Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-10-01
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30

which it came into being would suffice
10 discredit it. Never were fouler
agencies employed to secure result.
A gigantic campaign fund generally es-
timated at from fifteen to twenty mil
lions OF dollars, and of which hardly
fourth was employed legitimately;
wholes ale corruption of voters and
newspapers; premiums to some OF the
Infamous gang of boilers who betrayed
the democratic party; perfect food OF
,slander and mendaclty; open promises
of bounty and reward TO the gold trust
and the tariff monopolists; an open al
lance with the Cleveland administra-
ton; wholesale and shameless coercion
of the laborers and of every man on
waom the money power could put its
screws; enormous frauds upon the fran
chise. Such were some of the instru-
mentalities employed in order to defeat
the democratic party. John Sherman
said long ago in the U. S. Senate that
all methods were justifable in morals
md in law in order TO down and defeat
the democratic party, but even he had
not then dreamed how this ample char
er of political crime could be developed
under the genius of Mark Hanna some
fourteen years later. So gross and SO
p .lpable were these corrupt agencies,
8, defiant the leaders of the crimes
a:aiust the ballot, that many able
men doubt whether the people will
ever again have free aud outright
election for President. But it is not
,nly this high Office which is for sale in
he shambles. The surplus of this huge
corruption fund is notoriously TO be
used to capture the .. S. Senate and
make it an ally of the administration.
There is no attempt at concealment OF
his plot by its authors. They assume
that the people are so corrupt that no
popular rebuke is to be feared and that
success simply means chow much"
The administration has not shown its
iull hand as yet, but something has
been exhibited and the remainder may
oe easily predicted. 1t is not the Gus.
tom of the republican party 10 announce
a full programme of all it Intends to do.
IL is true that the republican leaders
declared last fall that they meant to en-.
act strong protective tariff but they
did not say they would re-enact the
Mckinley bill or go far beyond it as
they have done. Never was there such
monstrous measure of iniquity as the
bill they have passed, but its full effect
is not yet visible. So high and exces-
sive were its rates that importers hast
ened to bring in six to twelve months
supply in order to evade these burdens.
The body of the people, too, are hardly
able to buy at any price. They are
economizing. By next summer, or
sooner, we may look for sharp rise in
prices. The eastern manufacturer will
hold the fort and there will be no op-
tion but to accept his terms or 60 with
out. Sugar has already gone up twenty
DER cent. and the stock of the sugar
trust which was only about one hun
dred and twelve year ago has
gone up to 145. The sugar trusts have
felt the prosperity wave" in full vigor-
They, at least, have good times: This
tariff bill lacks proper title. 1t should
be called ga new way to pay political
debts and to make the people refurnish
the republican campaign fund"
Despite Mr.. McKinley's profuse pro
fessions of civil service reform the work
of filling all public employments with
political henchmen has gone bravely
on. No democrat is tolerated IN any
place of consequence save those who
helped to stab the democratic party in
the last election. For these there q
some kindly feeling, or, at least, an idea
that it is good policy to throw them an
occasional bone. Negroes are brought
to the front here and at the South.
That much was to be expected from an
administration which, like Cleveland's,
panders to the negro. Negroes are put
over white people at the South but not
at the north. Even Cleveland was too
cunning to put negroes in office in the
northeru States. You see no negro
| msrshals or collectors or postmasters IN
Ooio or New York. That indignlty is
| reserved for the South.
The administration was forced by the
pledge the leaders made at st. Louis in
order to retain their silver republican,
allies to favor commission TO promote
bimetallism in Europe. There was
probably no suspicion on the part OF
the administration that anything could
be accomplished over the water. Ii
any thing should be brought back by
the three commissioners, the admins
tration will be confronted with the
painful alternative of rejecting it, or Of
displeasiug the money kings of Wall
street and Lombard street. That they
will do as they are ordered to do by
MIR. Pierpont Morgan and the Roths-
childs can hardly be doubted.
In the meantime, sche me is being
hatched here by conventions or com,
mission representing the power and q.
the national banks intended to in1u.
ence Congre ,s. The game is to retire
the greenbacks and turn over the func'
ton of issuing paper money as zmo'
nopoIy to the national banks. The The
paper circulation is to be contractedHo5
expanded as the banks may wish ana
"big money" is to be made 49,,
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