The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-08-04
wAsH1seroH 1yrrys

condition Of affairs this country has
known for years, ani that democratic
craftsmanship and wisdom will find a
way out that will be safe, if it does
not at first meet with the approval Of
everybody, is as certain as that Con-
gress will meet rext Monday. 1t is
particularly noticeable that this is the
predominating sentiment among demo.
cratic Congressman already in Wash
ington. However wide apart they
may now be, they are all certain that
some way will be found for getting to-
gether in the end.
Among the compromises already
suggested is one that appears to be
rapidly gaining ground. 1t is to sim.
ply repeal that clause OF the Sherman
law which compels the purchase of
4,5oo, 900 ounces Of silver bullion a
month by the Treasury, or to merely
adopt an amendment to the law auth.
orizing the purchase of silver to be
made or not made in the discretion of
the President, and to let it GO at that
for few months, in order to deter.
mine what other silver legislation may
be necessary. A number of democrats
who favor the free coinage of silver
have announced their willingness to
support this compromise at the extra
session, leaving the question of further
silver legislation to be determined at
the regular session. There are not
enough members of Congress yet in
Washington to hazard prediction as
to even the probability Of the adop.
tion of this compromise, and some Of
those here say they prefer awaiting
the recommendations to be made by
President Cleveland's message vefore
committing themselves.
Representative Neill, OF Arkansas,
says: THE Sherman silver law is
vicious and ought to be repealed, but
bad as it is it is not responsible, in my
opinion, to any thing like as great an
extent for the financial stringency as
McKinleyism is. McKinleyism must
be wiped out before the country can
get all right again"
The financial situation is quite bad
enough without exaggerating it, and
the statement that 200 National banks
have failed since the first of January,
which has been widely published, is a
gross exaggeration. The total number
of suspensions has been Ios-two in
New England, two in Eastern states,
IS in Middle and Mississippi Valley
states, 6 in Northwestern states, S. in
Western states and IS in Southern
states-and of this number only 81
have actually gone into the hands Of
receivers. Of the remainder a mum.
Der have resumed business and many
more have good prospects for doing
the same shortly.
Mr.. Logan Carlisle very properly
takes issue with the ridiculous state
ment made by civil service Com
missioner Roosevelt as to the govern
ment clerks being about evenly divid.
ed between the political parties. Mr..
Carlisle is chief clerk Of the Treasury
and he says the statement of Roose.
welt is worse than ridiculous when ap-
piled to that department. He says
further: "To say that ten per cent. of
the classified clerks in the Treasury
were democrats at the beginning of
this administration would be putting
the per centage too high. In some
large bureaus there was not a single
democrat" Roosevelr's statement was
made because of Secretary Carlisle
having stated it to be his intention to
give the democrats show by dismiss.
ing the inefficient clerks in his depart
ment. Deputy Commissioner Bell
says that less than 40 per cent. of the
classified clerks in the Pension Office
are democrats, and it would be safe to
say that the percentage will not run
over that in any of the departments.
Republicans" said a member of
Tammany, "are talking nonsense when
they say that President Cleveland's
appointment of two democrats not
members Of Tammany to be Collector
and Appraiser respectively of the port
Of New York is slap at Senator Hill
and Murphy, and their only object is
to create dissension in the democratic
party. After giving Tammany the
postmastership it was perfectly natur.
al that Mr.. Cleveland should reward
the wing of the party that worked tor
his nomination. As Tammany man
l should, Of course, have been glad to
have seen all the Federal offices in
New York City given to Tammany
men, but l did not expect it, and,
while l have no authority to speak for
either Of them, l am satisfied that
neither Senator Hill nor Senator
Murphy expected it. They always
take care of their friends when they
have an opportunity and they both
have too much manhood to attempt to
make fuss because Mr.. Cleveland