The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-06-01
DO sonnet HING.

FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE I, 1894.
DO SOMETHING.
On the sth day of November, 1892,
before the day had .passed to midnight
it was known that Grover Cleveland
had been elected, by great majority,
as President of the United States, and
that large majority of the House OF
Representatives were on the Demo
cratic side. Later on it was known
that the Senate would also be Demo
cratic and the people hoped for an old
time Democratic administration. For
more than thirty years the Democrat
ic party had been debarred from pass
ing a single law, founded ON the policy
of that party, and the Republican
party had been defiant in intlicting on
the country their partisan measures.
Sectional and class legislation, not in
tended for the good of the whole coun-
try but for the perpetuation of the
party in power had been the order of
the day. But now it was hoped that
this state of affairs was at an end.
Great things were indeed expected of
the new administration, perhaps in
deed too much. But soon after Con-
gress had assembled in extra session
some of the wiser men of the Demo
cratic faith began to feel disappointed.
1t seemed as though there were certain
men in both Houses of Congress who
had been elected as Democrats who
would like to apologize for their faith
and who did not seem to care to re-
peat II am a Democrat" The Re-
publicans although in a minority in
both houses seeing this hating and
timidity soon became arrogant and ag-
gressive. How often has a bold front
alone won battle and how often has
a cowardly and hesitating attack
been the sole cause of defeat. The
great issue in the contest of 1892 had
been tariff reform. The Democrats
advocated a tariff for revenue only,
while the Republicans commended for
protective duties primarily as the
rights of certain classes without taking
into consideration whether these du-
ties would make too little or too much
revenue.
There were and are however many
good and true men in Congress who
are Democrats in principle and who
do not have to say II am a Democrat"
to let people know where they belong.
In fairly reasonable time these men
formulated and passed through the
House of Representatives reform
tariff bill ON the lines of the Chicago
platform and sent it over the Senate.
But the members of the Senate seemed
to think that they were a body far
above the direct representatives of
the people in the other branch of
Congress, and they received this meas
ure with little regard for its merits
After holding it a long time in com
mittee they reported the bill or more
properly perhaps what had been the
bill to the full Senate with such
amendments to be acted on which to-
gether with the obstruction tactics of
the Republicans will probably if they
are acted ON at all reach far into the
next century.
In the meantime what of the coun-
try and the suffering people Not
withstanding plentiful crops and an
abundance of wealth in the country,
the financial depression is perhaps
worse than ever before known. Values
of almost all kinds have dwindled and
industry is almost at a stand still.
Strikes are the order of the day and
men are roaming the country in search
of employment. What is the cause of
all this distress Republicans say it is
caused by the Democratic administra-
ton and by the fear of tariff changes.
But the new administration has re-
pealed but one Republican law since
its inauguration, and that repeal was
also supported by a majority of the
Republicans.
Whatever may have been the origin
of the present financial distress, it was
certainly not the act of the Democratic
party, for they had not for thirty years
had the opportunity of enacting any
thing, but that they are responsible in
a great measure for the continuation
of this distress is patent to every
thinking and candid person.
1t is said that Nero fiddled while
Rome was on fire, and it does seem as
some of our professed statemen have
little more regard for the suffering
people of this country than Nero had
for the Romans.
Gentlemen of the Senate, do some
thing for the sake of the country. If
you have personal aims and advance
ments in view help the people and the
people will help you. If you do not
listen to the people they will finally
uprise against you and pull you down,
lofty as you may now be and lowly as
the position of the people may now
appear. Know that you are not the
masters but the servants of the people,
You are rapidly disintegrating that
party whose traditions tell of so many
grand achievements and you are blast
ing the hopes and making sad the
hearts of the many who love and re-
we're that party as they do their lives
For the sake of the country do some
thing. If you cannot do better, pass
the emasculated reform tariff bill now
before the Senate, and if you cannot
do even that let it go to defeat, and
let us still groan under McKinlyism
until an outraged and betray ed people
will rise up in their might and elect
men who will be true to their missions,
their instructions and their pledges.
DECORATION DAY.
Although Decoration day has pass
ed for the year 1894 it is to be hoped
that the feeling which has engender-
ed the customs of that day, may not
terminate for many wears to COME