Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-07
Fact and Fiction.


Democratic party has received no support
from Democratic newspapers more
staunch than chat given it by the New
York World. Now, however, when the
President declares the revenues to be
sufficient when every Democratic mem
Der of Congress refuses to support the
following confession:
The first duty of Congress is to pro-
vide more revenue tor the government.
With deficiency of S43, 900, 600 in the
revenues for the last fiscal year, and with
no authority in the treasury to make
loans except upon a thirty year per cent.
basis or to issue certificates in any emer-
gency, Congress is with criminal heed
essness facing the possibility of two
foreign wars while considering in a rou-
tine manner the appropriation of $780,
000 600, nowhere In sight, for coast
defenses and new warships! Was ever
snch supineness displayed before by o
civilized government having boundless
resources at its commando
This is the kind of confession, which
must be good for the soul. To avoid
ambiguity the World should not have
attributed the criminal heedlessness'' to
- Congress, but to the Senate, and of the
Senate to the Democrats, Populists and
five free silver Republicans OF course
blame specifically upon the Democratic
party. though this must be the inevitable
conclusion of everyone who realizes the
responsibility for the deficit. Moreover
this position taken by the World is an
endorsement of the Republican views of
the difficulty; it is virtually, an endorse
ment of the statement made by Congress
man Dingley in the symposium" upon
the subject, Congress and its Critics."
published in the North American Review
this month. To this symposium Senator
Hansbrough of North Dakota, Congress
man Dngley, Congressman Elliott OF
South Carolina, Congressman George 3.
Mcclellan of New York and Congressman
Taft Of Ohio, contributed. Senator Hans
brough expresses his admiration for the
Senate and his contempt for the press and
incidentally gives his readers to under.
| stand that the only honest editorials are
those which attack Wall street and cham
pion the cause of the owners of silver
mines. Mr.. Elliott is satisfied to CON
denim the Republicans in Congress and to
| assert on the strength of President Cleve-
lands say-so that there isn't the slightest
need of additional revenue. The confes-
| sion of the New York World is calculated
to give Mr.. Elliott an attack Of South
Carolina ague. Mr.. Mcclellan bases his
attack upon Congress chiefly upon the
neglect to make appropriations for the
Catholic institutions in the District of
Columbia. Mr.. Taft Of Ohio, says the
newspapers throughout the country are
properly holding the Senate respon-
sible for failure to furnish increased
revenue. He sees that the House since
the adoption of the Reed rules is con-
oooliois AisitE tbuu ou0 AoSIdtC SouStoubly
falling in public cstip,ation. Although
from Ohio he takes occasion to remark
that Republicans agree with unanimity
that Mr.. Reeds course in tine present
Congress has been the same as it would
have been if he had been in no sense a
presidential candidate
| Mp tn1-n = no a
press of this country represents with n
considerable degree of accuracy the vary
Ing currents of public opinion and he
considers the attitude Of the press towards
the fifty fourth Congress rs the attitude
OF the country. He points out that the
attitude Of the majority Of the press, as
we'll as majority of the people Of the
United States, is one of favor towards the
Republican House and disfavor towards
the anti Republican Senate. Surely this
statement of condition is automatic and
requires no other demonstration of Its
truth. Likewise is this true of his state
ment that the prompt action Of the House
In passing the revenue measure and the
bond bill received the approval of so
large majority of the newspapers Of the
country as to make it clear that the people
endorsed this action and the promptness
which characterizes it, We fail to acc
how anyone can successfully dispute that
statement. Perhaps 1t was the realiza
ton of this fact which prompted the
, Democratic World to make the confession
above referred to.
Mr. Dingley goes on to give reasons fo,
: che revenue measure which he introduced
ard which was passed by the House and
killed In the Senate. Well informed