Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-26
NATIONAL CHARITY.

Congress was quick 10 appropriate
$4,000 for the relief Of several hundred
Americans who are said to be starving
in Cuba. but 1t is slow to come to the re-
lief of the thousands of our citizens who
are starving here at home.
In the case of the Americans In CUBA
the expenditure of money was necessary.
In the case of our own folk, all that Is
expected IS that Congress should do what
Il means 10 do with respect to the tarlt
and the currency. and give the country
n rest" But while Congress, ana the
Senate especially, seems bubb.ing over
with sympathy for the Cubans' its leisure
ty legislation indicates that 1t either does
not know or cannot sympathize with
the distress that is widespread In tins
land. In Yesterdays issue Of the Dis
patch there is a paragraph stating that
there are 1000 men connected with the
building trades out of work in Chicago.
While it is probable that in Chicago
the building business has been more
largely overdone than in most other cities
n is a fact that there are hundreds oil
thousands q
cities who are without employment ana
without money The suffering CT these
men and of their families has been great.
MANY cases OF actual starvation nave
been reported in the North and West.
Indeed. we cannot but believe that where
ono American has starved 10 death in
cuba. two or three have starved TO death
in this country.
Rut II may be argued that here we have
local governments TO care for the nun
cry. True; but this cannot release con-
.eress from its duty in the premses-the
duty OF Fastening the passage or what
ever measures It has In contemplation
for the relief of the people. fufiher-
more. not one in dozen of our suffer-
ing home-foik ever have gone, or ever VIII
go. TO the public authorities for relief
MANY OF them would die sooner. The
only way TO give them succor Is to give
them employment. And possibly the only
way TO start the wheels OF business again
Is for Congress TO loosen the brakes. Al
most any action that is likely TO be taken
wouid be better than inacton.
II the Senate truly appreciated the con-
dltion of the country, and was willing
TO do its utmost TO relieve it, IT would
sit twelve or fifteen hours per day untn
the tariff bill was passed. 1t is true
the country does not expect fair or sem
siblc tariff bin. TO be passed but if we
must take the Republican dose, let's gu,p
IA anxpp AZ once.
We cannot say that we have great ex-
-pectations that the McKinley-Dingley
tariff will be helpful to the business in
tercsts OF this country. but the Republi-
cans think differently. and we are willing
that their experiment should be tried.
This. we think. is the view most people
take. But the Republicans are very slow
In getting TO work in the Senate. ana
we are afraid they viii be Sow in press
ing the bin 10 n vote. OF course, we
know that the Republicans do not feel
safe OF a majority there. but sooner or
later they must come 10 the test. and the
earlier the better IL will be for the in
terests OF the country However. the
debate rs now on. and we trust that Re-
rcic.icsrs and Democrats alike WEI have
pity upon the people and make brief
speeches. and come to final vote M
quickly as possible.
Let them recall how eagerly they hur-