The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-03-15
THE FIFrY-TnlRp CONGRESS.
Demise OF Repudiatsd and DcmoraIized
ORGANIZATION,

tHE FtF u TIM SON1n6S0.
Demise OF . RepudIatsd and DcmorallEed
Organization.
The Fifty-third congress has expired.
Almost its only mourners are those
senator's and representatives, chiefly
democrats, who have failed of re-
election, and whose salaries come to
an end, and those lobbyists, claim
agents and treasury raiders of all
classes who believe that if this con-
gress had lived few days or hours
longer they might have got their meas
ures through. The grief of few Of
these outgoing congressman islessened
by the fact that the president has
kindly consented to provide for them
for the next two years. But the means
at his disposal are limited, and most
of the victims of the popular indigna-
ton of 1894 will have to earn their own
living.
The Fifty-third congress will live
long in the memories of the American
people as horrible example" of dem
ocratic governmental incapacity. That
party had an overwhelming majority
in the house and small majority in tho
senate. It had president of its own.
The day after the election of 1892 the
democrats began Dragging OF the rec
ord their congress was going to make.
1t had been elected on a platform
wherein the party promised to pass
tariff bill which should impose duties
producing revenue, but not giving pro
lection. 1t promised to administer the
affairs of the government honestly and
economically. 1t promised safeguards
of legislation" to insure the main
tenance of the parity of gold and sill
yer. 1t also promised the repeal of the
federal election laws.
The democrats proclaimed that theiI
congress would do all these and many
other good things; that it would give
the country degree Of prosperity il
never had enjoyed before, and that il
would go down to history as the great
and good congress. 1t has ended its
career and will be known as one of the
most discredited ones in the annals OF
the country.
Its existence conceded with that OF
panic and business depression such
as the world had not known for twenty
years. The hard times of the last forty
eight months were caused by the ap-
prehension of the legislation of this
congress and by the legislation itself.
1t is true that this congress broke the
pledges of its party to pass a tariff bill
giving no protection, but it passed one
which cut down protection so much
that every interest was affected. Last
November its handiwork was repudi-
ated with singular unanimity.
Although appealed to by the presi-
dent time and again for safeguards of
legislation" to maintain the parity of
the silver money of the country 1t did
nothing except to stop the purchase Of
silver, and that would not have been
done but for republican votes. To all
entreaties for legislation relative to the
sale of bonds the Fifty-third congress
turned deaf ear. 1t would not pro-
vide the government with sufficient
revenue to make it unnecessary to use
the proceeds of bond sales to pay cur
rent expenses 1t acted in such way
as to shake American credit at home
and abroad. In spite of the promise
that it would give the country an
honest and economic administration it
became a billion dollar congress, al
though the sources ofrevenue had been
dried up in part and rigid economy had
become as necessary for the nation as
for individuals.
About the only one of the pledges of
the national platform which this con-
gress has kept was in regard to the re-
peal of the federal election laws 1t did
wipe from the statutes every act which
had been passed to guarantee the right
of American citizens to vote at federal
elections and have their votes honestly
counted. But the party which was
pledged TO the admission of New
Mexico and Arizona as states failed to
keep its promise.
The deceased congress was pledged
to pass laws against trusts if needed.
1t passed none, but it came very near
passing a law permitting the railroads
to form a gigantic trust for the pur-
pose of plundering the peop-e by ex-
acting higher freight rates 1t was
pledged to secure freer foreign mar
kets and enlarged exchanges 1t legis-
lated in such q manner as to deprive
the country of the profitable market it
had in the West Indies and as to give
Germany and other European countries
an excuse for shutting out American
meats and other products. The farm
ers and the stock raisers have been the
victims of the Fifty-third congress,
which they were told was going to do
so much for them
1t is true that there were many bad
things which that congress might have
done, but which it did not do-partly
for lack of time. It is true also that it
gave Chicago a new government build
ing, which ought, however, to have
been attended to by it's predecessor.
But taking all things into eonsiders-
ton it is difficult to find in American
history congress which began with
such high expectations on the part Of
the political organization which con-
trolled it and which, after disappoint-
ing those expectations as signally,
came to an inglorious end. 1t will be
known as the democratic calamity con-
gress>-Chicago Tribune.
DRIFT OF OPINION.
ara>1la- MAN - ~ao,,o ILL -