Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
A LACK OF LEADERS
The Most Prominent Feature
of the Huge Majority in
the Present Congress.
NOT SUCH A BAD RECORD
For the House, All the Circumstances
Being Considered.
PENNSYLVANIA FARED WELL.
The Defeat of the Free Silver Bill q
Creditable Victory.
NOT SUCH A BAD RECORD
CAUSES OF THE BIG APPROPRIATIONS
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT


dispute in regard to the character for prob
ity, economy and industry of the Fifty-sec-'
ond Congress. The Republicans charge
against it that it is Congress which has
done nothing that is important more sue
cessfullv than any preceding Congress; that
il has been more extravagant at its first ses-
sion than any other; that the House has
been a paradise of misrule, chaotic, ire
sponsible, wholly lacking in leadership.
The Democrats retort that the House. the
only arm of the Government controlled by
this party, has passed many excellent
measures which have been ignored or re-
iected by the Senate; that if it has not done
all it should have done, it has at least COM
mitteG no great blunder, and that its char
acter for honesty and purity could not be
excclled. If the appropriations have ex-
ceeded those of any other Congress, it is
because laws enacted by the last Congress,
which was Republican in both branches,
compelled the enormous aggregate.
Tom Reeds Cause for Laughter.
Ex-Speaker Reed has made merry at the
expense of the Democratic House with its
143 majority over ALL because it, as he as
serts. is responsible for an increase of near
" $50, ,OOO, 900 over the appropriations
of the Fiity-frst Congress. If
he has not always been quite
fair, he has been delightfully."-
witty and sarcastic at the expense of the
present House, in articles published in the
reviews and newspapers He leaves the
Democrats, however, to explain why the
appropriations of the first session of the
current Congress aggregate S507, III, 131,
while those of the first session of the Fifty
first Congress aggregated only 1853, 39S, $40.
The Democrats readily undertake the
task They assert that the pension legisla-
itOn Of the last Congress imposed on this
congress the necessity of increasing the ap-
jpropriations S4S, 600; that 100000
Twas necessary ior sugar hounties under the
lMcKinley bill; 50, 600 600 more for refund
ing national bank notes, and 81 500. 600 for
the Worlds Fair, forced .on them as a COM
J promise bv a Republican Senate, which
makes close TO S10,000,0 600, due wholly to
Republican legislation.
Jared Down for Campaign Effect.
This is all very true, but it is equally
| true that in the interests of a false economy,
J and for campaign effect onlv, other appro-
priations which should have been made, to
keep pace with the progress OF the Govern
ment, were pared down without WIS.,
priations were increased regardless of
those qualities A pitifuI cut of 500, 900
was made in the consular and diplomatic
bill. The District of Columbia, whose peo-
pie have no vote, had its appropriation cut
half million below the appropriations of
the last Congress, when it ought to have
been increased that sum. A saving was
made in the Notifications, and naval ap-
TropriationS we're cut two millions, when
they should have been increased
100000 600 to carry out the policy, advo-
Gated by men of both parties who have
made special study of these matters, and
who believe the Government should either
cease spending money altogether for navy
and for coast defenses. or tina: an adequate
sum to do this work as rapidly as possible
shOEld be appropriated.
The agricultural bill was increased more
than one and half millions, that Demo-
cratic stump orators might show how pro-
foundly interested the party is in the poor
farmer, and the river and harbor appropria-
tion bill, much of which is always a clean
steal, was increased upward of s., 000, 900,
and in the aggregate reached the enormous
sum of 81, 136, ,295-the most munifcent
contribution of pork" ever made to men,
bers OF Congress.
The Senate in the Same Boat.
Therefore, while the Democrats may
fairly charge to the Republicans about $40,
O1O, 900 OF an imperative increase in appro-
priatiOns, they themselves have been guilty
OF large increase solely for political rea-
sons and for the benefit of individual men,
beIs, and to counteract these increases have
been guilty of pairing down in other direc-
tions where liberality would have been wise
and commendable.
1t is due to the Democratic House, how
ever, to say that the Senate insisted on still
this even in the river and harbor bill, know
ing that the responsibility for appropriations
falls upon the House, and that very Justly
IN almost all cases.
Nh Reed excusably 'points with pride"
TO the record of the last Congress which
passed the great tariff bill, somewhat errone-
ously called the Mckinley bill; the ocean
mail subsidy, the direct tax bills, provided
for free sugar, put the Worlds Fair under
way, passed a new Congressional apportion-
ment act, revised the land laws, gave new
encouragement to State agricultural col
leges, provided for meat and cattle
inspection, and thus gave great
impetus to expectation OF these articles;
passed the bullion purchase act as a CON-
promise between the goldites and the ex-
IRENE silver men; Indian reservations were
opened; Wyoming and Idaho were admit
ted to Statehood and the Territory of Okla
homa was created; service and disability
pension bills were passed and the Louisiana
lottery was virtually abolished. These are
some OF the acts of the last Congress, as
cited bv Mr.. Reed, but that distinguished
partisan quotes the whole of the work oi
the Fifty-iirst Congress against the work Of
the first session OF the Fiity-second.
Good!y Result for the House.
The Democratic House of this Congress,
notwithstanding all its weaknesses and pal.
terinc, can show goodly result of its
labGrs First and foremost it defeated q
bill for the free coinage of silver, which
originated with committee ruled by Dem
ocrats, and then again, when similar
bill WAS sent to it alter having passed the
Republican Senate. To most minds east OF
the Mississippi and north of the Ohio and
Of the Potomac this alone would be glory
enough for one session.
There were nearly 10, 600 bills introduced
in the House, and of these 220 public and
255 private bills were passed, and 2S4,
chiefly pension bills, have become laws.
The House passed the anti-option bill,
which hangs fire in the Senate; the Chinese
prohibition bill; the eight-hour bill for
working people, which also passed the Sem
ate: bill providing for the safety of rail-
way employees, compelling railroad CON-
uanies TO attach automatic couplers to cars;
the various tariff bills, which are well
known; a land forfeiture bill, which restores
to the public domain, upward of 90 million
acres. the Senate bill admitting certain ves-
sells of transatlantic lines to American
registry.
None of these have become laws except