St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-28
IN THE SAME BOAT.


Two years ago congress, apparently
Democratic in both branches, met to
carry into effect the policies declared
in the national platform. There was
some "mush of concession" in the house,
and the tariff bill it passed was a long
way from what was promised and eX-
pected; but it was deemed the best, in
fact all that could be passed, so in
fictitious had been the protective mi
erobes, and 1t was speedily put through
its PAGES in the house and sent to the
senate. There, to the intense mortifi-
cation and disgust of all the voters
who had wrought the revolution in
partisan control, it was found that
some senators, nominally Democrats,
were as staunch protectionists as the
veriest devotee Of the Pennsylvania
dogma on the other side. There was
a mystery in their movements, and
who they were was uncertain for
long time. They played their game be-
hind the scenes, concealing themselves
as best they could, but finally it be-
came known that there were but five
Of these Democratic Judas Iscariots
They braved the roar of rage that
went up from Democrats all over the
nation, and defeated in the senate a
party that had achieved an unprece-
denied victory at the polls.
With a wrath that was more right
eous than discriminating, the same vot-
ers who gave the power took it away
and gave it to the Republicans. Mean
time the panic had come along to
change the issue, and put the question
of the currency of metallic and credit
money and the disposition of the ma
tional notes, to- the front as the lead
ing question. On the Republicans was
the responsibility and the duty. There
was thicker "mush Of concession in
the house bill to the fiatists than there
was in the Democratic tariff bill to the
protectionists; but, insufficient and inef-
ficient as it was, the house passed it
and sent it to the senate. Here the
Republicans found themselves in the
same predicament on the currency
that the Democrats, two years before,
had found themselves in on the tariff;
with this exception, that there was no
secrecy of action among the Repub-
lican silver senators. They stood out i'll
the open and declared their ultimatum.
1t was free coinage of silver at 16 to
or nothing. Ten Of the Republican
-
when that party had full control, to
buttress protection, now block the way
of any currency bill that does not
yield them what they want. The Re-
publican party is as helpless to effect
any reform of the currency as was the
Democratic to give the country a sys-
tenn of customs taxation for revenue
only. The same incapacity to legislate
for which the Republicans berated the
Democrats now affiicts them. A minor
ity paralyze the will of the majority.
The parallel is a striking one. The
significance of it is more So It is
one of the many Indications that what
has occurred in representative govern
the disintegration of the two parties
into rights and lefts and centers, repre-
senting the extremes of opinion in each.
But that is speculation. The present
fact is that the Republicans are in
exactly the condition their Democratic
predecessors were, and the rank and
file Of that party can now feel some
thing of the chagrin of the Democrats
in the ranks two years ag,.
Would some Of these fiat money
cranks notice it if brick house should
fall upon them? Greenbacks have gone
to premium in the East because they
can be used to draw gold from the
national treasury to buy bonds with.
The IoWan who is trying to hit upon
method OF serving a legal notice upon
a woman who is blind, deaf and dumb
has the sympathy of the whole North
VI