Mr. P. A. H. Franklin, a prominent bimetallist of Chicago, wanted to know of Coin, in case it was necessary or desirable, if there were any practical method to force England to adopt bimetallism?
Coin's reply was: "Yes. It is not probable that such an emergency can arise ; but if it does all we would have to do would be to put an excessive tariff on all imports coming from her, and all other countries having a gold standard, until they adopted a bimetallic system with the same ratio as ours.
"England could not afford to stay out of our markets while France was enjoying them. The English people would raise a clamor that would soon lead to bimetallism. If such a course on our part conflicts with treaties treaties should be broken. When humanity, or the life of a nation, is involved, all treaties are at an end.
"If England wages a war on humanity, the United States should declare an industrial war on England. [Applause.]
"England demonetized silver in 1816, and yet from that period to 1873 the parity of the two metals was not affected; we did not need her then, and we do not need her now.
"When the nations giving importance to silver, are as numerous and as strong as those giving importance to gold, a parity is naturally produced.
"The farmer in Mexico sells his bushel of wheat for one dollar. The farmer in United States sells his bushel of wheat for 50 cents. The former is proven by the history of the world to be an equitable price. The latter is writing its history, in letters of blood, on the appalling cloud of debt that is sweeping with ruin and desolation over the farmers of this country. [Applause.] What is said of wheat may be said of all our property.
