The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-27

A NOTIFYING SPECTACLE.
Senator Squire has presented his bin for
the expenditure OF 81 .sO. 90 for coast de-
lenses. OF which slo.oeo.eo Is to be imme-
diateIy available. But the hope OF any
money being available In very remote: IL is
as much as the country can do TO pay the
expenditures already incurred. without
spending 100000 on something we need
badly enough but can get along without
The country Is running behind now at the
rate OF s5o.oO9.0co a year. Is 1t likely that
even the United States senate win pass
any bin. except for the tiimsisst show Of
aoquiescence, increasing the deficit by
rnIllIons7
The first duty of the Republican party
was to put the country upon a solvent
basis before II began 10 devise means for
stia more Increasing our already rapidly
growing indebtedness. We can avoid war.
but We cannot avoid debt IL we spend
more than our income. The senate has
killed the tariff bill. The issue upon which
the election was fought and Republicans
elected all over the country has been
turned aside In hopeless endeavor to
force a measure which has nothing to do
with IL.
Even some of the free silyerites who are
Republicans at heart feel grieved over the
bad Judgment OF their leaders. The situa-
ton Is such as to make fair-rninded men
despair The national treasury is depleted
and the country is running into debt be-
cause its income is insufficient The VIII
son bill was claimed TO be sufficiently lib
eral TO create ample revenue. Experience
has demonstrated that this was mistake,
and it was the duty of congress TO remedy
IL Immediately. Every Republican be-
Ieves in the doctrine OF protection; all do
not believe I'm free silver. But even IL the
senate passed tariff bill with a free sill
yer attachment the president would veto
IL. and SO all the time would be lost. lie
might sign a tariff revision bill. or let IL
become a law by default. but he would
never permit a free silver bill to become
law II he could prevent 1t.
The free silver Republicans OF the senate
know this. IL their action could bring
about the contamination OF their wishes
II would be natural and excusable for
them to take any means to accomplish the
purpose they have In view. But when il is
SO hopeless II seems little short of crimi-
nality to stand In the way of a return to
prosperity even In part. They had done all
their practicable duty to silver when they
voted on the silver substitute for the bond
bill; IL was only perversity which would
insist that no remedial MEASURE should
pass except with such an attachment
The people OF Washington are doubly
interested In tariff legislation which would
not only put higher duty upon lumber.
coal. wool, hay and other foreign COM
petitors with our native products. but
should hold out the hope OF promoting a
surplus with which TO fortify our coasts.
In marked contrast 10 the dog-in-the-
manger policy of the free silverites is the
splendid patriotism OF Senator sherman.
His scathing arraignment Of those mem
bers who would sacrifice the country's in
terest In revenge because they could not
have things ell their own way VIII long
ba remembered. II is true. as he said.
that II Is a disgrace TO our civilization and
to the country itself that with congress In
session, armed with full powers to furnish
revenue. we should be running behind at
the rate of $4,000 90 a year.
Suppose. as Harris suggested. that the
government used the balance OF the silver
In the treasury. IL would all be eaten UP
IN a wear and a half That would not stop
the loss. The emily way TO meet continu-
ing deficiency l. 10 increase the revenue
or decrease the expenses. Any other
method can only give a temporary relief.
From no point OF view can the action OF
the ohstruetionist free silver senator's be
excused. and one can only read with NOR
,lhcatlon that in the face OF a national
emergency the bitter humiliation ex-
pressed by Morrill, tina, a great party had
failed 10 show craftsmanship and patriot
ism was received with - chorus OF de-
risive laughter