The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-02-14
What Have They Done?

What Have Eh9y Douc!
Oaly about two weeks remain for
the present Congress to legis!ate. 1t
has beeu very remarkable body. The
Democrats have hal majority, and
have had it in their power to put into
legislation the principles Of the party.
But what has it done? Practically
nothing. The only two pieces of leg
islation that will benefit the masses OF
the people to any great extent are the
tariff bill and the Income Tax Laws.
The tariff bill, though, far from salts
factory, will unqusstionsbly help the
psople at large. The bill is very i'm
perfect, but still it is better than the
Mckinley law. The Income Tax Law
is open to some very serious objections,
but, nevertheless, it will help the
masses of the people, because the tax
will fall largely upon the rich. We
question, however, whether or not it
is in accord with the fundamental
principles Of Democracy. Its inquisl-
torial feature is a very serious objec-
ton. This particular bill, too, dis
eliminates against corporations. Itis
not q uniform system Of taxation. Il
is hardly equitable: that corporation
should be required to pay the tax, al
though lis profits may not be more
than a hundred dollars, simply be-
cause it is corporation. Yet the pro-
visions of the bill make this so, if the
corporation does not happen to come
within the exceptions. The South
can tolerate this bill, because the tax
will fall upon the very class Of men
who have gotten rich by the unjust
tariff laws st its expense. This, how
ever, is not very high ground to
take.
The Democratic party will 60 out
of power without having solved the
financial problem, and az this is 8
burning question the people whether
justly Or unjustly will hold it respon-
sible for the failure, and we fear that
they will show their condemnation of
the party at the elections in 1896. Mr..
Cleveland is not infallible, Of course,
but it is worth noting that what little
good Congress has done, has been
done at his suggestion. He has been
hampered all through his administra-
ton by his own party, and doubtless
if the truth were ali known, it might
be found out that he has kept the party
from committing many serious blum
ders. It is possible that Congress did
not know what to do with the finan-
cial question: and, therefore, has done
nothing. About the wisest thing to
dc when you don't know what to do,
is to do nothing. This about the
most charitable view that can be taken
Of the very remarkable Congress that
will so soon pass out Of existance.
The seeming inability Of Congress to
come to the rescue of the Treasury re-
veals very discouraging state of
affairs. The Government unquestion-
ably is in the hands Of the associated
bankers, at their mercy to be treated
and handled as they choose. They
have conclusively demonstrated that,
with their vaults filled with gold, they
are more powerful than the govern
ment itself. They can Systematically
withdraw gold from the Treasury,
and then turn round and purchase
bonds. There can be but one end to
this kind of business-bankruptcy of
the government. The Republicans
will sueceed in power; and we do not
think it so hard to predict what they
will advise to remedy the situation.
They will follow their same old
policy-nore revenue. They will
claim that the government hasn't got
enough revenue to support it, and
accordingly raise the tariff: This, of
course, will enrich the rich more, and
make them still more powerful. We
see but one end to this policy. The
government will become the property
of the rich. It is rapidly becoming
rich mans government, and . few
years more of Republican rule will
make it completely 50.
The Democratic party is too hetero-
geneous to be unanimousin in its policies.
Unlike the Republican party, it is COM
posed of diverse elements. The Re-
publican party is the party Of the rich
manufacturers, especially, and in
deed it is the rich mans party. This