Show OUR STRENGTH AS A CREDITOR NATION I 1 the bank of france yesterday advanced its rate to 2 12 1 2 per cent the first cl change iange within bevon seven yeara years dur ilir which time the bank of ot england had hind changed its rate twenty times and ourselves more times than it were PrO printable table to reckon if it we WO were debtors of either Ling englund lund or r france tance we might prepare ourselves for tho the recall of whatever foreign mon ey they could not leave leve with us is for the profit it would earn here but the fact Is that both london and parte are our debtors and the rise of the french rate denotes appreciation that the debts to fsr u must be settled soon instead of juggled between the two markets i it makes no diff difference how our credits have been established but as matter of tact fact upon solid commercial credits have been plied piled considerable takings of our securities and both markets so dislike to pay the bill that they are working together in something like a conspiracy to withhold our due that we are not ac at all pressing is shown by the fact that wo ive have not riot availed ourselves of our rights to draw gold during the considerable erable period when exchange has ruled in our favor nor are we urgent now but it Is impossible not to remark the condescending tone toward ourselves of the worlds single free market for gold and the capital where they re servo the privilege to pay you diver when you ask for gold the bank of of england we are told might let us take gold if it understood our famine but our position Is so unintelligible that there Is no basis for a scientific policy when ve vie were debtors there was no talk about understanding situations before paying debts and we paid at much sacrifice we do not now care whether london or paris takes the course usual when the exchanges are adverse it Is agreeable to us that they shall settle it between themselves and at their convenience within reasonable limits we are moderate and forbearing because there are aro reasons why we should be the situation has drifted into the present apparent impasse tor for what may be called psychological causes Reg regrettable retable incidents had caused our friends to conceive the idea that although we were paying our bills there was doubt about how sound we were and they thought they would find out so they aspersed our credit refused to lend us money upon sec securities urides which put gold at a discount aud now are reluctant about settling their own debts this ie Is not the way to maintain the prestige of centers of finance claiming impeccable superiority now york times march |