The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-07-13
POWER
Of Money Kings of the Gold
Administration.
Tariff On Coal will Not Increase the
Price Of Labor.
From our Regular Correspo ndent.l

From our Regular Correspo ndent.)
WASHINGTON, July 0, 1S97.-An-
other proof has been given of the
power of the money kings over this
administration. Mr.. Mckinley has
virtually been compelled to send a
special message to Congress, asking
for legislation to carry out the
wishes of the bankers for the ap-
pointment of commission to re-
port what financial legislation the
country needs. Mr.. Mckinley must
know that the silver Senators will
not allow this legislation to be vot-
ed upon at this session ;if he doesn't,
he will very soon learn if an at
tempt is made to push it in the
Senate.
The Senate this week passed the
tariff bill; the House declined to
accept the Senate amendments, and
the trust-made document is now in
the hands of conference COM
mittee. The confidential agents of
the various trusts are in Washing
ton in force to see that their inter-
ests are taken care of by the con-
ference committee. The length of
time that the bill remains in con-
ference will depend entirely upon
the strength of the fight that will
be made against some of the extra
ordinary favors granted the trusts.
Knowing that the will of Gear
Reed, his utter disregard of the
Constitution, and his parliament
ary somersaults when cornered as
Representative McMillin cornered
him this week when he moved to
suspend the rules and adopt the
Morgan Cuban resolution, are su-
fficient to prevent any action by
the House, the republican Senators
are trying to bamboozle the voters
of the country by little anti
Spanish buncombe. This week
Senator Lodge, from the committee
on Foreign Relations, reported
resolution authorizing the Presi-
dent to use force, if necessary, to
compel Spain to pay the indemnity
demanded by two naturalized
American citizens who were illegal
ly arrested in Cuba in 1895. If
there were any intention to put
this resolution, through Congress,
it would be commendable thing
to bring it forward, as Spain has
refused to pay any attention to
diplomatic demands for this indemn-
ity for two much wronged citizens
of the U. S.; but to bring it forward
with no real intention of having it
adopted by both branches of Con-
gress, merely as political play, is
adding insult to the injury already
received by the two unfortu mates.
For some unexplained reason the
mem bers of the Senate committee
on Foreign Relations have changed
their minds about notrepor.ing the
treaty for the annexation of Hawaii
until the regular session, and will
report it at once with recomenda-
tion that it be ratified. An at
tempt is being made to get the con-
sent of the opponents of the treaty |
to a vote at this session, it having |
been ascertained that the necessary |
votes to ratify can be obtained.
1t is not surprising that men of
ordinary comprehension should
find it difficult to understand the
theory of "protection" upon which
the republican tariff bill, passed by
the Senate this week, was con-
structed. Take coal, for instance.
The duty on foreign coal is advanc-
ed from forty cents to siXty-seven
cents Il ton, yet Senator Elkins,
himself heavily interested in coal
mines, says the increase will not
result in adding one cent to the pay
of the miners, although he admits
that the price of coal to the con-
sumer will undoubtedly be advanc-
ed. In other words the 81 cents a
ton added is a gratuity to the mine
owners. Senator Jones, of Ark,
thus expressed himself on this SUBJ
ject:-"The coal miners would be
justified in asking and expecting
higher wages after the new tariff
goes into effect, if the republicans
were sincere in their arguments in
support of higher tariff taxes. The
burden of their speeches on the
coal duties, and on every schedule
in the bill, was that higher rates
were necessary to protect Ameri-
can labor from the competition of
cheap foreign labor, and to enable
American employers to pay higher
wages, but every one knows that
is not what the tariff was increased