West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-09-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial to the WEsr VA. DENocRAT.l
WxsHINeroE. ID. c., Sep. "A, 1893.

the question which Is. al the pIesoht nv
ment, of greatest trouble and yexatlon
to both political parties. In their wrest-
ling with this matter, both parties have
recently held caucuses; the Democrats
wisely determined not to help the Re
publicans out of their tariff dilemma,
and that after fighting the great battle OF
tariff reform and driving their enemy
from every position, it would be worse
than folly to retreat when, by holding
on, the Republican party would have TO
confess practical defeat. The Republican
caucus on last Saturday spent several
hours In discussing the present situation
and condition Of their affairs. The great
est secresy is maintained as TO WHAT Was
| nothing was decided upon. TO keep up
appearances and to mislead the people,
| the Republican Senate will kill time Dy
discussing bills TO admit Territories into
| the Union, while It's Finance committee
will further deceive by pretending 10 De
| engaged in hearing manufacturers on
the tariff. There is no present prospect
| OF adjournment, and the most propaDde
outcome will be that in October a recess
| OF two or three weeks will be taken I'M
| til after the Presidential election, ana
| then the verdict Of that great trial will
be accepted by the defeated party. III
Cleveland is elected, the Mills bill Will
be passed without further delay; II Har-
rison is elected the tariff will be modified
| by the repeal of the tobacco tax ana
| part of the duties on sugar; but some
| protective duties will be Increased and
| the surplus reduced very little. The
burdens that now repress the energy
and enterprise of the people will neither
be relieved or lightened, and Protectlon
will be continued as the policy or the
| country: the taxation of the many for
the benefit of the few; the bprdening OF
agriculture for the profit of manufac-
lures, will be established rs the pernla-
nent policy of the United States, and
| reform will be relegated to the past.
But the present outlook Is so cheerful
for Democrats, that the defeat OF Cleve-
land is not at all probable. The
PHENOMENAL LUCK
which has followed him, has again, III
tho past week, exemplified how much. In
politics as i'm love, the brave deserve sue
cess. The Chinese exclusion bill was q
bold, brave, valorous act OF the Presi-
dent. The Republican Senate had emas-
culated the Presidents Chinese treaty
with amendments which, he believed,
would cause its rejection by China. That
rejection would, in the Pacific States, be
charged to the President, and would de-
feat the Democrats on the Pacific coast.
To meet the situation and deprive it OF
danger to his party required extraordi-
nary courage. He was equal to the oc-
CASTOR. Drafting bill that would au-
thorize the President to exclude Chi
nese, he sent 1t to the House by MIR.
Scott, of Penna., who introduced it. and
had it passed. without reference to a
committee, and sent to the Senate in NJ
teen minutes after the clerk had read the
bill the first time. Now the Republican
Senate was in trouble. The bill was be-
fore the Senate, but the treaty had not
been ratified or rejected. To pass the
bill, which authorized the President TO
do exactly what the treaty was intended
TO prevent, might involve complications
of the most serious character, while TO
reject the bill was to turn over the Paci-
fic States to the Democrats. Nor was the
situation without embarrassment to the
Democrats, for If the bill became law,
and the treaty was ratified, the Exect1-
tive would have occupied very unen-
viable position in the Diplomatic world.
The conception OF the Chinese Exclusion
Bill was therefore bold, brave, but dan
gerous expedient. But the Presidents
luck was true to MIN again, and the very
day the bill was presented TO him, a ca
blegram was received from Minister
| Denley in China, announcing the rejec-
and courage had won the Pacific States
for Mr.. Cleveland, and the wisdom of his
boldness is confirmed to the American
people. Success loves such holiness aud
bravery, and in these qualities of the
Presidents character are to be found the
true reasons Of his popularity with the
people, and they will also explain why
the politicians don't like him. 4 bold,
brave man, is almost always self
poised, self-willed character; self-reli-
ance does not like to lean on the should
ers of any men, but stands alone, and
sometime aloOf, from those who would
like to have themselves known as the
props that held up the President. But
Mr.. Cleveland is President. and "don't
you forget it," his party's politicians
must follow, they cannot lead him, and
away down in the depths Of the popular
heart, and even among some Republic
cans, the admiration for that kind of q
character recalls old Andrew Jackson's
memory, and with his "by the eternal"
they will re-elect Grover Cleveland. An
I4~t IMMENSE AMOUNT
of unfinished business is now upon the
calendars of both Houses Of Congress,
and yet political COW ardice prevents its
being disposed of. While almost unex-
ampled boldness sets in the White
e.,
right cowardice fills both chambers at
the Capitol. The only thing that justifies
the length Of the Fiftieth Congress is the
hurtfulness of the surplus in the Treasu-
nv. Both parties have proclaimed to the
people the very great danger to private
business from that large sum of money
continuing to increase and lie idle i'm the
vaults, and both parties have pledged
themselves to the passage of legislation
Ia,
of a surplus to a minimum. While dis
agreeing as to the mode Of reduction. all
parties concur In the end that is desired.
And vet the country has been lately
treated to debate in which one party is
seeking to fasten upon the other charges
of eytravd1dnce i'm public expenditures.
As long as taxation continues to draw
money from the people into the Treasury
in volume greater than the government
needs, economy in expenditures is folly
that is hurtful to the people. Economy
Is virtue when taxation is reduced to
the least possible revenue; when q pleth-
ORIG Treasury hampers private business.
extravaganza in expenditures Is mode OF
relief to the people which if not conf
mendable,l is at least excusable, since 1t
returns the money to the channels or
trade instead Of permitting them TO be-
come clogged with products which can
not be handled Tor want OF money.
The reform in the tariff is only the be-
ginning OF greater reformation which
in the coming years will change radi-
callv the whole business of Congress.
The Rules of the House which now him
der public business, are un-Ainerican,
I'M Democratic and lot even Republican
in their nature-which permits one man,
and that man not even an average
American in sense and requirements, to
and stop the business in hand-cannot
long be sustained now that the rebellion
is out of politics. Asold Mr.. Richie used
10 say-Noats Yerrons.
Among all. the speeches. In the long de-
bate of the tariff, that Of your Represen-
tative, Mr.. Wilson, continues to hold its
grip upon the admiration Of his party all
over the country. All committees seek
ing speakers that csme to Washington,
make him their first choice, and the adj