New-York tribune., 1895-02-11

"A
and consumption hereafter. if the shrinkage III
incomes and wages should continue
"UUlT UOULD W1SHINGTON S4Y''
Tho gentleman from South Carolina has pro-
,,undcd a problem. II is question that may
we'll rive us pause Ii calls Us to take stock oi
ourselves and To make use Of the classic phrase
of the gcntleman's fcow-mcmber from th'
sunny South, find ont where we are al. Mr'
Strait. Democrat from South Carollna-Mr'
| Thomas j. Strait. perhaps Thomas J'"'F'""
Straits exercised over our National desen
crocy And who can blame him! lie Is Il mem
her Of the present House of Representatives, anu
onc ~ the majority party. That is reason enough
f,r tho shame and sorrow Of any man lhe IRA
Ji,inn of the Fathers j. strong upon him. An
dr.w Jackson had the nonor Of being born III
h,s county. and he Is perfectly convinced that
he represents the principles Of "Old Hickory
and also Of George Washington. The srght
differences In the political crccds Of these two
statesmen NIGH, cause embarrassment to some
nor.o,s Inn II never does 10 a thoroughgoing
Democratic orator. who can in himself mar
monize and embody on al occasions Achilles
and Hector. Caesar and Pompcy. Jefferson ana
calhoun and Jackson or Cleveland aud Hill.
Mr. Strait * a true Democrat. and Is the lhdis-
crimluarc heir to the greatness Of al the ages
=, ho stood up in the House during the proceed
incs ON the Springer Currency bill and gave
impr,Ssive warning 10 an ObsireperouS people
What would Washington say to-day II he could
"come down and look upon this House; oh'
"tc,rS bigger than moupians would flow from
al, Il lis n
.pangs that would pierce his heart The tciii-
monv ~ Jackson. who was born IN my coil-
H." is also invoked, and we learn that "hc would
SAY. Get out Of here and he would throw
.ou about half of the members OF this House
and lay the lash upon them
Just where Mr. Thomas j. Strait gets MS
somewhat Cromwcan notions or the iuhcuoh
If thc President of the United States does not
appear "Od Hickory" Is reported to have oee"
imuerlous and fiery in temper. but there Is no
record Of his having driven Congress from lis
chambers The picture of his riding down i'hh'
svlvania-ayc. and telling the Congressman To
"cet o.. Of here could hardly have failed 10
find a place in historical gallery beside the
picttircs of those other famous forciDle pariia-
mcntary dissouions Of Napoleon and the fro-
tcctor If the event had really taken place. MIR.
Strait seems 10 be little mixed. There was
an order for something like half Of the House 10
get out of here" issued little time ago. But
the order came not from Andrew Jackson. but
from the people ~ the United States, ana was
quite cmphatically expressed In the election OF
last November Mr.. Strait must have heard
about number Of his Democratic colcaSues
being told "to get out
But what are the things that would make the
n f,...,
the pangs that would pierce his heart? 1t Is
not right that things should happen thus TO
yrieyc the Father Of his Country Az nearly as
calm contemplation Of cold types enables one To
Judge Of the mpassioncd eloquencc of the
gentleman from South Carolina, Washingtons
gray hairs are to be brought down in sorrow
with a mountain range Of tears. each tear as
large as a mountain. because some conservative
people In this country wish the United States
70 pay It's debts I'm good. honest money. and be-
cause some congressman Of both parties were
willing To pass bill which. however imperfect.
was an attempt 10 maintain the credit OF the
Government in the eyes Of the world. Mr. Strait
thinks that New-York wishes TO dictate to the
people with her sorld gold.' and he wants 10
know whether man is greater than gold"
Judging from the efforts of some OF Mr.. Straits
friends 10 get gold by dcprccating the cur
rcncy and paying their debts In less valuable
money we should say that man was not in all
quarters thought better than gold. Manhood
and the duty OF paying debts with honest dol
lars, ut any rate, weigh lighter than gold.
But Mr. Strait wonders what Washington
would say. II may be- possible to judge this
from what he did. When he became President
he appointed Alexander Hamilton Secretary Of
measures. These provided that bankrupt gov
crnmcnt should pay It's heavy war debt in full,
Notwithstanding the fact that II was held In
great part by spectators who had purchased at
a discount from the poor people, who had been
compelled to take the Continental bills The
Secretary asserted that honor required faith to
be- kept He also established a National bank,
and drew the first tariff act by which American
industries were protected. Under his fostering
care poor and dcspised country started on
the road to wealth and greatness That was the
financial policy which George Washington ap-
proved. Now n President Is In office whose
Secretary makes guess after guess ut solving
the currency problem. whose Congress found
prosperous country growing rich under the pro-
tective policy begun by Hamilton, and at once
began legislation Of 'peridy and dishonor'
which has brought panic and disaster and left the
country confronted with the most serious hnan
cial problems. This 10 . very different policy