The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-18
THE FINANCIAL PLANK IN 1900
SENATOR CHANDLER ANXIOUS
FOR REPUBLICAN PARTY.
He Hopes the Plank of 1896 Will Be
Retained-No Prospect For Inter
national Bimetallism.
Especial corresnondence0

Washington, April 1S.-AIr. Secretary
of State Hay has admitted the sub
stantial accuracy of the cabled quota
tons from his letter to Lord Aldenham
of the Bimetallic League of England
There is, however, no reason to believe
that the administration has any inten-
ton of participating in further con-
| terenceS looking to the restoration OF
silver. The complete failure of the
pretentious Wolcott commission practi-
! caIly closes all effort on the part of the
present administration. either to induce
| the foreign governments to recognize
the white metal, or to deceive the peo-
/ pie OF this country as to it's own atti-
tude relative to silver coinage. Mr.
| Hays letter left the plain inference
| that If negotiations are reopened it
must be upon the invitation of Great
Britain. AS it is we'll understood that
this invitation will never be fOrthcom-
| ing it Will be seen that international
bimetallism under McKinley-the pet
scheme of the Wolcott-C Carter Shoup
group of senatorS-is as dead as Julius
Caesar
Senator Chandler of New Hampshire,
who is the nearest approach to a silver
man among the Republican radicals,
| tries to put hopeful view on the situa-
ton in Post interview, in which he
says: THE negotiations for BIZ
metall1sm were suspended by the action
of the British government in refusing
upon the advice of the council for
India, to agree to reopen the minis of
India to the coinage of silver Even if
the British government at the time of
the suspension of the negotiations was
willing to discuss the question of in
ternational free coinage of silver at a
changed ratio of % or 20 to l. France
was not then willing to entertain the
idea of any ratio except 1912 to /.
Whether France is now willing to dis
cuss a changed ratio in Difference to
the wishes Of the English bimetallists is
most important question. If France
is so willing then certainly England or
the United States ought at once to re-
new the negotiations. Secretary Hays
letter to Lord Alderman was written
to single individual only. The secre-
tary would quickly respond favOrably
to an invitation from either the English
or the French government to continue
the negotiations with a view to the
discussion of a change of ratio. 1t is
not impossible that such an invitation
may be given by England or France. 1t
would be wise for the United States to
take the initiative, Notwithstanding
Secretary Hay and presumably Presi-
dent Mckinley are naturally disin-
clined to do so.
Senator Chandler was really the pro-
ponent of the collapsed Wolcott COM
mission scheme and he knows full we'll
that the administration has practically
abandoned all intention of undertaking
to do anything for the friends of silver,
even by the universal agreement. He
continues:
The Republican party should not
abandon its bimetalliSt platform of 1896
and become d gold standard Dartv.
which is to be hostile to bimetallism
even if it can be obtained through in
ternational action. The party should
keep it's existing and still binding plat
form of 1896; should continue to look
for an international agreement. and
should welcome the opportunity to
remonetiZe silver as standard money
at a change. of ratio if it cannot other
wise be done, and if France will con-
sent"
He thinks that if the Republican
party does not keep faith the opDosi-
ton party will camp on it's abandoned
ground; will omit its declarations
against international aid in establish
ing bimetallism. and succeed in the
next election. He believes safety lies
in adhering to the existing platform of
and in opposing and sup
pressing all trusts and monopolies
which destroy individual enterprise and
crush down the many in order to I'M
duly aggrandize the few.