Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-04-19
THB LAST CONGRESS.
1T UEDID THE BAD WORK OF THE
MCKINLEY CONGRESS-

ate RECORD Compared With tho Rec
ord OF tho Republican Congress Of
10eo-One Bad tho Other Good
Democratic Work That VIII Bene-
ut the Country.
Many things expected of the Fifty
third Congress have not been accom-
piished. Its record has not been such
as to make all true Democrats rejoice,
ond it asbeen called "incompetent" by
not q few prominent Democrats and
Democratic newspapers. Many of it's
most severe critics, however, recognize
that, as compared with the Fifty-first,
or Mckinley Congress, of 1890. the
record OF the last Congress is excellent.
1t is not disputed that the McKin-
ley Congress was more effective in that
it did moro of what it was planned
to do. But that is Just why tho roo
ord is SO bad-it planned nothing for
tho good OF the country at large. It
accomplished nothing-asido from
making ordinary appropriations
the good of the masses; oil was in the
interest OF the classes-protected
manufacturers, mino owners, bounty
grabbors and subsidy hunters.
1t greatly increased the protection
to the mill owners but left labor un.
protected to compete, on free trade
basis, with the Italians and Huns i'm
ported by tho mill owner to beat
wages down. 1t added considerably
to tho sawdust protection given to far
mers, and attempted the new bunco
game called reciprocity" which was
m oman uraot ,oorl-otc G.. -
products in South Americans if the
great desire of South Americans was
TO exchange their wheat and pork for
our pork ard wheat. 1t threw boun-
ties and subsidies in all directions, 80
that by March, 1893, the 800, 900, 600
surplus left by Cleveland in 1889 was
entirely exhausted and the Treasury
was on the verge of bankruptcy.
The Fifty-third Congress has accom-.
plished great deal. First, it undid
the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of
1890 which, with Republican extraya-
gance, was responsible for tho panic
and depression which had already be.
gun before Harrison left tho White
House. Second, it repealed the Fed
eral Election laws, which no leading
Republican, except Senator Force-Biil
Lodge, would now rehabilitate. Third,
it gave us FREQ wool and reduced tariff
duties generally about as much rs Nc.
Kinley increased them. Fourth, it
gave us the income tax, which, though
it is not perfect, is yet great i'm.
proyement upon any tariff system OF
taxation. 1t is noticeable that Repub.
licans are not advocating the repeal OF
this tax. Fifth, it abolished the pay.
ment of bounties to sugar producers.
Sixth, it lcssened the net protection to
tho Sugar Trust but, unfortunately.
increased tho duty on refined sugar
about one cent per pound. But for
two or three traitors in their ranks
Senators from Havemeyer"-the
Democrats would have given us free
sugar and left no protection to the
trust
1t is noticeable that tho most that
tho Fiftythird Congress did, or at.
tempted to do, was to undo the WORK
of the Republican Congress of $780,.
So fnr MS it has succeeded it has done
excellent work. Practically all that
tho Fifty-frst Congress did was bad.
and all that the Fifty-third Congress
has done is good. And yet the Dem.
ocratic Congress receives kicks and
cuffs from oil sides, because it could
not, in two years, undo all of the evil
legislation that Republicans have, for
thirty years, been fastening upon this
country. The Democrats have partial
ly failed because they undertook too
big contract. What they have dono
will remain forever permanent ben.
efit to this country. Not even the Re.
publicans will dare to advocate many
of their old laws which the Democrats