Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-08-26

duce as much as 1t expected the mp
preparations of the Fifty first con
gress, because it could not repeal the
laws Of that congress that added so
enormously to our annual budget.
To be frank, the dependent pension
bill of Mr.. Reeds congress added
many millions to our yearly appro
priatious, aud, rs all men know, pom
sion legislation never goes backward
So with the subsidy and bounty bills
CT that congress-, Which this house
was powcrlcss to repeal.
But while it has met honestly the
requirements of these laws the house
has been in tho main careful of its
own expenditures. 1t has passed no
new public building bills. 1t has
passed fewer private bills CARRYING
appropriations than any recent con.
gress, and its private pension bills
have been more carefully scrutinizcd
to separate the good from the bud
On the silver question tho house
declined to pass the Bland bill and
refused to take up tho Stewart bill.
Even those who believed that there
was in those bills some potential
benefit to tho people must admit that
the Democratic party could not have
committed itself to free coinage at
the ratio proposed i'll those bills with
out throwing away every prospect OF
success in the presidential campaign
and becoming for the time being nj.
most southern and sectional ,alrty
1t WIS tho highest political sagucity,
whatever might have been the merits
Of tho proposed legislation, to avoid
a step certain to disrupt the party,
and with that disruption firmly and
permanently to sent in power the
protected p!utocracy, With full OPP
portul'ity To plundcr the people with
new tariff bills and to sub jugato them
with forco bills. The present house
does not suffer in any point in CON
parison with the last ii has code
%! rules and IN administration Of lis
rulcs tliat did not become autocralic
OF partisan, aad the rights of It's
small minority Of Republican and
third party members have been mi
forinly respected.
1t has hoen Notably free from acri-
monious debates, and it's records no
where show the passionate and in.
dignant protests OF wronga, hi
nority which luarred the proceedings
OF the last house.
! have never known house in
which there ha., been lesa buucombe
partisan debating or orc in which
there was less effort TO manufacture
campaign material on the eve Of II
national election.
II the house has been thwa,ted bv
the senate III it's general work and in
its efforts 10 lessen the burdens OF
tue people, it has given proof of its
desire to do both, and has been nj
ways tender in adding new charges
upon tho treasury.
1t did not increase taxes. Ii passed
no subsidy bill. 1t voted no boun
ties. 1t passed no bills TO overthrow
elections IL the States. 1t vacated
no Republican seats for Democratic
contestants, except in ono case, and
That upon IL practically unanimous
committee report. L. did not rob
the minority OF their rights or ser
Wiley surrender its own rights into
the hands of its speaker and It's CON
mittee on rules. ii under firm dis
cipine aud recognized leadership it
might have done all that it did more
expeditiously aud have added other
and even wiser measures of relief
and reform, it still kept It's work fair
ly abreast with tho progress of the
senate, and it, showed once again
how much safer for tho country and
how much nearer to the people is q
Democratic house than one which
represents the great special interests
of the country. Those interests de
mand legislation for their own bene
fit, and demand it so impcriously
that parliamentary law, traditiona,
usage, all the safeguards of free leg
islation and of free elections must
80 down before them. The people
OF the country cannot again safely