The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-13
THE PIFTY.FoURTH CONGRESS.

IA6 Eli Il 4'EUUh II OUNGhhSS.
The first session of the Fifty-fourth
Congress is past event and its history is
written. That it did not accomplish all
that was required at its hands will be adj
mitteG, but it could not have been other
wise, so far as the lower house is con-
eerned. At the outset the Republican
majority in the House of Representatives
was confronted by hostile administra-
ton in all the departments, and subse-
quently a comb nation between Democrats
and Populists il the Senate placed obstruc-
tons in the way of every measure that
would not pay tribute to the combin
vagsries by adding some economic or
monetary proposition that was wholly
and entirely foreign to the purpose of the
measure. Never was the lower house OF
Congress so handicapped by its co-workers
in the Senate and White House. 1t was
not to be expected, however, that the
President would give the Representatives
of the people whit more assistance than
he was obliged to, nevertheless he was
most cordially invited, urged indeed, to
help Congress relieve the distress of the
country which the Wilson German tariff
act had inflicted upon it.
But Notwithstanding it was uphill work
from the day Congress convened until it
adjourned, surprisingly large amount of
good was accomplished. 1t was no fault
of the Republican members that no relief
was extended to the treasury. When Con-
gress met it did not stop to criticize the
wretched and grossly incompetent man
agement of the Nations finances, but
straightWay set about to devise ways and
means for the treasury's relief so that the
Nations good name and credit might
not be impaired. A proposition
that would afford ample relief was
submitted to the Senate for it's con-
currence, but it was rejected by
the combination of Democrats and Popu.
lists already referred to. Still, had 1t
reached the President, as was subsequently
ascertained, he would have vetoed it al
most viciously because it was not exactly
the plan he had suggested. So, rather
than cooperate with a Republican Con-
gress to give the treasury the much-needed
present relief and protection against fu-
ture assaults upon it by Wall street AMI
London money sharks, the President in
numbered the people with an additional
debt of 500, 600 900.
When the river and harbor blll--a bill
that scarcely did justice to the commerce
OF the country because it did not provide
Tor a sufficiently large expenditure OF
money to meet the demand with proper
berality-reached the President he
promptly returned it with excuses for his
veto that were weak almost to imbecility.
But the Repu blican party quickly rallied
and passed the measure over his head
The blunder of the Wilson-Gorman tariff
act allowing alcohol to go untaxed when
used IN the arts and sciences was remedied
by wiping it out entirely, thus putting a
stop to glazing frauds upon the treasury.
Reasonable sums of money were appro-
priated for coast defense and for new war
ships and other needs of the navy. The
general expense account of the Govern
ment was provided for as we'll as it could
be under Democratic free trade, but not a
dollar was appropriated for which there
was not pressing need. The sympathy
Of the people with the Cubans and their
heroic struggle for independence was ex-
pressed in plain and distinct language,
and it is no fault of Congress that the |
~-+-e N~S'ASJ Va VIZ PabAAOIS Al SuDd udS |
not been recognized by our Government.
The President has interposed excuses and |
objections all along, and is still doing so,
Take it altogether, then, it is remark |
able that Congress should have done so
much for the country under such adverse |
Alone the Republican
majority stood battling against a hostile |
President on one side and Democratic |
Populist combine on the other, but the
country is stronger every way for having
such Congress, not only for the good it |
accomplished, but as reminder to the
people that if they would have the Ma
ions credit maintained and their own
highways of commercial operations kept
rec of hindering obstacles and opposing
they must rally to their old
defender and protector, the Republican
JartV