The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-06-19

Senator McEnery's speech al the u.
s. Senate. last week, was a master
piece, aud the ingenious and impress
sivs way in which he DEFENDED his
position left no doubt of ms sincerity.
Il is never difficult to find out where
Senator McEnery els att on any Issue.
He is plain.spOken, boldly asserting
lie position and then defending it
with all the invincible battalions Of
argument at his command.
Senator McEnery has been dealt
with unfairly by some of the oppOsi-
ton Journals, mostly Of the gold
yellow stripe, aud he was even ac-
cused o. championing the interests Of
that great enemy Of the sOgar industry
1.-The Sugar Trust. Such charges wero
sneaking, contemplate lies as a peru
sal of the whole speech, published
in the Congressional Record willsnow.
These ialsehoods show, however, to
what extremes the desperate single
standard advocates will go in their
reckless but futile att. mpt to disrupt
the Democratic party.
THE COURIER challenges any Of the
Iisgruntles to produce. a single sem
Ieuce Of senator McEnery's speech
that antagonizes u single sentence of
The Chicago platform. Every word
hreatbes fidelity and alIegiance to the
principles Of the Democratic party as
enunclated by the Democrats of this
natlon in the last National Convention.
He takes the stand, boldly and fear
leEsly, that the tariff question is of
subordinate consideration; that the
Chicago Convention so declared, aud
further declared that the money Ques
ton WAS and would remain the lead
ing issue until it wasdeinItely settl ed.
This view WIS not expected t" suit,
and dnes not suit, the followers of
Cleveland. who are doing all in their
very limited pOwertO sidetrack the lead
ing issue and again sacrifice the Dem
Oclatic party Onthe altar of free trade;
MOI does it suit the demagOgues of the
Republican party who shiver at the
thought Of the taIIff being settled on
neutral ground.
But every man who honestly and
sincerely believes that the money
question ia by long odds the most i'm
pOrtant question for definite settlement
before the American people, who be-
lievea hat the restoration of silver
will benefit the country more thansany
ihsiGAiReapt increase or decrease in
tariff, must admit that the position on
tho tariff assumed and defended by
McEnery is further proof Of
the sincerity of the Democrats in de.
that the money question and
not the tariff question is the solo and
supreme test Of ones party fealty.
Senat0l McEnery's position on the
tariff qneaIim is thus set forth /:
"The tariff question is an economic one,
and it ought to have no place in party
platforms. Ii should not be disturbed by
party defeats and party successes. The
bill under discussion should become n law
and remain on the statute book at least a
sufficient time TO demonstrate its merits
and its defects"
On the prevailing distress through
out tile country and tue remedy recess
sary to correct tho trouble Senator
MeEncry entertains the same view
that bryan and every other Democla at
take. He says:
s'The bad financial condition of the
country, the scarcity of q circulating me-
dium, the low prices of farm products, of
wages, the increased price of gold, the
absence ola demand for labor, and the
general and universal distress are admit
ted. ! do not propose 70 go INFO a lengthy
discussion of the cause which has led to
this universal depression in business and
suffering among the masses of the people.
The Republican party claims that it is
exclusively due to the repeating Of the
Mckinley Tariff law and the enactment of
the Wilson bill.
The Democratic party ascribes it to the
decentralization of silver, the exclusion
frsnl eoinage,f equally with gold, silver.
G ne naohey lneta aof the C0Nstitn.
ti0n. 1 fally agree 81 c~ontentio and
u my opiniontheEe be- no lifting Of
the dark curtain which tverhangs us I'M
tiIthe minis are opened to the free and,
nnlfMited coinage Of silver and gold Us it
existed prior to 1872