The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-24
A RECORD or POLITICAL rREAcH

RECORD or POLITICAL TREACH-
EHf.
The reproduction in The Posts columns
Yesterday, frcm the Washington Post. OF
what may be termed the official account
OF the movement to secure an interna-
tional agreement as TO bimctallism, since
the installation of the Mckinley admins
tration. makes extremely interesting read
ing and The Post would call the special
attention to it of the general public
few days ago in these columns COM
nent was made on the report of the Brit
sh parliamentary commission to inquire
into the Indian currency problems, aud it
was suggested that India would be placed
on gold basis chiefly through the action
of the American government in breaking
tho republican pledge to promote in every
wav possible an international agreement
The official facts and correspondence
published by The Post yesterday prove the
correctness OF our conclusions. The row
ing Wuleott commission, which was sent
10 Europe in 1897, OF course accomplished
nothing. because 1t did not press matters
nor go about Its work in the right way.
Possibly il was not intended that it should
I accomplish anything, But 1t appears that
as far back rs last September or october
/ the English government began TO recon
I slider It's former action and to sound the
United States again on the subject of an
agreement as to the rehabilitation of sill
yer and the establishment OF a double
| standard
What was the reply Of this government
through our secretary of state? Did the
administration jump at the opportunity TO
redeem its pledge to promote an interna-
tianal agreement. or did it display its ut
ter duplicity and false promises TO the
public in the treatment of the financial
question?
In answer to the letter of Lord Alden
ham the late governor OF the Bank of Eng
land, asking how far he could so In his
testimony before the parliamentary COM
mission as to the present attitude of the
United States toward an international
agreement, Secretary Hay replied;
Our cabinet. like your own is considerably
divided In opinion upon the question OF
practical bimetallsm, and, while II Is true
that neither the president nor a majority OF
my colleagues have in the least changed OF
mcdihed the Views which they held last year
In regard to the great uoslrahilitY OF an fn-
!; tetnRtional agreement on the subject, they
all consider that it would not be eXped ent
for the government of the United States &c
reopen the subject at nresent In view of the
character of the answer which was given e
the bimetHlic commission by the British
I ministry In october of last year
This reply was made last November. II
will be seen that it is tho diplomatic way OF
refusing to reopen or consider the ques'
ton OF bmetaliism at all, when chancs
of reaching an agreement is presented
e Then again Secretary Hay says to Lore
I Alderman:
o In tho present aspect OF affairs II Is moi
thought advisable for the government OF the
. United States TO put forth. either officially
d or by any private suggest on, any dennt'
n proposition to the government of England In
: regard to bmetalism | am afraid this will
not be entirely satisfactory TO you, and re-
. gret not being able to answer your kind In
quiries more denntely.
b The present aspect OF affairs" mean'
! that the republican party has dropped IL
I mask by which It deceived tens OF thou
!; sands of voters in 1896 and Is devotng H.
self TO fastening the straight gold stand
= ard upon this country and, in consequence
0 upon the world,
Lord Alderman told the commission thai
9 he believed the United States alone were
; able 10 maintain the two metals ON par
y ity, as France had done so for eighty years
: at even a higher ratio for silver. when
she did not have half the population or
commerce that this country now has,
. But Secretary Hays attitude Lord Alden.
, ham said, offered no hope for the restora-
ton OF bimetallsm!
As the Washington Post says, the fore
going statements from such eminent au-
thorities throw food of light on Great
/, Britain's. determination to place India Oh
/, the gold standard and, also what an i'm
! portant factor the United States have beer
In leading up to that result! This adj
ministration has not only boldly aud mean :
|, ly broken faith with the American Ma.
/, ton, but has forced the gold standard
upon other suffering people.
! The public should know and will know
that International blmetallism which tn,
masses of all parties indorse could be
easily attained but for the treachery to
!, ward the Nation by the Mckinley admin
istration.
-
: All American ports should be on the clos,
! watch for the bubonic plague. II jumped from