such tests of experience and
illustration as can in Mexico or else
where be secured.
Candid Companions.
If It shall be said that Mexico and
the United States are too far apart in
consequence and characteristics to per-