New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-14
majority would not be able to escape personal

responsibility.
Early in the session an optimistic feeling was
prevalent Men would not credit accounts Oh
depression in trade or manufactures, or as
missed them with light-hearted confidence that
good crops this summer would certainly rc-
store general prosperity. But members must
be aware by this time that the industrial anu
financial difficulties cannot safely be treated
with indifference. Large exports oil god, anu
rapd depletion of the gold reserve i'll the Treas
ury. have shown that, under the laws that now
exist. serious embarrassment is not Impossible
Yet the important measures when 4 hepuo-
lican Administration recommended as necessary
for the financial and industrial safety Oh tho
country have not yet received attention. Con-
gress has spent more than SIX months III '''N
ing, and yet has made no provision 10 protect
the industries and the business OF the people
against dangers which every weekly or mohthly
return of the Treasury, the banks or the for
eign commerce of the country has SHOWN
steadily drawing nearer
Cannot the House devote two or three weeks
to the business necessities OF the Nation as
earnestly and pcrsistently as it did to the set
Element of political questiOnsf The one ought
to have been done, but the other cannot
safely be left undone There are necessary
for the safety of business interests during
the fall n suspension of silver coinage, re-
ductlon of taxes. correction Of at least one
most pernicous change in the tariff which has
occurred through a blunder i'll the compilation
of the statutes, and provision for the extern
sion of bank charters. We believe that the
members Of the majority will have occasion 10
regret it keenly next fall when they seek
reelection if they suffer this month 10 pass
without action on these matters. Inc House
has already endeavOred to provide for renewal
of bank charters, but, through great anxiety
to avoid a controversy with an unpatIlouc
minority, permitted its bill to pass III such
imperfect form that it will doubtless come
back with some changes, good or bad. upon
the other matters, the House has thus far
failed to take any action. The tarlf defect,
though it threatens the very existence OF an
industry in which many thousand workers are
employed, and can be cured by mere reen-
actment of provision long ago made, and for
years in force, but by pure bunder omitted
from the revised statutes, was brought up by
MIR. Kelley last week without success. 1t
ought not to take members thirty minutes to
remove that difficulty by an act OF obvious
justice.
Nor is there any reason for hesitation III re-
spect to the suspension of silver coinage. Inc
abest bi-metailists, both in this country and III
Europe, have all urged this course rs essential
to the ultimate success of their efforts. Every
intelligent business man in this country sees
that the rapid substitution of silver for gold
in the Treasury reserves has already created
much apprehension, lest the Treasury may be
compelled to pay ont silver instead OF gold,
and that this apprehension operates strongly
to prevent the free employment OF capital.
period of stringency in the money mar
ket next fall is not at all improbable. When
that comes, if this apprehension has been in
creased by steady depletion Of gold reserves,
there will be great danger of a rapid cXhaus-
ton of the reserve by payment OF duties III
silver and silver certificates, and by presenta-
ton of legal-tender notes for redemption. If
members will consider seriously what effect
such state of things would have upon their
own prospects as candidates, they will
surely be disposed to give the mltter at
tentiOn.
The Republicans have already made an effort
to agree upon a measure for reduction OF tax
.
inc of individual preferences if the majority Is
TO discharge its duty to the country i'll spite of
Democratic mischief making No party can
acdut itself of the responsibilities Of Govern
F, ment, or Justify its retention in power for a
single year. unless its members can make many
concessions to each other as to details, in order
TO carry through a general policy against oppo-
sition. Apparently the majority of the Repub-
| licans hold it wise TO clear away all other in
ternal taxes except those Oh liquors and
| tobacco, and some part of the taxes Oh dealers
| in these articles could also bc spared from the
revenue. But the Republicans ought to be able
TO agree upon some plan without delay, and
then to support it with absolute unanlmy in
the House. They cannot afford to go To the
country refusing to make any abatement Of
taxes when the surplus revenue for the cur
rent fiscal year is over $l50,0OO,O0O. But
above all, they cannot afford any longer TO
refuse attention to the business interests Of
| the country.
| TIE FRESH AIR FUND.
| Tie Fresh Air Fund was devised several
wears ago as an easy and popular way Of doing
| cool The idea was to give sick and needy
| i'm q Ifts