The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-08
sxA1rxx. TnUssDAE JUNE 8.
CLEVELAND AND The
EXTRA SESSION.

-
EXTRA SESSION.
President CleveIand's unofficial an
nouncement Of his intention to call m
extra session OF congress early in septem-
Der is accompanied by some plain COM
mon sense words concerning the necessity
for at once ending our present absurd
financial policy, which ''obliges as to pur-
chase idle silver bullion with gold taken
from our reserve" All that the president
esid IL true aud 80 plain that the president
Justly says that 1t needs neither the eye Of
= fnancier TO zee 1t nor the brain OF
statesman to detect the dangers that are
involved in the psrpetuasion Of the most
absurd financial policy ever adopted by
civilized nation. The marvel is that
President Cleveland. who clearly under
stood the day he was inaugurated the
pernicious and perilous financial policy he
denounccs today, did not listen to sound
aavlce given him by the ablest journals Of
his party when they urged him to cali an
extra session in April. Here was Cleve.
lands grand opportunity to have shown
himself . man capable Of courageous,
prompt, statcsmaniike action.
The business welfare of the country has
seriously Suffered not from Mr.. Cleveiand's
jncapacity TO understand the situation,
but from his failure to rise to the level Of
the necessity of the hour. The business,
OF the country ought TO have been relieved
~ soon ~ possible from oil uncertainty ~
10 what congress would do with the press
ing problems Of finance and the tariff.
Congress should have been called together
In April aud compelled TO act. There was
absolutely nothing TO be gained by delay
commensurate with the very great injury
that hss hssn wrought BY three months of
insction and uncertainty, which always
breeds distrust, apprehension and de-
moralising speculation ~ to the probable
and possible solution Of . situation that
ought not to have bean left . month I'm.
solved after Cleveland became president
Mr.. Cleveland does not lack good sense,
but he lacks executive promptness; he has
the vice of procrastination. which is fatal
20 an executive who wishes to win . solid
reputation for practical statesmanship.
II 10 not enough to clearly see the situa-
ton that demands reform; for Mr. Cieve-
land admits that any fairly intelligent
mind can see II. but only Mr.. Cleveland Il
clothed with the power TO assemble the
national legislature. whose business and
duty It 10 to relieve IT, The president has
waited already three months and expects
20 wait three more before calling together
the congress he ought 10 have summoned
In April.
We have attributed TO the president the
puted to him a lack Of political courage to
promptly ''faes the music" The president
Lost n great opportunity when he failed to
convene congress In extra session; he was
not equal to the occasion: his delay has
worked mischief TO business by creating
needless apprehension; by perpetuating
uncertainty. and thus putting . yoke on
tho neck 81 enterprise and paralyxing the
venturcsome hands Of capital.
Since January LIST last more than SEQ.
1000 In gold has been exported 10
Europe. and the export movement seems
90 have received fresh impetus. Most o.
this gold has been taken from the United
States treasury. The net total gold in tue
treasury on January Vas $iei. NJ ,o;2.
while on Tuesday il vas reported as bu,
So. it. 3D. showing . net loss of over
&3i,uono. The gold reserve IS invaded,
ten millions OF dollars. A cessation OF
gold exports in large amounts II looked
for hy July |. rs II is understood that the
Austrian demand - we'll nigh supplied.
What viii congress do when /, eonvenes
Il Is not easy 20 answer this question as
there are some indications that the silver
ersse Is s,aekening a, the Vest. The Com.
Mereisl Cigh of -. Louis recently adoa.ed
unanimously the following resolutions:
Whatever epiaisns may have been entertained
~ ~ the wisdasn ~ asesssity ot the enactment
Rnaer circumstances existing AZ the time II.
rafchsso 0i silver hGlisas sni issue ~ COR
nesss unsirr tHe troxislous ~ the aes ~ Is,
hnowa - tSa sherman AK. ate ucs oaly PRO
agctiSc - evil ia oar monetary system saa a 0
tuFasNec 81 the nstio.sl credit aaa TIE prs,
icTtiy ~ The whole eotsBtry. agricultural, IN su
efarfsgisg snd commercial. viii - IN q rrrs
asgree yEuasossa ~ iis oag,y aa4 Gaeoaai..saa
rspea-
IL IL believed that when congress Assem-
PIES there will he fewer silver votes in IN,
s;ases Of Ohio. Indiana, Illinois and low.
than there have hesn At any ssme since IN,
Band Allison act vas passed in ISIS Tn,
prospects of the repeal OF the sherman &C
are more favorable today than they hav,
hecn Al any former time. The Charleston
tnen.l Nrxs aseerts that - lars,
majority of the reputable and india
sniial Southern papers are arrays
on the SIDE of sound currency
This IS srue a. Alshana 10 . eonsiaerah..
extent: her traditions are in favor O
seupd iirsncs Tor many years before tbs
VAR shc declined - initiate Mississippi il
shs mater II The reputation Of her debt
The Atlanta ts'eststat'eA toes not carry al
the press Of Georgia With i. N its aavo
sa~y Of free silver coinage, Ani enc of tho
ss.lss. speeshes against tree silver In sh<
fry -sesasi congress sss IN sds hy Con
fgsssszsn Fraslss. Il South Carolina
1T - fsSs&sbss that wt;h the whole inau,
<ner Of TIE administration throsn viror
sussy 20 that sus lie so-eal!ei Sherman