The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-12-22
BUSINESS MEN WANTED
And Not So Many Wild Theorists
and Politicians.
THE GREAT NEED OF THE HOUR
Tho lesson TO lIc Learned From the
Condition that Conir0nts Con-
grcSs with reference to
Financial Legislation.
specia! Dtpdirh 10 Me IMc!:iqe.eer.

SptciI! Dkpdirh 10 me lWCal1c1ftr.
WASHINGTON, d. G., Dec. 2l.-There
has been ono very unusual feature in
the financial legislation which this Con.
grcas has been called upon to enact.
Heretofore Congress- has made laws for
future ills in tho iirGncial kingdom. II
has been called upon TO diagnose none.
tary ills which Ind no. appeared upon
the surface, md in many instances which
never would have appeared. This Con.
gress has had to deal with imminent
dangers. II has had n Case i'll hand, as
1t we're. 1t has not handled theory,
but q condition in fact. And it may be
added Tint O. theory is much easier to
master thG0 condition.
Never were 81 many propositions made
upon any subject as have been offered
to alleviate the financial st,ingsncy
through which We have been passing for
three molths; aud rHvcr were so muny
impractical propositions made. After
all, the aliairg Of the Federal Government
in many resptctB resemble those OF m
individual. So loug ns the individual
members OF Congress had some unsecn
things to deal with they swan beautiful.
They could resolve with seeming STATE s.
manship. Their ideas were never or
seldom known TO be impracticable. They
proposed TO iatbom the unknown and
untried future. Now We have had upon
us Il conditon-a glaring present, all full
or roaring .apids, p!ecipitous cataracts
and dangerous Abysseg. How 10 over.
step or bridge the langerous was the
question. The propositions made were
ior immediate use and instant effect. 1t
made all the difference in tho world.
The theoriets were without m cccupa.
ton. The practical business man was
the individual for the hour. Aud only
those who have demonstrated their prac.
ticability by BOme suCGesl have bad
weight. II has iGdeed been poor &c a.
son Tor the ioiterer or professional poll.
tician. The Gearth Of practical bil'supon
the financial situation is evidence that
there is Il denYth of practical men in Con.
.rees; or else the problem presented was
too sublime, too deep, for Conglomerate
body to get together upon.
Unqueetionably Congress could have
come TO the relief OF the country many
weeks since and avoided all distress, but
the question at once presented itself.
SYill not there risc up from the grave OF
the threatened panic more serious
spectre? Imitation was the thing moat
dreaded ard at the same time most
mooted. II seems not to have been m
auspicious time for such tried and able
statesmen as Senator John Sherman.
His genius could propoge nothing for
the Immediate reijt! OF tia country
which did not help the banks, except
the silver coinage increase given, and
which undoubtedly did give assistance.
There is 60 much prejudice against
banks OIL the Democratic eide OF Con-
gress that it would rather zee the buBi-
ness interests OF the country smashed
than saved through banks, which it
hates. Like the patient who would
rather die than be bled and saved, the
Democrats prefer bankruptcy to sal
va,ion ii Dy it the banking syCtem is TO
be perpetuated.
The mass OF suggestions has come in
the form OF untried Legislation; his has
been the work OF the theorists, the i'm
practicable statesman. And strange to
say nine.,enths Of the legislation pro.
posed to reach an emergency anticipated
something which might happen in the
far future.
The lesson OF this all is that we need
more business men in Congressman oi
practical ideas. demonstrated busins Be
capacily-And fewer theorists and pol
iticiane. We may be confronted wi,h
other calamitiea il the future calling fol
.fnanciering, not politics.