Birmingham state herald., 1896-03-03
PoTENT FAoToR IN poI,Iprcs.

would have excited surprise and wonder. But not so now. That potent body has so well succeeded in injecting business into politics that it has not only obtained control of political conventions worth controlling, but long ago assumed direc- ton of national legislation in all mat ters of vital concern to the chambers power and influence. We all know how it has made the treasury department an executive instrument for it's policy. We have ceased to wonder at what little while ago we deemed impertinent and ar rogant. It is now matter of course that the powers of this government, leglsla- tive, executive and judicial, are more and more losing strength of resistance to the surely benumbing grip of the money power octopus. By the subtlest manipu- lation and the suavest n1endacity it fooled the democracy to do it's bidding at the national convention of 92, after hav- ing duly attended to the republicans and made sure that they were all right and serviceable as usual. Then, with the success of one of it's approved tickets, it proceeded to exercise it's purpose upon the legislative and executive branches of
 
 ie of 1893 was preclpitated and an extra session of congress compelled. Then all the power of the executive, with all the tremendous leverage of federal patronage. was eXerted to compass the passage of measures which suited the New York chamber of commerce. Ever since that deplorable time which saw the repeal of the purchasing clause of the Sherman act and the destruction of the last yes tige of legislation which was a stepping stone towards bimetallism, an avowed policy of democracy, the star chamber of the money power has grown bolder and now hesitates at nothing when it deems any of the three great branches of the government need to be managed. We shall long have occasion to remember how it took the judicial branch in hand with the decree on the income tax law, which in an hour of insufficient attention to business the money power permitted the legislative branch to enact. Of course there may be occasion, when in the great number and variety of measures to be passed upon, the congress does what it ought not to do or leaves undone what it ought to to do, in order to retain the constant ap- proval of the chamber of commerce, but under all the circumstances, and consd- erng the fact that the legislative branch is comparatively new in the business of attending strictly to the advice of the money power, congress has done as well as Gotham's chamber of commerce might reasonably expect.
 Now there need be no vague notions or confusion anywhere as to the purposes of the New York chamber of commerce. It has ceased to work by indirecton and underground wires. Having proved its power in every branch of the government of this nation, it is going to step out into the open and take an active whip hand in politics. The bosses of the chamber have been prodding its sound money com mittee." Only last Tuesday this com mttee met and resolved to indite an ad- dress inviting the cooperation of all com mercia bodies and business men in a movement Ito secure the adoption by the national convention of both great parties of an unequivocal declaration in favor of the maintenance of the present standard of value" What is more practically to the purpose the committee on finance of the chamber was requested to have the necessary steps taken to secure the funds for the carrying on of this work" Il will thus be seen that political organizations desirous of funds with which to enter the years campaign have early and ample notice how and where they may be got ten. There is no excuse this year for the blue-eyed, gold-feathered cock of Ala bama or any other state not to go into the main well heeled. Of course, it takes money to educate people on such great questions as are involved in the right financial policy-the sound money pol icy-of the chamber of commerce of New York That great body as the supreme authority in this country on all affairs affecting the business integrity of the community may safely and appropriately use it's abundant contingent funds to promote every campaign of principle sound money principle
 Is there any doubt that the chamber of commerce of New York would hesitate to come down with a handsome contribu- tion for so valiant a campaign for prin- ciple as that waged in Alabama by Con- gressman Clarke, who has come home at avowed great personal sacrifice to hold aloft the erstwhile dropping banner of sound money? Why certainly not. The only thing that would occasion surprise just now in the matter is that the cham
 Der of commerce was so remiss as not to attend to the meeting last month of the democratic state executive committee. Could 1t not possibly have saved a great
 deal of trouble and expense? As it is, big lot of money must be spent in Ala bama in order to make any sort of show ing of indorsement of the chamber of commerce of New York. It will be spent in vain as far as electing the ticket preferred by that body, but then it will affect the purpose of making the desired showing and at the same time present opportunity of exploitation for self-constituted mar tyr of the administration.
 Then, too, it must not be forgotten that delegates to the national convention, at
 which the New York chamber of com
 merce will be represented as it never was before, are yet to be chosen. We are to be given an opportunity to select dele gates to go to Chicago well prepared to