The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-27

The extra session wrote in large let
tiers it's own disgraceful epitaph The
whole contention of the administra-
ton and its apologists has been that
the first effort should be concentrated
upon curing the treasury deficit and
thus preparing the way for currency
reform. When the Republican party
has been charged with treason to it's
pledges in the last campaign and to the
promises so literally made to the peo-
pie to at least set about the establish
ment Of a wiser financial system, it
mas replied that nothing could be done
for the treasury until the deficit was
cured. 1t has made to indignant and
outraged public opinion the apology
that the tariff bill was a necessity, not
merely in itself and for its confessed
purposes, but as preliminary to ac-
ton upon the finances.
Now, what is the record? Congress
spent four months upon tariff bill
which had previously occupied the en-
tire attention of one of it's committees
dHEing the winter session. On the same
day on which it passed that bill, late
in the afternoon, the president sent to
congress a message on finance. 1t did
not contain any proposition or recon-
mendation requiring profound study or
calculated to awaken doubt. It's harm
less suggestion was the appointment Of
a commission TO inquire into currency
reform and report at the regular ses-
sion in December. That message was
accepted and acted upon by congress
as farce. It had the treatment that
1t deserved. In a spirit of the utmost
popularity the house, knowing that
nothing would be done in the senate,
passed a bill previously prepared in
conformity with Mr.. McKinley's mes
sage. In the senate that message did
not receive even the poor courtesy of
consideration. The two houses adj
journed, leaving the newborn infant
to cry its life out without an answering
word or act of tenderness.
Is it said that the Republican party
was without power to secure action IN
the senate? The answer is that, If that
be true, it had deliberately bargained
away its power to secure an affirmative
vote upon the tariff. 1t is established
that the Dingley bill could not have
gone through the senate but for the
bargain made by the Republican man
ayers with the free silver men. The
latter would vote for the tariff bill if
the former would not press or support
financial measure. Mr. Hanna. who
arranged one deal, could as easily have
made another. Had he chosen to mt
through financial measure bv an ar
rangement with the sound money
democrats at the expense of the tariff
1t would have been even easier than
TO put through a tariff bill at the ex-
pense of currency reform. The whole
thing vas cut and dried and settled
months ago, and, in the hour of ad-
tournment, the Republican party sim
ply threw off the mask and went tts
way rejoicing over it's hypocrisy and
laughing at the simplicity of the peo-
pie.
What have we, then, as the result Of
the campaign of 1896? The Republican
party told US that 1T must first abolish
the deficit and legislate to secure an
ample revenue, in order that it might
reform the currency. 1t has passed a.
tariff bill, which not only caters to
every trust and monopoly in the coun-
Try, but which it's author, Mr.. Dingley,
confesses will produce deficit of $780,
VOQ'e0o the first year, an amount which
not even the most sanguine Republi-
can puts at less than $4,000, OOO 1t re-
fuses TO do so much as even appoint
a commission to consider the currency
question. Let the country compare this
record with the abused and reviled pol
icy of Mr.. Cleveland and the congress
that legislated under him. The Wilson
bill, with the income tax as it was
passed, would have given us a surplus.
We are to have under the Dingley
bill, continued deficit, requiring the
same old drafts upon the treasury for