People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-05-13
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c..
May 9, 1892.

When this Congress came togeth-
er back in December '91, it had the
commission of the people of this coun-
try to legislate actively and wisely
and economically. Thoroughly dis
gusted with the extravaganza and
and waste of the last Congress, the
people made the Democratic MAORI
ty in the existing House so over
whelming and so secure that no leg
islative fribbles or dilatory tactics
could hinder the Democracy from
carrying out their wishes.
Have the Democrats executed this
trust?
They have not! They have not
only failed to execute it but signally
failed. They have not only signally
failed but they have stultifed them
selves by refusing to attempt to undo
or even modify Legislation heretofore
enacted that experience has taught
us to look upon as hurtful to the great
laboring masses, whom they profess
to represent but whom they do not
represent.
Elected to revise and modify the
tariff, they have spent nearly six
months in the work of preparing and
presenting to the country a few bills
covering separate articles which
stand no earthly chance of passing
through the Republican Senate. In
stead of attacking the audacious rob-
Der bill known as the Mckinley act
with sledges and catapults, they have
frittered away their opportunity by
assailing it with tack hammers and
ice picks.
Warranted to pass a Free Coinage
bill, Southern and Western Demo-
Gratis have yielded to the threats and
bullying of Wall street and Eastern
monopolists and by the act of an ir-
resolute Speaker, this greatly desired
measure has been buried, it is feared,
beyond resurrection.
Charged to exercise the most rigid
economy and to bring the country
back to a safe financial anchorage,
they have, according to the testimo-
ny of one Of their own leaders, Mr..
Beltzhoover of Pennsylvania, outstrip-
ped the Billion Dollar Republican
Congress in the matter of wasteful-
ness and appropriations.
And this is the party that the far
mers and laboring men Of Georgia
and of the balance of the country are
asked to support and continue in
power.
Passing over for the time the fail
ure of this Congress to enact laws for
the relief of the people, let US regard
for moment the figures, the note of
warning uttered by Mr. Beethoven,
one of the most trusted Democrats
on the great committee of Appropri-
ations. Said he to the correspondent
of that staunch Democratic daily, the
New York World
I'VE are making our appropriation bills too
big. If halt is not called we shall ourselves
have the odium of billion dollar Congress to
bear. We are on the way to making such a
record, and the Republicans. are of course,
helping us might and main, Extravaganza on
our part will be quoted against us as an in
dorseInent of the Reed Congress. have just
had prepared in the rooms Of the ApprOpria-
lions Committee a comparative statement
showing the money bills passed at the first
session of the last Congress and those that this
House at tits session has passed or viii pass,
and this House is already ahead Of that.
Now let us adopt the Worlds fig
ures and see if the alarm sounded by
Mr.. Beltztroyer has any plausible
foundation, and if it be true that this
Congress means to outstrip the Reed
Congress in the matter of public ex-
penditures. According to the World
the total appropriations made by the
first session of the Reed Congress
was S463,398, 51O.79 while this Con-
gress so far has agreed to expend
1886, 4,679. 82-the excess over the
Reed Congress being nearly $685.
100000. These enormous items are
simply what the House has agreed
to, and the Republican Senate, which
Mr.. Beltztrover justly remarks, is