Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-01-31
Congressman Lanham.

Special to the Gazette
WAsHINGToN,a Jan. So.-Congressman
Lanham said to GAZETTE man: You ask
for an expression of my views as to the
''proper treatment of the financial question
by the Democratic party in the coming cam
paign" for publication in The GAZETTE.
- In reply l would say that in my judg-
ment the questions of tariff reform and
remedial financial legislation are so CORE
lated in sound economy that neither can be
ignored by the Democratic party. They
travel the same road, with the common des-
tination Of national prosperity in view.
Taxation, under existing law is too rigor-
Gus, too burdenSome and mal-adjuSted. The
money supply is too restricted and too much
subjected to artificial regulation. Even if
the tariff be reduced, the volume of safe,
constitutional currency must be enlarged.
AS to what the next Democratic platform
should declare upon the financial question,
very much depends upon the action of this
congress. believe it is possible, notWith-
standing the political complexion of the
Federal legislature, to effect some whole
some reform in monetary conditions. Tn
less this shall be done, 1 am earnestly in
favor OF submitting the issue to the people
through the agency of well-formulateda an
nouncement of purpose by the next ma
tional Democratic convention, and l do not
perceive how such course can be honestly
avoided. Democrats, and believe q ma
jority Of them, throughout the Union have
denounced the financial legislation which
has deformed our statute books in recent
years. They have educated the people to
believe that it has been evil and evil con-
tinuously. District and state conventions of
organized Democracy have proclaimed in
favor of its correction. Candidates for
congress and members of congress have
made covenants with the people on this
line-industrial depression and seething
popular discomfort have followed in its
wake, and now the time has come when
promises ought to be redeemed, and per-
Torrance should be vigorously prosecuted,
without regard to the dictates or caprices
of time-serving policy.
To suppress and stife a courageous
course upon the subject of silver legisla-
ton in this congress, processes of intimida-
ton have been inaugurated, as various as
is the supposed weakness or credulity of
those against whom they are directed.
We are told that the tide OF tariff reform
will be checked. the Democratic party will
be defeated for the presidency, the house
will be turned over to the Republicans,
force bills will follow, and WOE irrelieva-
bic woe" will inevitably attend the efforts
of the Democrats TO re-enact the short and
simple law of free coinage, which stood I'M
challenged for more than eighty years.
We are invited to dismiss the prosecution
of the legicide of 1873 and strike it from the
docket of popular grievance.
THE path of duty is the path OF safety"
aud policy ought TO be suboruinated to
principle. It is improbable in the pres
ence of these rules of conduct to speculate
upon consequences. It would be useless to
inquire now as to why we lost the presi-
dency-as to what effect Mr.. Cleveland,s
views on the tariff or silver had upon the
result-as to the part silver played in the
defeat of the force bill, or the motives that
actuated broad-ganged, patriotic Republic
can senators to oppose that mGnstrous
measure, or whether they could, by any
possibility, be induced to support in future
a proposition they have so nanfully assailed
in the past, or whether the immense major
ity of Democrats in the present house is
more attributable TO popular revolt against
any particular action Of the last house than
any other or all others, or whether victory
was achieved upon any one specific issue or
aggregated issues. It IS equally idle and IN
suitable to attempt 70 trim our sails to
catch the gale Of temporary appreciation
in one quarter, only to be- becalmed in an
other.
What is needful for as to do, and what