People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1894 — SOMEWHAT GINGERLY. [ARTICLE]

SOMEWHAT GINGERLY.

The Silver Leaven That Is Working In England Viewed from a Gold Standard Standpoint. The London Financial News, which is a paper of some standing in its locality, says that “bimetallism in England is gaining converts. ” If this be true, ; and the News is in a position to know the truth, it is of considerable significance. The same thing has often been | said in the past, of course, and some- { times by persons who were on the j ground, and who ought to have known | what they were talking about, but it turned out, nevertheless, to be erro- i neons. Moreton Frewen told this a good ' many times in the eight or ten years j which have passed since the movement ; was first started here to repeal the ' Bland’ law, but -the wish appears to have been responsible for the assertion in Frewen’s case,and England’s position continued unchanged. The News, how- ! ever, is not a rabid silver paper, and j perhaps its opinion is entitlod to some credence. Bimetallism in England, says that j journal, “is no longer the creed of a I handful of cranks.” In some degree at any rate, it is justified in taking this | view. Several prominent tory states- ; men have, in the past six or eight months, had a good word to say for silver, and there are persons in En- j gland of sufficient standing in the community to get their opinions into print | who say, in effect, that bimetallism i will have a boom when the tory party comes into power. The significance in these assertions lies in the fact that a general election for parliament is expected to take place this year, and there have been predictions that it will occur some time in the spring or summer. Politics on that side of the water, as on this, is very uncertain, and the narrow margin of the liberals may possibly be wiped out, despite the growing strength in all parts of the kingdom of the home rule movement, now that their great leader, Gladstone, has stepped down.

Sensible persons, however, in this country will be a little skeptical regarding these stories of a coming change in England’s attitude toward silver. A few years ago a handful of protectionists made so much noise in England that many persons on this side of the water imagined that that country was going to set up its old tariff barriers once more, yet it is clear enough to all reasonable beings that not one in ten of the present members of the house of commons would vote for any such policy. There is a chance, too, that this movement, or alleged movement, in favor of bimetallism is another case of the tailors of Tooley street talking in the name of the English people. However, England has a more direct and immediate concern in the silver question at present than the United States has, and powerful influences are urging her to take action on this question at this moment which had not yet been called into being ten or twelve months ago.—GlobeDemocrat.