New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-06
$780, -------
CONGPES.S AGAIN,

The machinery by which a great Nation
governs itself ought never TO deserve the name
If "the annual nuisance" But the Congress
which began its second session yesterday is
one Of the sort which the public has reason to
dread It's House is Democratic The ma
ioritv in that body is the largest ever known,
and its members were elected in the crazy
campaign of 1890. when stupid ignorance and
shameless lying kissed each ether. The prod
net of that remark able union is a House which
has proved foo ish. inc mre,cnt and unsclupu-
lous almost beyond comparison and yet there
can be no legislation this winter without that
body. How much mischief it may make 1t
necessary for the Senate to stop. even at the
risk OF serious cmharras smcnt 10 man can tel.
The country stands IN need OF some lcgisa-
ton without delay but il strikes everybody as
absurd to expect any useful action from the
present House There ought TO be speedy
action on the silver question: so that European
Powers may be compelled to realize that the
United States is not going TO ruin itself and
degrade its currency for their benefit. On this
one subject, although nobody expects sensible
action, there is a bare possibility that tn IN
nuenCc Of Mr. Cleveland and his advisers, who
arc anxious TO get a most troublesome ques-
ton ont Of the way, may bring about some
surprising results But nobody can tell
whether the frcalish and fatuouS Democratic
majority will 90 to one extreme or the other
on the silver question. lis past rcc]rd WoNll
Justify the belief that the House would pass
free coinage bill in haste and perhaps the most
substantial reason for thinking that it may not
is that in a body Of such Il character the I'M
expected always happens
AZ the very threshold will come up the
Arti-Opton bill, measure which carried in
itself the peril of business reyulson as it passed
the House. and has been not greatly improved
since Senators began to work 1t it. At the
last session it was supposed that this measure
would pass the Senate, more or less modified,
if it could be brought to vote a; all, but II
was deferred with the understanding that 1t
should come up at the opening OF this session..
II it zoe; back to the House in any FORM there
is a probability that the fanatic; in that body
will insist upon provisions at least as danger
Gus as those of the bill which passed the
House last spring. What Inconvenience or dis
turbanc, TO business interests may result while
such measure is pending, all can mag n
Next the country is TO have more Of Mr.
Sprnger's interesting antics as the only original
hole puncher. He it is who makes the other
wise unlikely statement that the present House
will be asked by the Committee OF Ways and
Means, of which he is chairman, to put through
sundry other fragmentary tariff bills, each
cutting off or reducing the duty on something
not with the idea that any Of them will pass
the Senate but in the sublime faith that his
various bills will serve to define the policy OF
the Democratic party and pl dse It's members
in advance to the revision which il Shall make
at the next session There is one man III
America, then, who imagincs that Demo
cIat;c House can somehow be fastened by the
action Of another Democrat; House though
not in the least by the pledges of Democratic
National platform.
These are all diversions, TO most OF the
Democratic statesmen. Their principal bust
ness Will be the passing of appropriation bills.
In that line the session just begun is Likely to
eclipse all that have preceded, for it is even
more true now than ever before that the Dom
ocratic is a very hungry and rery thirsty