St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-03-07
PETTY POLITICIANS.
Republican Senators Trifiing with
Sarinus -.=zz

7
Serious Matter.
1t has been evident almost from the
FIRST that there has been no intention
in either house of congress to treat
the presidents appeal for legislation
for the relief of the treasury as any
thing but ball to be tossed and bat
ted in a partisan game. Not one rep
resentative or senator has risen to the
occasion and treated the matter In
portance demands.
Look at the loan bill. The presi-
dent wanted two things: First, au-
thority to borrow gold on the security
of bond promising to pay gold and
bearing, say, three per cent interest,
and, second, authority to redeem legal
tender notes SO that they would stay
redeemed The former would enable
him to get the needed gold on the
hest possible terms aud at the least
cost to the people. The latter would
reduce the amount to be borrowed
to the lowest limit, and thus contrib
nte toward reducing the cost to the
people.
At no time has there been mani
Tested a disposition to grant either
OF these things. The house bill provid-
ed for coin" bonds at three per cent.
and forbade the. sales either of these
or the bonds already authorized ex-
cept by public advertisement, while
the house refused to entertain for
moment the suggestion that when
legal tender notes were redeemed
they should stay redeemed.
The bin as it passed the house was
worse than worthless for the purpose
for which legislation was asked.
Then the finance committee of the
republican senate took it and made,
it as bad as any financial measure
could be by converting it into a SIX
teen to one free silver bill, pure and
simple. 1t having now become evident
that the bill thus transformed would
pass the senate some time and then
go to the legislative garbage box it
was due to the public that it should
&c to it's destiny without delay.
But this was not to be. We have
had many dreary days Of talk, partly
about this miserable bill and partly
about the distribution of hay and pump
kin seeds, and the end is not yet. The
amendment stage has not yet been
passed. The political fine workers
have yet to bring forward the COM
promise schemes designed to round up
p4ai, .,1a sc,,es of
Senator Lodge, republican, has al
ready offered a substitute amendment
leaving out all about silver and gold
and authorizing loan of $100,00o,0 900
in greenbacl<s or anything else that
comes handy for the construction of
ported TO have an amendment up his
sleeve providing that the secretary of
the treasury may borrow gold enough
to retire the greenbacks and treasury
notes, but that the mints must be
opened to the coinage of silver for the
benefit of depositors until the amount |
If silver dollars SO coined equals the
AMOUNT of notes retired. And SEN
ator German is said to be ready with |
4 similar amendment, but providing for
unlimited free coinage of silver not |
only during, but forever after, the re-
5irement of legal tender notes.
All this babble and playing small
1olities is less hurtful than it would
2e if there We're any probability that
my one of the numerous schemes to
undermine the public credit should be
But it does harm not only
ecause it discourages the hope of any
reasonable action for the improvement
# the currency and the protection of
he standard, but because there is pos
ibility of mischievous legislation, like
hat of 1890, or worse, and in great
'urnbers Of transactions possibilities
IS well as probabilities have their in
luence for good or ILL. If congress
would let the worst be known and go
Iome, it would render the country q
legative service Chicago Chronicle.