St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-14

preceding a national election is not eX-
pected to develop anything but the
lowest variety of political claptrap. The
present experience of the country Is
realizing that expectation in a rather
more disgusting fashion than usual. We
IDOL, about the world and find d good
deal of fault with the way things are
going elsewhere. We feel sorry 1or
the Italians, who set UP one ministry
and pull down another in defense or a
national policy that is bringing them
rapidly and surely to ruin. We are
amused at the antics of the French
chambers. and the skillful avoidance OF
anything like positive legislation that
DISTINGUISHES the session of the Brit
ish parliament. But we may search
in vain through all the nations Tor
anything that will at all compare IN
imbecility, and in it's reflection upon
the intelligence and patriotism of the
people, with the present performances
of our representatives at Washington.
There has seldom been a time, outside
! of the actual war period, when there
were more subjects Of domestic I'M
portance that required intelligence and
craftsmanship in their treatment. We
have passed through a panic caused
by bad financial system, whose first
lesson should be the need of currency
reform. We have made a change in
our system of obtaining revenue, and
the failure of a portion of it, owing
to the decision of the supreme court
against the income tax, required the
levying of some easily collectible tax
to meet a current deficit. We have
been borrowing money on terms far
more unfavorable than we could easily
obtain if the treasury were empowered
to act at it's discretion.
These are all matters Of the gravest
national Importance. In addition to
; them there are a score of minor issues
in which the interests of the people
: could be served and economy and good
Q government promoted by diligent atten-
1 ton to business on the part of congress
& I'LL
4 and rejected it's duty but it continues
3 to fill the days with debates whose po
i litical purpose is written all over theil
face. All this talk upon the CubaI
e resolutions is designed solely for cleo
: ton purposes. 1t and the injudiciou
y and improper policy of congress tina
calls it forth have elected protest.
from as ardent partisans on each sid
as Senator Hoar and Senator Hill. Ye
the stream of gable flows on in tn
belief that it may irrigate some of tn
e sandy pastures where hope says tina
# votes may be harvested next fall.
l. While the senate is at this business
: the house. with it's enormous Repuh
q lican majority is busy unseating Dem
l. ocratic members, and threshing owe
u old straw about election outrages /
II the Southern states. The only inter
mission comes when there is a prop
" osition, occasionally, to kill some re
4 form, like that which Secretary Morto
has introduced in the purchase an
distribution Of seeds, or to promOt
some new job. like the Nicaragu
:, canal, or to vote away untold million
like the naval and coast defense al
preparation bills. 1t must be admi
ted Internationally that the congress
- of the United States affords at tn
:, time the most shameful exhibition
incompetence and neglect Of duty
10 be seen anywhere in the civilized worl
+o The extraordinary part of it is tn;
ar the men who are thus disporting then
be selves, to the disgust and rage of d
he cent and intelligent people everywher
n are doing it with the idea that the
as are counting popularity. That is the
re estimate of the intelligence and patrio
es ism of the American people. And Il
W American people cannot say that tn
Sc do not deserve such a reflection upt
hit their judgment and their charact
ey when it is remembered that they ha
At sent such creatures as these to Was
Id ington to represent them.