New-York tribune., 1897-07-22
TWO "LE4TE-TO-P PRINT" ORATORS.


These are the days when the "Leave-to-print'
orator in Congress gives vent TO his pent-up
feelings. and. Ioosening the throttle of his elo-
ouence dashes headOng into "The Record IL
is at such a time as this that our esteemed con-
temporary. ordinarily so coy and soothing
throws reserve to the winds and becomes as in
terestng almost as chapter taken at random
from Bnrton's Anatomy" or a passage culled
haphazard from the Book Of jeremiah. The
taxpayer. II Is true, must in the end foot the
BILL but we cannot permit that sOrdd thought
TO interfere with our present enjoyment OF the
literature manufactured in Washington. Why,
indeed. should The Record confine Itself to
the publication Of dry, statistical and soporlfic
details or to a recital of what Is actually said
in the two houses Of Congress- when 1t can
command the services Of writers like Repre-
sentatives Andrew J. Hunter and James NJ.
Robinson. whose eloquence In speeches never
delivered, but now embalmed in print, must
forever remain stupendous monuments to the
wisdom of the constituencies which chose them
Why. indeed?
In the number Of "The Record" before us
and. with the precision of book reviewer who
neatly places n transcript OF the title-page at
the head of his review, we begin with the an
nouncement that our copy bears date Of July
90 1891 and is of Volume xxx the ninety
sixth number issued-we note two speeches
said to have been delivered in the House Of
Representatives on Monday, July 10, one by
Representative Hunter, Of Illinois. the other by
Representative Robinson. Of Indiana. While
the former is content with the simple and un-
pretentious headline, THE Tariff" the latter
shows decidedly yellow tendencies by adopting
the startling superscription. False Promises
and False Light" Whatever the meaning or
significance of these words. they cannot truth
fully be applied to Mr. Robinson. If. as now
Seems probable, his constituents intended that
he should impress upon Congress his powers of
Imagination and his talents writer of fc-
ton. But let Mr.. Robinson speak for himself
1t will be seen that he "wades right in:
Mr. Speaker this Is Il fitting time indeed
the dead hour OF nght-to pass this bill OF
spoliation that covers with blanket mortgage
in favor Of wealth the future profits of honest
toll The deceptive title Of this bill IL only ac-
centuated by the gloom and grewsomeness OF
| this midnight hour All designs by man to make
| countless thousands mourn are canopied about
| with professions of virtue, and on this bill are
| hung out the false lights ITO Encourage Indus
| tries" while underneath the mask the trusts
are fostered and. like the big bats of South
| America they will silently and noiselessly sucl
| the blood from the veins or tHtr victims Wnllt
| they lull them TO sleep with the gentle motion o.
| their wings.
The following passage so eloquent in its nj
| luson to Biblical gasironomy suggests the pos
| sblty of having been composed not only iii
| the crewsomeness of the midnight hour" bu
also under the inspiration Of n frugal repast o
| beer and cheese. at a ratio Of 16 to l, or "some
| thing equally as good:
| Driven from every position. we see them to
| day reaching out into the unfathomable depths
| of political obscurty for some hook on whicl
| TO Rang their promised prosperity. Statesmen o
| both parties stand appalled, as they see the IA
| kline OF the land, go sumptuously provided 70
| by this bill. eating up the lean kline. too veal
| to resist. too long fed on the superannuate'
| chaH and dry husks OF false promises withou
| performance. TO survive. Sir they have playe'
| upon the soft lutte OF hope so long that patenc
| has ceased TO be virtue, and the imprisoned
| spirit Of a long-suffering and deuded peopl
| clearly sees the hypocrisy Of their pretensions
After that we are not surprised ut the rem