The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-01-02
wANTED-sTATEsMEN.

century ago-even a decade ago-were the
men in Congress who dared to do what was
right and best for the country, even though
the land rang with clamors against ii, and
with vile abuse of themselves.
These were really worthy of the name of
statesmen. They were the men
| The applause Of listening senates 10 command.
The threats Of pain and ruin TO despisc.
To scnIter plenty DER a smiling land
And read their history in n Nations eyes
What magnificent work they did in the face
oil storm of opposition and obloquy, such
as no other Legislators ever had to encounter!
They put over 2, 100000 men into the field,
and maintained them there through war of
unparalleled length, bloodshed and destruct-
iveness. Oar people had scarcely known
what taxation was before; they had won
their independence, resisting scarcely-fel
imposition of unimportant duties, and had,
IN several instances, taken up arms to dis
pute imposts very far from onerous. Yet,
to get money TO carry on the war, these
statesmen did not hesitate to cover the land
with myriad of tax -gatherers, who invaded
the humblest home, the poorest farm, the
mallest shop, aud would not 90 away un-
satisfied. The whole industrial and COM
mercial fabric of the country was well-nigh
revolutiOnized to gather taxes from every
nook and corner. These real statesmen did
not shrink from continuing this onerous sys-
TEN 10 pay off the enormous debt incurred
bythew war, and make the Nations promise to
pay gold as good as the gold itself Nor did
they falter in the face of the terrible storm
raised by the inveterate race prejudice of
centuries from lifting 100000 of lately
enfranchised slaves 10 the dignity of citizen
ship, and clothing them with suffrage
The whole world has applauded them for
their exalted wisdom TO see the rightfulness
of doing these things, and their courage TO
do that which they saw was right They
have passed into history as among the very
greatest men who ever shaped Nations
desiinies.
What we want now are statesmen and
craftsmanship of the kind we had in the
decade of the war and that Immediately fol-
lowing it We want-we want badly-men
like them who viii not be frightened by the
clamor Of the malignant and selfish from
doing what it is clearly seen the best inter
ests Of the country demand II the gentle
men who constitute the 51st Congress will
understand this, and rise TO the level oc-
cupied by their predecessors of the 37th
3sth, Both, 10th, 41st and 42d Congresses.
they will earn for themselves an equally
enviable place in history.
First, the country demands that the pres
ent protective system, which has made it
the most prosperous land on which the sun
shines, shall not be shattered in obedience
to the clamor Of the sordid commercial brig
ands who would fatten on its ruin.
Next, ii demands that the debt due the
men who saved the Nations life shall be
paid with the same honorable spirit that
characterized the Nations payments of the
debts due the money-Ienders. Then the
people, and their representatives in Congress,
did not shudder and recoil when il was said
that not hundreds but thousands OF millions
were required to pay the bondholders.
They merely said:
What is the amount due them? What
are we in honor bound to pay? Find
II out as quickly as possible, and devise
ways and means to raise the money TO
meet it Any measure looking to the full
discharge Of our obligations will have our
hearty support"
They say the same to-day with regard 10
the debts due the soldiers. They are un-
utterably weary and ashamed of the scan
dalous delay, and miserable chafTering in
dealing with this class of the Nations cred
itors. They recognize that in all the ire
pudiation and scaling" Of the debts of
the Southerr States and cities, all the shame
less bankruptcies" "squeezes," and
wrecks Of Northern corporations, there
has not been decimal part of the fraud and
injustice that has been practiced upon the
soldiers Of the Union.
They want the present Congress to deal
with these great questions in a truly states
manlike way, a. we Americans are accus-
toned TO having great questions treated, and
not as timid, tlme-gerying politicians, who
higgie, palter and chatter. The clamor of
the noisy minority of Free Traders and
soldier-haters is to be treated as tie real
statesmen Of our heroic period treated the
noisy shOuters against coercion" +" freeing
the niggers," making a niger as good AZ
white man, stulfing the pockets of the
bondholders," "giying the shylocka their
pound OF flesh from the Nations heart" etc
Giving the veterans and their dependent ones
all that they ask-lulflling TO them the
uttermost Of the pledges made by the Ma
ton, even TO the same extent that the pledges