The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-03-16
IN A CHAOTIC STATE.
PARTY LEADERS AT SEA ON QUES-
TioNS OF PRINCIPLE AND POLICY.

TIONS OF PRINCIPLE AND POLICY.
The Present Session of Congress Continues
to BE q Farcical spectaole-'Twixt the
Rock and the Whirlpool-A Fight In
Which No Quarter LIS Asked.
WASHINGTON, March 7.-[Special. J.
The leaders in congress are between the
devil and the deep sea. This is state
ment made with a good deal of pleasure
by members of the Republican minority.
But it is no partisan statement for all that.
Unfortunately it is only too true. That's
the way it appears to my friend the man
up tree, and for once he is right.
The further the present session OF con-
gress continues the more of a spectacle it
becomes. The late lamented Steele Mac
kaye never for moment conceived OF any
thing SO stupendously absurd. 1t has at
times been farcical, always a comedy of
errors, and in it's farreaching results must
necessarily become tragedy.
"a Plague to Both Your Houses"
But the aRoman mob" on the floor of
the house have no heed for results, be they
what they may. Their own actions Justl-
fly their criticism, severe as it may appear.
Day after day and week after week they
have deported themselves to the amuse-
ment of the crowded galleries as no set OF
schoolboys ever dared think of doing.
They have laughed and joked while the
country was in distress, and needed not.
But the day of reckoning cannot be far
distant, certainly not beyond the next cleo
tion.
This utter abandonment of consequences
to the party now in power is the natural
result of success to body made up large
ly of the discontented elements in politics.
The overwhelming majority given the
Democrats in the lower house was not the
result of any one or two national ques-
tions upon which party lines were distinct
" drawn. On the contrary, it was due
more than anything else to the widespread
discomfort with the powers that existed at
that time.
The Republicans had held full sway SO
long that of necessity many abuses had
sprung up in national affairs. For these
they were held alone responsible. So it is
now with the Democrats. They have had
full swing for few brief months, and the
public Is now blaming them for every evil
that has befallen the country.
The Late MIR. Tweed Quoted.
This is but too true. In large sense 1t
is not justified by the facts in the case.
The Democrats were not responsible Tor
the Sherman silver law, nor were they re-
sponsible for the depleted condition of the
treasury, brought about through excess
i've and almost ruinous appropriations,
but they will have the blame to bear all
the same.
But what are you going to do about it?
That is the question which confronts the
- %Lo ,orfv of hot
ends of the capitol at this time. I have
asked many, but as yet have no answer that
is In any way satisfactory. They all give
assurance of their good intentions, but
you all know the place where good inten-
tions unfulfilled lead some. Just at this
time that appears to be the destination OF
some of the leaders of the party in power,
and they are using the limited express in
their anxiety to get there.
What about the tariff Who can tell!
President Cleveland, worn out by his ef-
forts to unite his party, went off in disgust
on a government revenue cutter to kill
ducks. 1t was a case of duck or no din
ner in his estimation, and the chances OF
the party for starvation were only equaled
by Lieutenant Greely and his colleagues
when lost in the arctic regions.
Ask any of the recognized leaders at Ell
ther end of the capitol to tell you what is
going to be done with the tariff, and they
will only look at you in an agonized way
and pass on. They don't know. That lis
the whole thing in nutshell. Once in q
great while you will find one of the small
er fry willing to give you his opinions at
length. They are not worth the time they
take to tell. Those who understand the
situation wisely keep their mouths shut.
The Silver Question.
Now as to silver. Again you are met
with the same unwillingness to go on rec
ord. The silver men, in an indefinite way
that is truly beautiful, will tell you that
phenixlike, silver will rise from the ashes
of the past and that this congress will
adopt the double standard. Quite interest
ing il true. But is it true? Certainly not
It may come to pass, but if it does there is
nothing in the present situation to justify
any such confident assertion.
The gold men are just as "chipper. u
They poohpooh the claims of the silver
men, but cannot give any definite assur
ance as to what the outcome will be-
About the only thing that seems certain
at this time is that the financial question
is by no means settled and that the pres
ent congress has got to fight it out to 6
finish-that Is, IL there can be finish o1
aquestion which has troubled the country
BAuC0 1bS AOuuudOlOA anu "A1A ooAUe4SSE
continue to troub it till it's fall.
So far as the tariff is concerned, a little
light appears to be breaking at last. Th'
action of the senate, while not in line with
the Wilson bill as it passed the house, bid!
fair to be met in proper spirit by thu
joint conferees. The result will be in al
proba bility a patchwork bill which will
be no revenue bill, nor for that matter will
1t be in line with the pledges made th'
people in the Chicago platform. The claim
30 long made by opponents of a protective
tariff that it was in the direct line of clas
legislation will stand out clear and bold b!
very reason of the few industries protect
ed. Where the protection was general th
discrimination did not stand out will
such terrific force.
A Pretty Kettle of Fish.
Altogether it is a pretty kettle of fish
and all of them, big and little, are in pref
ty hot water. The eastern men, for in
stance, are 1oundering about in a mad de
sire to avoid the income tax bait. Pre-
cious few of them will swallow it, but i
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