Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
Congrrssuan Lanhan.

Special to the Gazette.
WAsH1NGToS,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 TIE GAZETTE.
In reply would say that in my judy
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. 1 believe it is possible, notwith-
standing the political complexion of the
Federal leg islature, to effect some whole
some reform in monetary conditions. I'm
less this shall be done, l am earnestly in
favor of submitting the issue to the people
through the agency of q well-formulateda an
nouncement of purpose by the next ma
tioual Democratic convention, and / do not
perceive how such q course can be honestly
avoided Democrats, and 1 believe ma
iority 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-
formance should be vigorously prosecuted,
without regard to the dictates or caprices
of time-serving policy.
To suppress and stifle q 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 thai the tide of tariff reform
win be checked. the Democratic party will
be defeated for the presidency, the house
force bills will follow and ''woe, irrelieva-
bic VICE. Will inevitably attend the efforts
of the Democrats to re-enact the short and
simple law of free coinage, which stood un-
for more than eighty years.
We are invited to dismiss the prosecution
of the legicide Of 1873 and strike 1t from the
docket of popular grievance
THE path of duty is the path OF safety"
aud policy ought to be subordinated to
principle It is improbable in the pres
ence of these rnles of conduct to speculate
upon consequences. Il would be useless tS--
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
to the part silver played in the
defeat Of the force bill, or the motives that
broad-gauged, patriotic Republic
can senators to oppose ) that monstrous
or whether they could, by any
be induced to support in future
a proposition they have so manfully 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 un-
suitable to attempt to ''trim our sails to
catch the gale'' Of temporary appreciation
in one quarter, only to be becalmed in an
other.
What is needful for Us to do, and what
the country expects - our hands. Is 10