St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-02
MEETING OF CONGRESS.

r. INV vi SONUthNsHos
The organization of the Fifty-first
congress to-day leaves but little room
for conjecture as to what the result OF
its deliberations will be. The action or
the Republican caucus on Saturday in
nominating Mr.. REED for speaker and
Mr. MCPHERSON for clerk of the lower
house clearly outlines the policy that
will be pursued by the Republican ma
iority. MIR. REED has ever been the
stauneh advocate of subsidies and the
champion of the protection system, and
his elevation to the speakerShip means
that all legislation for the next two
years will be in the interest of the trusts
and monopolies who united their efforts
to bring about his election. Yet it is
probable that the congress which con-
veneS to-day will be guilty of more sins of
omission than commission. There is no
apparent necessity for the Republican
party to take advance steps in the direc-
ton it has been pursuing for the last
twenty-five years: but it is TO the inter
est of the monopolies that no backward
steps be taken. Their policy is to leave
legislation on the tariff and kindred
questions in its present shape. They
do not want any reforms, or reductions,
or establishments. unless in some minor
particulars which will not affect the
combines. They will, perhaps, cheer
fully assent to removal of the tax
from whisky and tobacco in order to
strengthen their demand for a retention
of the high taxes on the neceSSarieS OF
life. So that the very utmost the tax
PAYERS have a righttO expect in the way
of relief from this congress is cheaper
whisky, tobacco and other luXurieS,
while they will continue topSy the old
time war prices for wooden goods.
sugar, salt and other articles that are
essential to home comfort. We expect
to see some of the Republican congress-
men from the Western states make
strenuous efforts to secure tariff reform
and tax reduction in accordance with
the popular demand, but their efforts
will be fruitIess. They will be beaten
and Outgeneraled in the party caucus,
Just as they were last Saturday. and
when the last session of the Fifty-first
congress closes there will be no mate
rial changes in the tariff laws.
The sitting of the Pan-American con-
gress in Washington during the time
that our national congress is in session,
and the general agitation of the ques-
ton of improving and extending our
commercial relations with other coun-
tries, will give the subsidy SchemerS a
fine opportunity to impress their meas
ures upon the attention of congress.
They can depend upon Speaker REED
to help them along, and with the aid
and encouragement of the state depart
ment there is every reason to believe
that they will succeed in depicting the
treasury vaults. The combination that
elected Mr.. REED is subSidy-hungry,
and it will be difficult for the wiser and
more conservative leaders of the party
to hold it in check. The scheme
will be to throw a tub to the Western
whale by making liberal appropriations
for waterway improvements and by
swelling the pension list,in the expecta-
ton that with few paltry brides of
this sort the West can be reconciled to
the enormous stealage at the other end
of the line.
But whatever line of policy the Fifty
first congress may pursue, whe Their ii
be good or whether it be evil, the Re
publican party will have to shoulder
the full responsibility. Being in abso-
Lutte control of all departments of the
government, there is no chance for
evasion or for shifting responsibility.
Whatever is done will be Simon-pure
Republicanlsm, and it will be so
charged up in the general account that
will be rendered in 1892. If ever a
party had the incentive to walk in the
paths of wisdom and justice, the Re-
publican party has. Yet it has the
misfortune of being organized under a
reckless leadership, who view the pu b.
lie interests in a Vanderbiltian light,
and there is no telling what the results
will be.