St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-01-23
THE orNGLEY ELL DEAD.
republicans WilI Have to Walt Tor the
MAX iz,1aara klxar, r,s.a.sass

Republicans VIII Have to Walt Tor the
Mckinley Congress,
Il is now frankly confessed tEat the
Dingley tariff bill is dead; and. as
matter of fact, sthere was never any
hope of it from the start. It was too
much TO expect that the opposition sem
ators would surrender the advantage
they possess and place themselves iii
the hands of the incoming administra-
ton; and that Mr. Cleveland and the
democrats would confess the failure
of their tariff bill and pass repulhs
lican measure SO as to smooth the way
for Mckinley and save him trouble.
It would be a case of public spirit tri-
umphing over politics, which has never
been seen before in this or my other
country.
And it is well that it should be so.
Wesdo not believe in the, Cleveland adj
ministration attempting to do what the
people have elected Mr. Mckinley TO
| do, or Of the present congress attempt
ing the task of Strengthening out the
difficult matter of our revenues and the
tariff, when congress was elected
only a few weeks ago, fresh from the
people, and, it is to be suposed, in full
alignment with the people and in
structed as to what they want. 1t is
far better for each administration to
undertake the work confided to it, and
not to anticipate it.
1t is an unfortunate matter that it
should take the people so long in this
country to get what they want. IN
other countries a newly-elected parlia-
ment or assembly goes into office at
once and begins work at once, carrying
out the popular will Here we have to
wait at a minimum four months; and
unless called in extra session, the newly
elected congress does not meet until
13 months after the election. So
that the people cannot get what they
ask for and vote for in less than a
year. This is one of the defects of our
constitutional system, due to the fact
that the trainers of the constitution
feared sudden popular ebullitions, and
deemed it best that there should be d
long interval between the expression
Of the popular will and carrying it into
effect, in which time an opportunity
was offered for the people to cool Off a
little. Whether this view of the mat
ter is right or wrong, the fact remains
that it is the law; and under this law
and system it would be far better to
leave the passage of a revenue measure
to the Mckinley congress. which goes
into Office in March, instead Of attempt
ing to pass such a revenue measure
now and relieve the congress-elect
from responsibility.
Public sentiment has been drifting In
that direction for some time, in spite
of the efforts of some few enthusiasts
to relieve Mr.. Mckinley of all trouble
and smooth the way for him. The re-
publicans seem at last, to have awilS-
ened to the fact that they cannot ex-
pect the present congress TO do their
work for them, and the action of the
republican senatorial caucus in refer
ring the Dinglcy, bill to d sitting COM
mittee is accepted as evidence that
they have no intention Of sincerely at
tempting its passage. Whatever IS TO
be done Ia the way Of reinforcing AMI
strengthening our revenues will be done
by the congress elected in November,
which is supposed to be more in accord
with the popular sentiment In this mat
ter than the congress now in session.
IN. @. TimeS-D Democrat,