Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-15
Why the President Brings Out His
Financial Policy Now.
NOACrION EIPECrEDBY THIS CONGRESS
Opposition That Would Develop
In Both Houses.
T II E s E N A T E r q L E s

The Presidents virtual admission that a
new financial problem is to be suggested
to Congress at the coming session brings
up discussion as to its probable succ
and this. in turn, leads to further discus
sion which touches upon the question Of
the congressional situation.
1t seems to he agreed that any new
scheme of finance recommended by the
President is likely to meet with opposition
by Congress, and that in the Senate par
ticularly this opposition will be stubborn
and aggressive. In the House so many Of
the members are on the eve of retiring to
private life that an effective contest there
on any question is hardly to be expected.
But the Senate is in fighting trim. with Mr..
Teller, Mr.. Wolcott and Mr.. Dubois on the
republican side all in fine fettle. as the re-
suit of republican victories at home, and
Mr.. Morgan, Mr.. Jones of Arkansas and
Mr.. Harris on the democratic side, hold
ing to the opinion that the President has
never been a democrat on the financial
problem. Clearly, therefore. unless all the
signs fail, the Senate this winter will
again be the scene of a stirring financial
engagement. The President will submit
the problem, and the same men who so
promptly took up his challenge for the re-
peal of the purchasing clause of the Sher-
man act will take up this challenge for the
increase in the volume Of currency to be
controlled by the general government.
The Senate Rules.
And here at once comes up the question
of the Senate rules. AS those rules stand
today, nothing can be done in that body
without the consent of the minority. This
has been demonstrated over and over
again. IL fact. the repeated exercise Of
controlling power by the minority was
carried so far in last years silver fight
and In last springs tariff fight that several
propositions looking to a correction of this
practice were submitted by Senators on
both sides of the chamber. Mr. Hill and
Mr.. Mills on the democratic side and Mr..
MandeI son on the republican side were in
substantial agreement on the subject, and
all three proposed limiting debate in the
Senate by an appeal for a vote after a
given time by a stated number of Senators
to the Vice President Their resolutions
covering this point were referred to the
committee on rules, and the question took
on such interest that action by that COM
mittee seemed likely at one time before the
session closed. But 1T was finally decided
to postpone consideration of the subject
until the recess, when, as was stated, 1t
could be disposed of without partisan heat
and bias by the committee, and a report
be prepared for submission and adoption
at the short session.
That committee, however, has as yet
held no meeting. The committee Is COM
posed of Blackburn, chairman; Harris
German, Aldrich and Manderson, all eXpe-
rienced parliamentarians capable of solv-
ing the most veXed of parliamentary diff
culties.
Nothing VIII De Done.
The opinion Is expressed that nothing
will be done, and for explanation the re-
suits of the recent elections are quoted.
When it was agreed that the rules should
be changed the democracy seemed assured
of long lease Of power in the Senate
Nobody dreamed then of tidal waves or
revolutions. hr. Hill and Mr. Mills were
desirous of putting the business of the
body which their party was so long to
conduct on business basis, and Mr.. Man.
derson. conceding the likelihood of this
control was generously trying to aid In
the bringing about of better plan of
procedure. But now all IS changed. The
democracy has been all but completely
swamped, and IL the republicans do not
succeed to control of the Senate imme-
diately after this session it apparently
will not be much longer until thcy do.
So the question arises, with this change
in view and almost at hand will the re-
publicans consent now to any modification
of the Senate rules until they are once
more In control themselves of the rules
committee and of the Senate itself? Won't
they rather insist that the work shall
be deferred until such a time as they,
IL,
perform it? For Mr.. Blackburn they will
substitute Mr.. Aldrich for chairman Of
the committee and hand over to the astute
Rhode Islander the job of putting the ma
jority in control.
There are leading democrats however
who are not disturbed by this prospect of
no change in the Senate rules in time to
affect the legislation of the coming session.
1t is not essential, they say, for Mr.. Cleve-
lands financial recommendations to he
adopted by this Congress. 1t is even in
tmated that the President does not eX-
pect such u result. Whatever he shall rec
ommend will be important, and will de-
mand full and fair consideration. The
three months of the short session crowded
with routine business will afford no proper
opportunity for this. And so there are
those who believe that the President will
bring the matter forward now merely that
1t may attract the proper attention and set
the people to thinking. The discussion will
be inaugurated in Congress this winter,
the lines of support and opposition drawn,
and then, during the nine months recess,
the forces of the respective sides can be
marshaled for effect on the Fiftyfourth
Congress, which will be expected to dis
pose in some manner and in some form of
the subject.
The ShibbOleth for 1896.
This suggestion would indicate that the
financial question, and not the tariff ques-
ton, is to be the shibbolcrh for 1885, ard
that the President considers it wise to
start the cry at once. His admirers cordl-
ally approve of his program. Every con-
sideration, they assert, calls for taking the
question in time. Experience with hand
ling the tariff question Is thought to be
luminously to the point. The time between
the passage of the tariff bill by Congress
and the day of election was so short, the
bill could not demonstrate itself. The peo-
pie, therefore, as some democrats claim,
voted more from prejudice created by par
tsan Misrepresentation than from clear
und erstanding on that subject. And SO
they agree that if the finances are to be
the rallying cry for 1896, it is better to
bring forward the new problem now,a and
give plenty of time for it to be diPested
before the people are called upon to vote
in the presidential year.