The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-14
DEAD. "FoR THE PRESENT"

Senator Stewart discussing yesterday,
the section OF the Philippine bill which
provides for the coinage of silver dol
lar for use in the archipelago, said that
the silver question was dead, at least for
the present." on account of the large. out
put of gold in this country
This wassthe reason given by the SEN
ator for abandoning his enthusiastic
championship Of silver few years ago,
his precise position being that plenty Of
gold would do just as we'll as plenty Of
silver, although he had heartily Joined,
the, populist-democratic combination in
the contention for the single silver stand
ard and free coinage of that metal by our
government.
Evidently Senator Stewart, like Bryan
hopes for the revival of the silver ques-
tion with all it's former intensity. Bryan,
indeed, while, like the senator, tolerating
the gold standard in the most condescend
ing manner, still appears as the most pro-
nounced champion of silver free coinage
In this country. He does not, like the
Nevada senator: contemplate it as dead
with the portentious reservation 'tfor the
present." :r .>r.~ e.. ss.,. =.
AS matter of fact the bastard silver
dollar coinage clause of the Philippine bill
furnishes some evidence that there Is still
lingering belief that heavily deprecated
silver currency is great blessing to the
dear people, and that If the dishonest
stuff cannot circulate at home, it. can be
utilized in the Philippines where the peo-
pie have had, under the Spanish regime,
a very mongrel currency OF copper and
silver coins, rhe Mexican dollar (worth
414 cents) dominating. OF course, buy
ers OF Philippine productions from the
natives pay out the deprecated currency
and wages and taxes are paid In the same
coin. 1t is proposed in the senate Philip
pine bill that free coinage Of silver shall
be established at Manila and that at the
San Francisco mint the proposed Philip
pine dollar shall also be coined for use in
the archipelago. 1t is alleged that this
coin will circulate in China and the Phil
ippines and take the place@ of the Mexican
dollar, No doubt it would meet with the
fate Of the old trade dollar, which was a
Qead failure as Iar as QASpldCluS Tue MSXl-
can dollar in Cuba was concerned
But what a desperately inconsistent
position this, nation would place itself in,
if 1t went into the execution OF the. pro-
visions of the Philippine bill for free
coinage and confer upon the Filipinos out
of our bounty a bastard, deprecated
coinage. Dollars irredeemable in nothing
more than other bastard. dollars! If we
intend to give the Filipinos the best
things we have. in the way OF the higher
civilization, for heavens sake let US give
them currency with which to do business
as good as that which we ourselves use.
At the very outset of our sovereignty in
the Philippines, to force upon the people
dishonest coinage and methods which all
the best experience Of the world, has dis
carded, would be disgrace to the gov
eminent and nation. It is said that the
oriental peoples are used to silver cur
rency and that the gold standard cannot
be established. japan has adopted the
gold standard with great advantage to
her people and has no idea of returning "a
| the silver standard. ~
I