Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1895-01-09
Our Washington Letter.

trust and general disaster are now
contcnding for the control of the
Democratic majority in Congress,
and of the administration. Instead
of returning from their holiday in
a more united condition. the Dem
Ocrats are. if such thing be
possible, wider apart on the tinan-
cial question than they We're when
the recess adjournment was taken.
Debate was resumed in the
House ON the currency bill without
any idea of what is to be the out
come. The men who ought to be
the leaders of the Democrats are in
doubt not only as to what they
ought to do, but rs to what follow
ing they will have should they de-
eide upon what to attempt. Some
arc advising the holding of Il eau
Gus and others are saying that a
caucus will only aggravatc the cx-
listing division. Mr.. Cleveland
has intimated quite strongly that
he has Il mind to send special
message to congress, pleading for
some patriotic, non-partisan finan-
eial Legislation, and his cabinet is
understood to be divided as to the
advisability of such course on his
part.
The situation has not been i'm
proved by the apparently well
grounded rumor that Mr.. j.
Picrrepont Morgan. a new York
banker, had called upon Mr..
Cleveland is the representative of
the syndicate of bankers which
tloatcd the late bond issue. and for
mally requested that Secretary
Carlisle be dismissed from the
head of the Treasury department,
on the ground that he had failed to
keep faith with the bankers and
that he lacks the capacity to sue
cessfully handle the financial affairs
of the country. OF course no one
expects this to result in the re-
moval Of Secretary Carlisle, but it
has added another complication to
a situation that was already en-
tirely too much complicated.
Republicans i'll Congress had no
hand in making the present tinan-
cial muddlc and they do not con-
slider it their duty to take any part
in clearing up matters. They are
at present merely interested on
lockers, waiting to see whether the
Democrats will be able to produce
anything tangible out of the chaos
now prevailing. At present, al
though the Carlisle currency bill
is nominally before the House for
general debate. there is no certain
ty that it may not. without an
hour notice, be succeeded by an
other bill of an entirely different
nature. When the Democrats
have shown what sort of bill they
really intend to try to pass, if they
ever do, the Republicans will be
ready to meet it with a definite
declaration, something that it is at
present useless to make. Among
the changes proposed to be made
in the Carlisle currency bill is one
for the issue of $500. 600. GOO in y
per cent bonds to he used for the
retirement of the grccnbacks and
treasury notes. 1t is stated that
Mr.. Cleveland has endorsed the
idea, but has not done SO publicly.
Senator Mitchell, of Oregon,
thinks it very doubtful whether
the Carlisle currency bill can be
forced through the House and says
of its chance in the Senate: IL dc
not see how it can get through the
Senate. The plans which have
been presented so far are most un-
satisfactory and will require d
thorough discussion of the best
method of rcmedying existing con
ditions before any bill can be form
ulatcd that will be satisfactory, and
there isn't time for that. When
asked whether there would be III
extra session of congress. the Sen
ator said: Not unless the Demo
Gratis force it. The Republicans
will do nothing to delay action.
We will not even fight against the
appropriation for the execution OF
the income tax. We believe that
the tax is odious and ought not be
enforced. hut Us the Democrats