The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-26
What Bryan Did
While in Congress
From the Times-Herald,

From the Times Herald.
In order to arrive at practical copclu-
sion as to what man will do If intrusted
with power 1t is customary to consult his
past public record. The American people
have been addicted to this habit for years.
When a man Is a candidate for a great Of
flee the electorate is justified in making
close scrutiny Of his acts in whatever
public capacity he may have served as al
fording a reliable index of his probable at
titude toward issues that are pending.
Very little reference has been made in
this campaign to Mr.. Bryan's record in
congress. perhaps for the very good rea-
SON that he has no record that Is or sur
ficient Importance to challenge public
attention. But Mr.. Bryan had great
talking record" in congress. He began
developing his rear platform style of ora
tory Immediately after his election to The
Fifty-second congress. Like most talk
ing members of congress, he was long on
oratory but short on legislative results. The
only way to judge the value OF Mr.. Bry-
ans congressional oratory is to ascertain
the fate of the measures which he cham
pioned. 1t must be borne in mind that the
house was Democratic by large major
ity during his two terms. In the first ses-
sion OF the Fifty-second congress he IN
troduced forty-two bills and joint resolu-
tions. Among these were bills to place
barbed wire. iron rods, binding twine,
lumber and salt on the free list. He made
twenty-five speeches during this session.
but only three of the measures which he
advocated were passed.
In the second session of the Fifty-second
congress none of the three bills which he
introduced became law, although he
made the chambers resound with his mel
lifious voice on seven different occasions.
During the first session Of the Fifty-third
congress Mr.. Bryan introduced thirteen
bills, none of which passed either house,
although Mr.. Bryan broke out In impas-
stoned oratory not less than twenty times,
eight of the speeches being devoted to the
silver question. In the second session OF
the Fifty-third congress Mr.. Bryan intro
duced fifteen bills and joint resolutions.
only two of which became laws, although
he regaled the house with ninety-two sepa-
rate and distinct outbursts of oratory.
In the third session of the Fifty-third
congress Mr. Bryan introduced six meas
ures, three of them being separate joint
resolutions to make the president OF the
United States Ineligible for second term.
and another to make the president in
eligible to succeed himself. He spoke fif-
ty-two times during this session, but none
Of the measures which he introduced be-
came a law. The two crowning achieve
ments of craftsmanship to which Mr..
Bryan points with especial pride are The
bill providing for the building of pas
senger elevator In the postoffice at Lincoln,
and the Wilson-Gorman mill-destroying,
shop-wrecking, debt-creating tariff bill.
Mr.. Bryan enjoys the distinction of hav-
ing been a member of the ways and
means committee which framed that no.
torious souphouse revenue measure
The Wilson bill embodied more radical free
trade principles than any other act passed
by the Democratic party since 1888. 1t was
framed with reckless disregard for the
Industrial interests of the country 1t
placed iron ore, bituminous coal, WOOL
cotton ties, binding twine, nearly all farm
products on the free list, and made most
radical and sweeping reductions in i'm
port duties on the whole line Of cOmpet-
ing commodities. 1t repealed the bounty
on sugar also the reciprocity paragraph
of the Mckinley bill. The duties on
woolen goods were reduced to an cd
valorem rate of less than so per cent
If this bill had passed as originally
framed by Mr.. Bryan and his committee
it would have been much more destructive
to American Industries than the Wilson,
German bill, and the treasury deficits
would have been much larger The bill,
as modified by the senate, transferred nine
ty-two articles from the dutiable to the
free list, reduced the duty of seven arti-
cles Is per cent, on 1l2 articles 80 to Is per
cent, on 1858 articles 25 to so per cent, on
$50 articles 25 per cent. Having assisted
In destroying the home market for the
farmer. throwing hundreds of thousands
OF men out Of employment and In creating
deficit in the treasury Of $l06, ,OOO, 900 IN
twenty-five months, Mr. Bryan is now ask
Ing the wage-earners to vote for a dollar
which, when paid out to labor that is
lucky enough TO be employed, will buy
so per cent. less Of the necessaries Of life
than the dollar which is now paid to
labor,