The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-01
AN ANOMALY

AN ANOMALY.
A danger signal to the republic APP
pears in the constantly growing APP
prehension with which the people re-
gard the meeting of congress and its
possible attitude toward public ques-
lions. 1t is hardly too much to say
that the body of our people, those who
are interested in prosperity and order
and peaceful development, have come
TO look upon a session Of congress al
most as they would regard the occu-
patton Of portion of the country by
hostile force. You will scarcely
meet business man and inquire of
him what is the outlook without hear
ing the reply that conditions are en-
courag1ng enough just now, but no.
BODY knows what will happen after
the first Monday in December A still
more pertinent witness is the obvious
determination of the administration at
washington to carry through the ne
gotiations for a sale of the Union Pa
cific railroad before congress can in
terfere. 1t was a source Of deep and
biting criticism upon. Mr.. Cleveland
that he was once alleged to have writ
ten that, after a certain date. he would
have no time for anything else, be-
cause ''he would have congress on his
hands" Mr.. Mckinley has learned
not to be quite as frank, but his policv
and that Of the department of JUS
tice. in withdrawing all opposition to
the sale of the Union Pacific and ac-
cepting the offer Of the reorganization
committee, make the same declaration.
He knows, and everybody knows,
that the great obstacle to a settlement
Of the Pacific railroad debts for many
years has been the interference Of the
two houses. This has worked doubly
against the public interest. Strangely
enough, it has not only forbidden the
executive to act: 1t has not only
brought up one plan after another
merely to have them beaten, but it has
prevented those who desire to obtain
the property from making the best
offer that they were prepared to make.
They were always of the opinion that
they could get a bill through" Being
shrewd business men, they wanted to
obtain these properties on the best
IO;,,
that such terms could be arranged
most easily by the lobby. They have
concocted one scheme after another for
extending the bonds, for foregoing a
part of the debt, for refunding opera
lions running half a century ahead
for such adjustment as would satisfy
them best and cost the least, and
trusted to luck and other arguments
to secure congressional assent. They
have failed. it is true, but they have
always had enough hope Of success to
persuade them to renew the attack.
At last they have become convinced
that they can do better by straight
business dealings, and they have come
to point where they want the prop
erty at once For this reason. the
prospect that negotiations will be car
ried over until after congress assem-
bled, and the whole matter be thrown
once more into the boiling political
pot, frightened them Just $4,000, 900
worth. They raised their bid to the
full amount of the governments claim,
and the majority of our people, who
want only to see Uncle Sam get his
money back and get out of the rail-
road business altogether. are satisfied.
1t is in no wise doubtful that, had this
not been done, and had the sale been
postponed, the discussion would not
have been concluded this year, or pos
sibly any other year.
The same feeling exists with refer
ence to the Cuban and Hawaiian oues-
tons and the national finances. We all
know that the United States would be
immensely better off today if there
had been no special session and no
Dingley bill. We know that the peo-
pie of this country are wearied to
death of the talk of annexing Hawaii.
We know that the common apprehen-
sion Is that when congress meets the
Cuban question will once more be
stirred, not to any practical purpose,
but merely to provoke war with
Spain, and not to help Cuba. We know
that public confidence will be dis
turbed again by a long struggle over