The daily critic., 1890-10-02
A CORRUPT CONGRESS.
SCATHING But JUST INDICTMENT OF
THAT LEGISLATIVE BODY.
Ruled by MephistopheIes ingalls, aud
Robespierro Reed - Oar Fiscal
Policy Has Arrayed Every
Nation Against Us.

man TIC Nfr Tort Hsrc'd
The adjournment Of Congress will
be relief to the country.
Coming into power with so many as
surances Of achievement and reform,
what has it done?
We have a Pension bill. Under the
pressure Of the pension sharks-the
hest organized lobby ever known 10
Washinptou-over fifty. and, perhaps,
hundred millions have been ad led TO
the annual taxation. In profound
peace, With nothing to disturb the ma
tons prosperity, with a shred OF an
Army and remnant OF Navy, we are
paying more for pensions alone than
Germany, with her armaments, which
master continent The war ended
twenty five years ago, and yet we suffer
the financial burdens Of the war. Ills
tory has
NO PRECEDENT FOR THIS CRUEL WRONG.
The tariff barons would have It so, and
the truculent Republican majority
humbly records the decree.
Tin is taxed 20 enable a company of
English capitalists to float tin mine on
the London market That is the tin
business in a nutshell-simply a LON.
bard street job, looking to money in
English pockets Iron is taxed that
Mr. Carnegie may give libraries to
Scottish towns. The tax on wool
means the hand Of the Government in
the pocket of every iaborer who would
buy his wife blanket OF a shawl. BY
our fiscal policy we have managed
TO ARRAY EVERY NATION AGAINST THE
UNITED STATES.
We may despise the coalition aud defy
the world. But Is It wiser We rob our
laborers to gain some fancied adj
vantage over the labnrers In other lands
But do we gain by it2 Under the laws
Of supply and demand, the laws of
commerce, as inexorable as those which
govern the solar system, the policy Of
selfishness to other people will react
upon ourselves. Nations no more than
men succeed In building themselves up
by pulling others down.
Congress has passed a River and
Harbor bill larger than ever known.
And when we add the sums paid for
public buildings, every crossroads ask
ing jail and postoillce, we can uu.
deisiand the sweep aud breadth OF
these
SCHEMES UPoN THE TREASURY.
But have we no administration to
check and lead legislation Are there
no other but legislative powers In the
republic Oh, yes; we have a mild,
weak Executive, with no more influence
upon the making Of laws than toad
ON stone. On the solemn question az
90 whether the pOstOilice should go 10
the village politician who gave the
lamps FOR the election parades or the
one who furnished the oil; on the
burning question Of turning out 81, 900
postmasters because Mr. Cleveland left
them doing their duty, we have an i'm
mense administration-none so great
since Tyler. But upon public policy,
upon issues affecting the national well
fare, the administration has lived 10 a
condition Of meek surrender 10 Con
gress. II Is
AN AUTOMATIC CONTINUANCE.
No such woBdrous piece OF machinery
since the famous automaton chess
player.
There was a time-and that, too, In
the dynasty of Republican Presidents
when the Executive was not an auto
maton, affirming In meekness the de
crees Of a reckless majority. and signing
whatever papers Congress might send
20 the White House. We have seen
Lincoln return Mason and Slldell, and
enforce a policy Of conclliation Ia spite
of the furious protests Of the ablest
men In his party. We have seen Grant
strike with his mailed hand the
wRkTCHED DOCTRINE OF NFLATIoN,
and save the credit Of the nation from
the fanaticism Of his warmest sup
pOrteTs. We have seen Arthur veto ex-
tTayaRant legislation. Those were days
of Executive authority. The Senate Is
now governed by MephistOpheles.
Barnum ingalls,, whose one conspicu-
Gus speech in this session was an argu-
ment in favor Of paying the veterans
ten thousand millions of dollars Ia the
way Of pensions. The House IS
RULED BY RoBEsPERRE
IN black sash and flannel shirt, who
has destroyed the value Of representa-
tive institutions by confning legislation
TO his recording clerks. Mr.. Reed could
give lessons 10 Cromwell The English
usuTpeT chased the members Of parlia-
ment out Of the House with bAyOnets.
Our modern usuTper quietly ignores the
House, and directs the clerks TO record
his DEGREES.
These are serious matters. The Hrah
has no wish to be unjust 10 AIr. HaT-
Iison, Mr.. ingalls, OF MT. Reed They
have many engaging qualities, are
honorable men, and we have In the
President a character of singular
pTObity, piety and domestic charm.
But they are the slaves Of a policy, the
outcome Of that dreadful war.
A COARSE, soRDD, SELFISH POLICY,
which bodies 10 good 10 the Union Il
is incredible that they should not see
H. that Mr. Harrison. at least should
not divine the dreadful trend of events,
and assert himself as the leader Of the
Republican party and President Of she
United States. No government not
even our staggering young Republic.
teemiBg with wealth and bursting With
energy and pride, can endure the reck-
less policy Of the Congress now for the
present done and gOne-a Congress OF
plunder. audaCity and corruption.
These are stern, harsh WOTds-pluu
der, audaCity and COTTuption-nOt to be
lightly applied 10 any legislative body.
They are true and must stand Plunder
In these pension bills, corruption 10 the
highest water mark In this dreadful
tariff audaciiy In the attempt by force
bin 10 Teinyade ihe South and
PRoyoKE A NEW CIVIL WAR.
We were spared the Force bill because
the tariff barOns aud pension sharks
needed time 10 loot the Treasury. But
the spirit reigns, and will have % be met