Some considerations on the proposed alteration in the gold coinage of the United Kingdom

Abstract

Financial questions are happily as a rule examined without reference to party feelings: it is not thought requisite to be Conservative or Liberal in such matters. The only recognised distinction is that between the expedient and the inexpedient. This comparative immunity from party prejudices is, however, in one respect disadvantageous, as it hinders financial questions from being subjected to vigorous, even if one-sided criticism, and any measures proposed by the government of the day are, unless very much opposed to popular sentiment, almost sure to be passed after a perfunctory discussion. It is consequently most desirable that all such proposals should be closely examined; and I therefore wish to call the attention of this Society to the economic points involved in the proposed currency changes, and to consider them from a strictly scientific standpoint.