The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-03-22
LAKES ITS OWN MEDICINE.
RecoIl of the Infamous Work OF the Fifty
Third Congress.


RecoIl of the Infamous Work OF the Fifty
Third Congress.
It is not known that any other con-
gress in the entire history of the coun-
try has ever elected from the people
such a chorus of condemnation and
contempt as that which attends the
close of the Fifty-third congress 1t IS
especially noteworthy that in this in
stance the censure does not come chief
ly or with most intensity of feeling
from political opponents, but from
those who most conspicuously represent
the party which has controlled both
houses of congress. Republicans have
found not much to say. The conduct
of congress, in their view, requires but
little comment, since the people them
selves by their votes have made it clear
what they think about 1t. But demo-
cratic journals, without exception, con-
denim this congress in the strongest
terms. Thus the New York Times
pronounces it ''ignoble and impotent,
speaks of its infamous record" de-
clares it "a disgrace to America" and
closes by saying: 1.-THE people OF the
United States should unite in devout
thanksgiving to the God of nations
when this scourge is lifted from them"
The New York sun calls it ''the con-
gress of dishonor," which has adopted
populism and brought widespread dis
aster upon the nation" The New
York Herald illustrates its idea Of the
Fifty-third congress by picture Of an
enormous long-eared jackass loaded
down with billion-dollar appropria-
lions, income tax, populism, silver aud
the rest, to whom the old lady demOc-
racy contemptuously observes: What
a fine ass you have made of Yourself"
All this censure and scorn is richly
merited, of course, and yet there is
something curiously unfair about it.
1t comes from people who were striv.
ing with all their might last Novem-
Der to elect such another congress. II
did not seem to these people expedient
at that time to lift up their voice.
against the advocates of silver coinage,
or of the income tax, nor did they lend
aid to republicans in securing the de-
feat of the majority. 1t was the prev
alent democratic feeling that, above
all things, it was necessary to elect
some kind of democratic congress in
order to uphold the president during
the second half of his term. Nor is 1t
quite fair to hold this congress es-
pecially responsible for the vagaries Of
the democratic party which have been
manifested every time it has had power
or opportunity for the last thirty
years. If congress most unwisely voted
for free coinage of silver, it is as well
to remember that in doing so the DEM
ocratic members unquestionably repre-
sented large majority of the demos
cratic voters. So as respects the cur
rency questions; there can be no doubt
that a large proportion of the demo
cratic voters wanted the national
banking system broken down, and IN
limited issues of currency by state
banks. and in this particular also the
wishes of great share of the demo-
cratic voters, particularly at the west
and at the south. were only too faith
fully represented by the action of theiE
senators and representatives at Wash
ington.
So it comes to this, that, in the judg-
ment of the ablest journals of the dem
ocratic party, its tendencies and opin-
ions are such as to merit the contempt
and the scorn of all right-thinking and
patriotic men. Republicans have many
times said very much the same thing,
and have again and again pointed to
the fact that the prevailing tendencies
in the democratic party were always
dangerous to the country. But during
the last two years the democratic party
has been permitted to see itself, as in
mirror, and to get for the first time a
realizing impression of its own char
acter and nature and deposition. The
result is, first, a tremendous loss OF
democratic votes at the last election.
and next a manifestation of censure
and contempt such as nc other congress
in the history of the country has
evoked.-N. Y. Tribune