The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-05-02
VOL. VII.
MILLIONS LOST AND NOTHING
WON-CONGRESS SHOULD NOT
ADJOURN.


wON-CONGRESS SHOULD MOI
ADJOURN.
This Congress has squandered mil
lions and done absolutely nothing
The silver bill only served to show that
there are enough men in Congress hav.
ing proper financial opinions to com.
pei proper action If they are honest and
unbought. Bankers and syndIcstes
came to Washington and in the week
that the silver bill, shorn Of efficacy,
became the law, the syndicate pur-
chased Congress and fifty millions of
bonds, pocketing a profit of five hun
dred thousand dollars, and Sherman
again, with renewed vigor, applies the
thumbscrew of contraction, one hun
dred and fifty millions of legal tenders
are rapidly withdrawn from circulation,
property values still shrink, money
gains more and more purchasing power
and the moneyholders aud bondholders
become the holders of two-thirds of
the whole wealth of the country. Con-
gress absolutely legislates property of
value equal to the sum of paper with
drawn from circulation out of the
hands Of the many into the pockets of
the few. What stupendous wealth Is
this with Ghich the few are invested at
tie cost OF the poverty and tears and
wretchedness of the poor and helpless !
Four millions of working people have
become tramps and hopeless, helpless
idlers. Their abandoned wives and
mothers and sisters starve or go to per-
iItion. A country's morals and pros
perity and people are ruthlessly sacri-
feed by a polluted government that
he rich may grow richer and the poor
poorer and that the empire may sup
plant the republic. How long will
these calamities be tolerated Do
Congressman think that the wrong
ed and oppressed will endure
all these wrongs, and finally become
the unpitied, plundered slaves of the
magnificent aristocracy which Sherman
creates. When will this frightful pro-
cess have an end? Will Congress ad-
journ having done nothing to arrest
the progress of popular woes, or turn
back the tide of evils which Sherman
blindly defies. There is danger to
America in strikes, now progressive
among English laboring populations,
and the end of revolts of the poor
against the rich will not be in Lanca-
shire or Manchester. But Congress
sees nothing and hears nothing beside
the din of its confused voices, and
Sherman is so intent upon the protec-
ton of bondholders and aggrandize-
ment of syndicates that the woes and
imprecations of the people are utterly
unheeded, and dangers threatening the
peace and freedom of the country un-
noticed. Congress should not adjourn.
Idle, starving multitudes may compel
the President to reconvene the illus
trious victims of syndlcates, and it
were if we'll the tariff be remodeled,
and the Union and Pacific Railways
compelled to provide a sinking fund
for the $12O, 900, 900 said to be due the
government. The bill to impose an
income tax is designed to be defeated
by adjournment. The syndicate orders
Its defeat, and Congress dares not dis
obey. The infamous tobacco tax, that
robs the South and West, like the
whole system of Federal exactlons, to
ernch the East, will be lessened in
nothing. The bill to suspend the
transfer of thirty-seveu millions to the
sinking fund will be forgotten by the
good Congress, maddened with joys of
speedy adjournment.
A war in Europe is imminent. New
England and the East have a few ships,
and can build more. The West and
South have none, and Congress will ad
journ without authorizing us to buy yes
sells from belligerents, that we may be
enriched by the worlds carrying trade
1t Is designed that the bondholding
East shall have a monopoly of the enor
nous profits of the worlds traffic
given us the moment Russia and Eng
land fire gun. The levee bill and
another providing for steamers to Vera
Cruz and Brazil from New Orleans are
unconsidered. The postal savings
bank scheme is buried beneath mass
of stupidities, and, above all, the bill
to prevent the boarding of greenbacks
and reverse the intolerable policy of
contraction is forgotten by Congress.
sional victims of Shermsn's syndicates.
The Republicans, seeking reelection,
will gladly go home at once AMI assail
this Democratic Congress because of
its crimes of omission, and because of
its fraudulent silver bill. The people
were promised everything. We get alb
solutely nothing, and find ourselves in
an infinitely worse condition at the
close than at the beginning of the
reign of Democracy in the House. The
people will not forget that on ques-
tions of finance the Democracy are
masters Of the Senate, and 1t therefore
happens that if nothing more be done
to relieve popular suffering and un-
-heard-of poverty they, who are re-
sponsible, deserve execration. Con-
gress should not adjourn, and mainly
because the Republicans are anxious
for its instant dissolution. II the body
must remain in session twelve months
the people viii not complain. 1t is
only asked that each measure designed
to relieve the sufferings Of starving
millions, give employment to idle null
titudes and restore property values be
enacted. II Congress adjourn before
these ends are attained this same Con-
gress, constituted Of these same men,
viii never meet again. 1t win deserve
and have the execrations of wrouged
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