Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-08

inst. the duties imposed by the Ding
ley tariff bill are in force and tn,
Wilson law is thing Of the past, i
the last amendment attached to tn,
bill before its passage in the Hous,
March 3lst, fixing the first as tn,
day on which its provisions shall q,
into effect, should be in the bill wher
IL Is finally enacted, and should b,
held to be legal by the courts. Tn,
Republican victory was complete
They presented an unbroken from
I" the opposition. All the rumor.
that dissatisfaction with particula,
schedules of the bill might lead som,
OF them to break over the part,
traces proved absolutely unfounded
On the other hand, five Democrats
one more than was anticipated, CAV,
the bill the approval of their votes
These five Democrats are interested
particularly in the sugar schedule
Three arc from Louisiana and two
from Texas. One Populist, Mr.
Howard, Of Alabama, voted for the
bill. Twcnty.onc other members of
what is dCuOminatCd 1.-THE opposi.
tlon," consisting OF Pnpulists, fusion.
lists and silvcritCs, declined to record
themselves either for or against the
| measure.
The vote on the final passage of
the bill st0od-aycs, 2O5 nays, l22 :
| present and not voting, 2l-a ma
JoritN of 50. Speaker Reed added
to the dramatic nature of the climax
OF this ten days struggle in tie
House by directing the Clerk to call
his name at the end of the roll.call,
recording his vote for the bill.
TIE fact that number of the
acts of the late Legislature appear
I" be defective can probably be
traced To the scarcity of lawyers in
that body. The public is acCuStomcd
to complain of the aptitude of the
/ legal fraternity in absorbing political
! hon0rS; but our own experience
shows that it requires considerable
legal capacity to keep legislative
body straight Wheeling Ncr&.
If the Editor of the .Nc,cs had at
tended the late Legislature he would
have learned that his diagnosis of
the trouble was an incorrect one
The greatest interference with the
enactment Of intelligent laws was
the large array of Incompetent en-
ployees intrusted with the clerical
work of the lawmakers. In order
to pay political debts and reward
hangers-on a number of new Offices
were created, and little army of
| politicians of greater or lesser frv
were appointed to responsible places.
some OF them worked good deal,
some Of them worked little and
others did nothing but draw their
salaries. Some were paid six dollars
Il day who couldn't earn that much
In week at home. They were al
bosses, and out Of the multitude OF
bosses and the array of incompetent.
there has come the confusion anu
mistakes that is making "A bungle
and farce of SO many otherwise
useful laws.-PdrkerSJUy Sentinel.
| ---.--
WAGES MUST COME DOWN,-A
general reduction Of operating eX
penSeS has been iuaugurated by tn,
Chicago ~ Alton Railroad, commence
ing with the shops and offices a
Bloomington. An order has beer
issued dispensing with the Service
Oh several train diSpatcherS, stenog
raphers and clerks. \ general Gu
OF - per month has been made il
the salaries of operators and mum
Der of night telegraph offices ar,
closed.
We believe il is rs inevitable a.
anything can be that the mainte
nance OF the gold standard must re
suit in material reduction i'm TN,
wages of labor, and all the tariff
Congress can enact will not proven
II. With the purchasing power o
money constantly on the increas,
ana the price of commodities con
stantly on the decrsase how it is pos
slble to keep up the present rate @
wages? Strikes and labor organiza
tions formed for mutual protection
may retard, for II time, the fall il
the wage rate, but all such agcncie
must in the end yield to the inevita
nle, which labor, organized or unor
gained, will find it impossible t,
resist
. TIE CONSTANT CRY FOR "MORl
ltENENUE."-ln his inaugural ad
dress President Mckinley said
Economy is demanded in ever,
branch of the government at al
times, but especially in periods, lik
the present, of depression i'm bust
ness and distress among the people
In" severest economy must be Oh
served IN all public expenditures
ana extravaganza stopped whercvc
II IL found and prevented whpneve
IN the future il may be developed.
The Republican leaders i'm Con
grcSS, says the Baltimore .S,Vi. ar
not as yet showing any di<poSi,io,
to act upon this timely suggestion