The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1893-07-08
THE SPECIAL SESSION.

President Cleveland has called both
houses of congress to convene in
Washington City, on the 7th day OF
August, and in his preamble states the
cause to be the distrust and apprehen-
sion concerning the financial situation
which pervades all business circles. 1t
could not be expected that he would so
fully outline the condition of affairs as
to make the Democratic party in the
least responsible, and he throws the
blame, by inneudo at least, on the
"Sherman act and other 'unwise laws
which must be executed until repealed
by congress-" If the present distress
has been caused wholly by these meas
ures it is strange that the country has
enjoyed unexampled prosperity under
their operation until within the last
few months, and that financial depres-
sion was not suffered as soon as their
baneful influences were felt. Protec-
tion has been the policy of the couh-
try for more than thirty years, and
wool and iron industries and manufac-
turers of fabrics would have suffered
from it long ago; and even it the Sher-
man act had been the only cause of
the drain of gold from the treasury,
this would have begun soon after its
passage.
The truth of the matter is that the
actuating cause lays elsewhere,aad can
be traced directly to the Democratic
Chicago platform, which was endorsed
by an overwhelming majority Of the
people last fall. This meant change
in the administration of affairs, and
capital became distrustful and finan-
ciai depression followed. The Sher-
man law might have continued in
operation for some time without serious
results if there were back of it a Re-
publican administration and Republi-
can congress; but with party
pledged 10 free trade in charge of the
government 1t could not continue six
months and the country be prosperous.
The duty of the special session is
plain, and it is expected the executive
will impress this forclbly upon the
minds of the members. First and
foremost, to restore confidence to busi
ness, the tariff must not be meddled
with. 1t is the bulwark of the coun-
try's prosperity, and any interference
with it will make matters worse, if
possible, than they now are. The gold
basis should be adopted and the pur-
chase of silver stopped. With the
downward tendency of silver it would
be folly to think of free coinage or BIZ
metallism, and would increase the
dangers which now threatens financial
centsrs. The Chicago platform must
be ignored, and the country must be
made to understand that the Demo
cratic party is opposed to the princi-
pies laid down in that series of resolu-
tions. There is no time for hesitancy
in this matter, and if congress ad-
journs without some positive action
i5 will have been called in vain.
Mr.. Cleveland has never been strong
Democrat on finances and the tarlff,
and In his letter of acceptance did not
fully endorse the doctrines of the ma
tional convention. He has a grand
to exert his great person
ality, and to save the country from the
vortex of ruin with which it is threat
ened. His will power has been suffi-
cient in other emergencies, and the
country will anxiously wait and see if
he can forget his political antecedents
and be successful against Democratic
free trade and free silver.
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