The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-04-23
Washington Letter.

Washington, April 10th, 1897 =
Senator German, took occasion 10 give
the Republicans little PLAIN taking 10
concerning their failure to accept the
very fair proposition made to them toi
filling the committee vacancies
and the consequent failure TO give
the appropriation bills which falled
at the last session the proper committee
consideration, just before the Indian
bill was taken up. The total of these
appropriations will be more than 49,
600 900. and Mr.. German said that a
careful consideration of them might re-
suit in a reduction of at least $1O, 600,
600. He also said that 1t was time to
call halt in the vast expenditures au-
thorized by congress; that the limit OF
expenditures on the navy and on fortl-
ficatiops ought to be near, now that an
era of peace seemed to be at hand, and
and that he thought it was also time to
limit the expenditures on rivers and
harbors. He closed by saying that the
Democrats could do no more than call
the attention of senators on the other
side to the urgent need of retrenchment.
1t is not expected tnat Mr.. Gorman's g
warning words will have any effect, but
all the same they were timely, and ii
was entirely proper that they should
have been spoken by Democrat. The
country will heed. if the Republicans In
congress do not.
Nothing in the eloquent address made
by Mr.. Bryan at the Jefferson birthday
banquet, gathering of Democrats that
will not soon be forgotten, was more
important or significant than the follow
ing words: 1.-The position taken by the
Democratic party in 1896 will not be
surrendered. If you doubt the perma-
nency of the Chicago platform as a party
creed, go among the rank and file of
the party and measure the zeal and
enthusiasm which that platform has
aroused, and you will realize the inn
possibility of taking a backward step.
True, the present administration is seek
ing to turn public attention to the tar
iff question, but if our reasoning is well
founded, an increase of taxes cannot re-
store prosperity to the producers of
wealth 10 fact, we contend that Meth
er high nor low taxation can bring pros
perity to the people, SO long as az APP
preciating dollar continues to give the
money owner an advantage over the rest
of the people. The money question
must be the paramount issue of the next
campaign, as it was of the last. If
the Dingley bill brings genuine and per
manent prosperity, the Democratic par
ty will not be in position to win a con-
test by opposing it. If, on the other
hand, the Diugley. bill proves a disap-
pointment to those who advocate ii, our
position of 1896 will be strengthened
and public attention will be riveted upon
the fact that the cause of financial de
preston is to be found in our monetary
system
Senator Nelson, of Minn,. although
a Republican, is in sympathy with the
efforts made by the Democrats in the
house to amend the tariff bill by auth
orizing the president to suspend the col
lection of duties upon any imported ar
ticle, the home product of which is
shown to be controlled by trust, as he
fer the same amenlment when the tar
iff bill gets before the senate.
Secretary Cages answer to the senate
resolution concerning the issue of orders
by the secretary of the treasury to col
lectors of customs in relation to carry
ing out the retroactive clause of the Re
publican tariff bill not being at all salts
factory, Senator Vest offered resolu-
ton declaring this order to be without
authority of law and III violation of the
statues and customs regulations concern
ing the payment of import duties, and
by bare majority of one it was referred
to the finance committee, to be pigeon
holed.
Democrats would be delighted to see
Mr. McKinley's bluff. otherwise known
as the special diplomatic commission tC
visit Europe with power to negotiate with
the governments of that section in be.
half of international bimetallism, sue
ceed in accomplishing something tangible
but none of them have the slightest idea
that it will. The commissioners, Sena.
tor Wolcott, General Paine, of Mass
and Hon. Adlai f. Stevenson, of Ill.
are capable men, and their failure to ac-
complish an impossibility will be no per
sonal reflection on them.
Senator Morgan closed his long speech
in favor of his resolution recognizing
the Cubans as beligerents by declaring
| that whatever action this country
| might or might not take towards Cubs
the freedom of the island was written in
the stars.
Senator Chandler's bills for the seiz
zure of the armor plants of the Bethle
hem and Carnegie Steel companies by
the government, represent verv dan
gerous sort of bluff. for 1t is evident they
are nothing else. That these compan
les have been extortionate in their deal
ings with the government is true, bu
that doesn't give congress any right to
eonfiscate their property. NJ.