The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-07
Soft Coal and Sycophancy.

The Washington Post, speaking In
this matter, as 1t has in other matters,
In the behalf of those Democratic sem
ators who are arrayed In opposition to
the president, strongly condemns MIR.
Chandler's proposed investigation of
the Nova Scotia coal matter, alleging
that 1t is based upon the "detestable
hypothesis that there issomething inn
proper in having money to invest and
somethingcrlmlnalfn the effort tomake
the investment profitable" There Is
nothing, 1t adds, necessarily disreput-
able about Nova Scotia coal syndi-
cate-supposing that such syndicate
exists-nothing improper In Its In
spiration, Its existence, or its efforts to
secure q profitable field Of operation.
For ourselves, we prefer to see an
American congress legislating for the
benefit of American industries, and
still consistently advocate that theory,
but the promoters of foreign industries
have q perfect right to seek advantage
here, and if they succeed without in-
jury to any domestic interest so much
the better.n
The Post, 1t will be seen, Is ingenious
enough to put the syndicate's best
foot forward, 1t seems to forget, how
ever, that the duty Of an American
congress ends at the borders of Ameri-
can territory in matters of this charac-
ter. The proposition that it may,
either in repayment of political obli-
cations, or out Of courtesy to the per
sonal and social friendships of u presi-
dent or Of coterie Of senators, or IN
return for free gifts Of stock vote for
tunes into the hands of a foreign syn
dicate at the expense Of home indus
try Is utterly obnoxious. Granting
that the organizers Of the Dominion
Coal company are Americans, it does
not follow according to any accepted
principle of wise political economy
that M American congress should in
their behalf strike a blow ut American
investors whose industrial investments
are on American soil, paying wages tC
American wage earners, freight toll:
to American railroads that are manned
by American trainmen; and finally
giving the whole benefits of their en-
terprise and activities to American
commerce,
AS to the political or partisan aspect
of Mr., Chandler's resolution, we art
less concerned. The Post, uncom
monty and, 1t seems to us, unduly sen
sitive on matters pertaining to th'
"fair tame" of the American congress
"A "fame" which many congressmel
themselves do not appear to care mucl
about-thinks that in this resolution
Mr.. Chandler sis simply adding an
other to the baseless scandals that havu
been rife of late. He is contributing
for party purposes, to the defamation
Of public officials who deserve the re
spect and confidence of the American
people," This last clause Is fairly opel
to debate. With the single exception
of Mr.. Villas, who has a debt of hi
own to pay, nobody has seriously main
tanned, unless 1t be the Post, tina
"public officials" of, let us say, tn
Grover Cleveland caliber so "deserv
the respect and confidence Of tn
American people' that criticism o
them amounts to q moral crime, ant
the questioning their lofty consecra
ton and capacious wisdom becomes il
degree treason to the republic. w
prefer to stand on the good, old-fash
ioned ground that public official is
public servant, open at all times t
public scrutiny and advice, and whel
giving symptoms of crookedness or ig
norage or both, deserving a sharp ra
across the knuckles by the ferrule G
public opinion.
The best way for any man to win til
"respect and confidence of the Amer
can people" Is to deserve it. We d
not think that large percentage {
the public officials in congress toda
measure up to that simple test, tn
Washington Post to the contrary not
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