Fair play., 1893-06-03
THEMSELVES TO BLAME.
Republicans RebellinG Against Their Own
Legislation.

| Legislation.
| Some of our republican contempt
raries are grievously disturbed by re
| cent occurrences in financial circles anc
| are declaring that the troubles are du,
| to democratic interferencs with the tar
| iff and laundering with the finances.
That distinguished dinner-table ora
tor, Mr.. Chauncey Depew. declares thai
Mr.. Cleveland has gathered about hin
| cabinet the members of which know
as little about finances as they do about
Hebrew scriptures.
1t Is not Il matter of record that Mr.
Dcpew is Il judgc either of tinancia
| matters or Of scriptures of any kind
He knows 4 good joke well enough
when ne sees it to appropriate it, bu,
he has given Nd evidence that he ha,
gained the least financial wisdom ever
by absorption. On one occasion at leas,
Mr.. Carlisle demonstrated his superior.
ity In financial foresight to the aggre,
gated wisdom of the national banks.
In 1851 Mr.. Carlisle offered an amend
ment to the refunding act which pro
| vided that only 3per cent bonds should
be received as security for circulation.
The national banks protestcd: they
denounced the amendment as q bulldoZ-
ing measure. and as one form of repu
diation. Nevertheless it was adopted.
and the national banks threatened 4
| contraction of the circulation and
forced Mr.. Hayes and Mr.. Sherman t.
oppose the Carlisle amendment. 1t was
vetoed and beaten.
But time has vindicated Mr.. Carlisle
The bonds the banks rejected have be-
come the corner stone of credit: the
bonds they held have been redeemed
and cancelled. The circulation of the
national banks. which, October, 1881.
only sli3, 600, 900. Had the banks
bought the bonds as required by Mr.
Carllsle's amendment. they would have
had twice the money in circulation that
is ont to-day, and the clamor for silver
would have been less imperiouS.
Nothing in Mr.. Dcpew's career. not
even his supp"r: of Horace Greeley, re-
fleets such credit on him as Mr.. Car
isles amendment reflects on the secre-
tlry OF the treasury.
But compare the cabinet of Mr.
Cleveland with the cabinet of Mr.. Har-
rison and ask the wise men of America
whose opinion they would prefer on
financial questions. that of body
headed by Mr. Carlisle or that of a
body "f which Mr. Charles Foster was
the shining light Here in deadly
parallel columns are the two cabinets:
firrst"t,fs. HGrrisOn's
Carlisle, Foster
Gresham, Foster,
H!ss"n. Wanamaker
Smith. .,oble
Herbert, Tracr
p.ney, Miller,
Morton, RuSk
Lamont EIkinS
But To Mr.. Dcpew and all others who
ind il difficult to live under govern
mcnt administered by democrats, it is
well to say that if any mischief comes
from existing laws the laws were made.
not by democrats. but by republicans
The laws were made in opposition to
democratic protests and in spirit d-
rcctly contrary to the democratic spirit.
principles and purposes.
Certainly democrats cannot be
charged with party responsibility for
these laws. 4 republican senate re-
icctcd every act meant Ia modify the
iniIuity of the Mckinley bill, and re-
publican senate refused tn repeal the
sherman bill. Mr.. Cleveland has no
authority to repeal either bill both of
which he condemned. They were fasten-
ed on the people hy republican
leaders in congress: they can be re-
pcaled only by congress. The impa-
tiencc expressed by the republicans
with their own laws is swift condem-
nation of vicious legislation.
\ democratic congress will he called
together in due time to rid the country
OF thcs, tw" examples of republican
Mckinley bill and
the Sherman bill. II does not take
one familiar with Hebrew scriptures to
see that these measures are working
mischief. Louisville Courer-.Journal.