The broad ax., 1896-05-30

Chicago Chronicle: Senator GormaI
would appear to better advantage as
critic Of the spendthrift policy OF tho
republican party IL he did not at the
same time put himself in the attitude
OF an assailant Of the administration.
When he states on the floor OF the
senate that at the opening Of this con-
gress 1t was informed by the executive
that the condition Of the treasury de-
manded economy or else the country
would be confronted with either an In
crease Of taxation or the sale OF bonds,
he says too much or too little. The
point upon which the president laid
stress was not the relation between re-
ceipts and expenditures, but the rela-
ton between the huge mass OF out
standing obligations and the gold re-
serve. What he declared 10 be Of the
first moment was that congress should
take measures at once 10 correct this
relation by providing for the ex-
tinguishment of the demand obliga-
lions. What he said about bonds was
that 1t would be better 10 issue them
for that purpose than to reissue the
the demand obligations over and over
again, and then issue bonds for the
gold with which to redeem them again
and again. Senator German may have
served his, own purpose, but he did not
serve any good purpose by misrepre-
senting the attitude OF the executive
on this question.
In arraigning the republican party
for swelling the expenditures in order
to provide themselves with an excuse
for restoring Mckinley taxes on i'm
ports he gets upon solid ground, though
even in doing this he must needs have
his fling at the administration.
The naval appropriation bill was be-
lore the senate. 1t contained an item
providing for the construction of four
more battleships at an aggregate cost
of $4,000 900, or an average OF three
and three-fourths millions per ship.
Mr.. German made this his text. He did
not see the economy OF building four
of these costly ships when the original
recommendation called for only two.
While the republicans were claiming
that the only thing wrong with the
finances was insufficient revenue to
meet the expenditures the republicans
we're lavishly increasing the latter and
at the same time refusing to do any
thing reasonable to increase the for
ner.
The navy bill we'll illustrates one
orancn OF the statement 1t arpropri-
ties, as Mr.. German said, s5l, 600, 900.
Before the election Of Harrison the an
'ropriations for the navy averaged less
han s21, 100000. Then they increased |
o an average OF more than SIS .OoO, 900.
Now jump to more than double thar
ium is proposed, or more than double
he annual cost of the army.
AS to the other part of the state
nent-that the republicans refused to
Increase the reyenue-Mr. German
pointed to the failure to take up the
iouse tariff bill. He held he repubIi-
ans responsible, as they had the or
Of the senate and Of the
nance committee. In this connection
nd In answer to republican senator's
Who claimed they did not control the
ommittee Mr.. German made this ra-
1arkable statement:
We warned you that you had No,
ne power to relieve the country. and
sked you to Join US in a non-partisan
1easure OF relief. But our offer was re-
eeted. You assumed the task aIone
.ou also knew you were without the
over, unless you got your forces to-
etner. You knew there could be mo
ction, and in my judgment this nro.
osal to relieve the treasury was in
'nded as failure"
Mr.. Sherman undertook to DENY tbe
atement, but Mr.. German adhered
II and forced what amounted n an
1mission that it was true. That Is
le republicans refused to enter ,n,o
arrangement by which a non-parti-
n revenue measure could be securad
ne only conclusion is that they have
zen insincere from the first in pre- ,
nding that they were anxious 70 mr.
oe more revenue. The only conclu- /.
on Is that their aim Is TO mata a..
nett as great as possible by swelling |:
e expenditure and refusing to make
70 the treasury the $50 900 600 Ios,
the decision against the republican
r@me-tax revived by tie democrst.
le refusal to take up the alcohol re- +.
=: tax bill the other day clemens
: conclusion and demonstrates COM
Ty the hypocrisy Of republican =,
e -<sions with respect to relief Of ,ha
.ssury. 8