New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-27
THE LDuIVTSTRLTI md BUSINESS

THE ADMINISTRATION And BUSINESS.
Almost every Democrat In the country VIII"
IS prominent or capable in business SHOWS '"'
profound disgust Of Democratic mahaseihe"'
which is expressed by J. J. I'LL. president al
the Great Northern Railway. Being interviewed
NJ ST Paul on Monday about a Washington re-
mort that he and other prominent business "'i'
were 10 meet in conference about the AdmhiH-
tration's Bank Bill No. =. he said there WAS ho
,,1,th in the story and observed: AS far rs
"the effect on the country i concerned. thlhA
.1hc Administration has done all the harn II i
.can,hle Of doing. The public must look Tor i'-
..licf from another quarter" Perhaps no reSpoh-
sihlc man has ever uttered a more severe con
dcmnation. but Mr.. Hill does not echo the noh"h
Of Democratic Populists that Congress has been
free from blame, for he also says; The present
"wont Of harmony in the majority In Congress
"makcs II impossible for any good legislation 10
.come from this Congress. The best rclcf 'hey
"can give the country is TO adjourn and 70
.home" 1t Is quite tre, as ne says lur'h'''
thar "the greatest fear is OF some stupid action
an the mart of Congress" But the people nave
done their best 10 remove that danger Thcy
have not only turned out the present 'ohIr's
sional majority, but have sustained me hepu"
lcan minority by such popular maJorI'''S
throughout the country that il may be expected
TO have both the resolution and Inc power 1"
prevent any further mischievous legislation.
The one great Christmas gift To the country
which overshadows all others came III N"Veih-
her and was the decision that the Democratic
party must stop trying to govern
In the apportionment Of responsibility Tor as
astcrs endured. Congress usually gets more IMAM
its fair share II has been the Presidents pan
all the time TO represent That Congress mas done
all thc harm and IL has obviously done 50 much,
and has been so conspicuous IN lis incapaclty'
corruption and folly. that It's Indictment by
democratic Administration Is easily believed.
Mr. Hill expresses very common notion III
snving that the want Of harmony in Congress
does the mischief. But the truth Is Just the
other way If the ma iority in congress hhd
been harmonious il would have inflicted upon
the country disasters with which those or iaS'
wear and this cannot be compared. Free com
age. Free Trade and Free state Banks would
lave smashed industry and business of every
kind and the harm done would have been I'M
mensclv greater than the mere threat or either
or approach 70 either has caused. In strict
truth the want OF harmony In IN" majority III
Congress has saved the people from calAml'l"S
that cannot be measured. The great majority
Of that majority was in favor Of free coinage
Of a change Of t,riff more radical and destrur
tive than was actually attempted by the com
mttec in either house and of entirely unrc
strictcd State bank issues If Mr.. Hill does not
know all this, he has been strangely unob
servant.
AS soon as the results Of the election ~ lS''2
were declared the people knew these things, and
began TO prepare for trouble AT once. Business
decreased. mills made ready 10 close, and gold
began to go abroad before the month was over
That was because men dreaded what they knew
the Democratic majority wanted and would try
10 do. The one reliance. in those days Of pro
found apprehension. was that the President
might stop his party. He had been In close re-
la,lons with large capitalists and successful
business men, and If ne did not personally know
much. It was hoped that their advice would
enable him to avert mischief. Moreover, II N
f. be said to his credit that he did prevent the
massage Of "A Free Coinage bill. that he did veto
the Segnorage bill. and that he killed the dan
gcrous silver compromise upon which Demo
cratic Senators had agreed 1t is therefore not
quite true that the Administration has done all
the harm it was capable Of doing.
But the President apparently coli1 ho' COZ"
troll his own Secretary Of the Treasury. ana Ger
tanly did not know how 10 control himself. a
clear, definite and unwavcring policy on his part
would have prevented all doubt about rcdcnp
ton Of Treasury notes In silver. and the letter
Of Secretary Carlisle which started the panic; IT
would have summoned an extra session of Con
gress in April Of last year, but with the distinct
declaration that any free silver bin would be
vetoed. so that panic might have been prevcntcd
II would have vetoed the bill Of 'perfdy and
dishonor' last August. 50 that business might
revive; II would never have suggested an odious
income tax and II would have squelched the
wildcat banking scheme before II saw the light.
The President has wobblcd and Numbered
throughout. and the best that the impartial critic