Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1895 — Democratic Policy Leading to International Bimetalism. . [ARTICLE]

Democratic Policy Leading to International Bimetalism. .

The Indianapolis Sentinel is one of the strongest advocates of international bimetalism in this conntry, and Editor Dunn has made a more careful study of the question than any other man con* nected with the,metropohtan press. Reviewing conditions as they now exist ti e Sntiuel takes the follow*iug hopeful view ot the situation : “In 1886 Mr. Manning laid these facts before the country and out * lined a policy for securing inter-, national bimetalism. Its principal features were these: “I. Stop silver purchases and silver coinage. “2. Call no more conferences. “3. Redeem and retire the greenback curiency. “He stated his belief that this course would bring international bimetallism withiu a year.. His advice was disregarded. The silver men could not wait. They must have relief at once. Nothing was done by congress. When the Republicans came in the took tho opposite course. They increased silver purchases and called a con-, ference, only to get snubbed once more. When Mr. Cleveland was elected again he entered office with he same policy iu view that had characterized his former administration. He again urged the discontinuance of silver purchases, and this time he succeeded. The last iuteruational conference had adjourned, subject to recall, and might have been assembled by him. Instead of doing so he said in Lis message of 1893:

it seems to me that it would be wise to give general authority to the president to invite other natious to such a conference at any time when there should be a fair prospect f accomplishing an ins ternational agreement on the subject of coinage. “lhe Sherman law had then been repealed, and there was a i opportunity to use the foroing policy proposed by Mr. Mann ng. It has been used, and what has res suited? in less than two years Germany, which had stood for gold monometalism, is ready to call an international conference. The liberal party of Great .Britain, which maintained its stand for gold monometalism, is now being almost wiped out of existenc . British politicians are astounded at the revolution of sentiment They do not understand it. Here iB the fact that might enlighten them. In every district the candidates are being put on record by agents of the bi-metallic lea, ne, by means ot these three questions: 1. Are y u in favor oi steps be* ing taken to secure a settlement of the curren-y question by international agreement at the earliest possible date. 2. Are you in favor of a return to th j monetary system under which the trade of the world was practically conducted until 1873, the ratio between gold and silver money to be fixed by international agreement? 3. If elected, will you vote in favor of the United Kingdom join ing in an international agreement for the purpose of restoring the joint use of gold and silver as full legal .ender money? “Meanwhile an equally strange thing is seen in this country. The nearer Mr. Cleveland’s policy approaches success, the more he is denounced by the men who say they want bimetallism. They shut then eyes to the revolution in progress in Europe, and insist that interna*tional bimetalism is a dream, a delusion a fraud. ‘Gold bug,’ ‘traitor,’ ‘straddler.’ Great heavens! If ever a man took a course that seemed a warrant for political exs ecutiou Mr. Cleveland took it on the silver question, and if ever a man was loaded with denunciation by the people whoso desnes he iB accomplishing that man is Mr Cleveland. The Sentinel will risk a prediction here and now. Did you evei see a pig dragged up toa feed trough? It does i.ot know what is before it. It squeals and struggle ass if were being killed. •Alien it gets o the trough it plunges into the feed, and its grunts bear witness to the soothing of its wounded feelings and its physical gratification. The Seurinel gives fair warning to its independent free coinage triends that within one ye r they are going to occupy that very position. Within one year from this July 17, 1895, you will be lauding M'. Cleveland to the skies as the greatest financier and the best friend of bimeta’lism this 1 cou utry ever h ad. Paste this pre- ; diction in your hat, and hold your ' breath for a few minutes. Give

the man a chance. He will tak® it anyway, and you might as weP wbit and see what he oan do.