The Saint Paul globe., 1897-11-15
FISH. CUT BAIT OR GO ASHORE.


FISH. CUT BAIT OR GO ASHORE.
Every sign of the times indicates
that there will be no attempt, even,
beyond the perfunctory recommends
ton of the president and the sugges-
tions of Secretary Gage, of a plan to
put through congress any reform Of
the currency. Speaker. Reed foretold
the policy of drifting when he an
nounced that what this country wants
is a tariff and a rest" Nominated to
restore his discarded policy, by one Of
those oblique movements that occa-
sionally occur in presidential and other
campaigns, the tariff issue became sec
ondary, and the currency issue the
dominant one. Because this movement
occurred, Mr.. Mckinley is now presi-
dent. Becoming president, he reversed
the position of the two issues and
did, at the last moment, when congress,
wearied with contention about rates,
was on the point of adjourning, send
in message asking permission to ap-
point a currency commission, but he
delayed it because he was assured that
it's consideration would defeat the tariff
bill.
Interviews with Republican con-
gressmen and senators indicate that
there will be no effort to redeem the
promises so profusely made to the
Democrats who could not accept the
financial policy of their national con-
vention, and by virtue of whose votes
the Republican party was put in posi-
ton where it could, at the least, at
tempt their redemption. The tone Of
their press is similar. Nowhere is
there any prominent paper strenuously
insisting that something must be es-
sayed, even should it fail in the sem
ate. The Minneapolis Journal asks
suspension of judgment until after the
next session of congress, when, if moth
ing IS done, there will be some justi-
fication in condemning them" The
Pioneer Press asks for delay and halt
ingly says that, eff the house continues
to be Republican, the Fifty-sixth con-
gress can reasonably we'll be depended
upon to take at least the initial steps
reform" The Minneapolis Tribune
fears that there is no hope for secur-
ing a majority (of the senate) for gen
uine reform. If such a congress had
been elected a congress Republican in
both branches" something would be
done.
To these doubling Thomases, these
who are letting II dare not' wait upon
81 WILL" who are raising a bugaboo
as justification for avoiding duty, the
fall elections should have lesson
The one feature that stands out in
greater prominence among them, from
Massachusetts to Iowa, is that the
Democrats who last year gave to Re
publicanism it's victory have concluded
in large number that they We're the
victims of a confidence game, taken
in and done for by smooth talk and
empty promises as thoroughly as was
ever an unsophisticated granger by
the slick confidence men of a city
They have gone back, partly for re-
venge, partly from despair, feeling that
nothing can be worse than what is
Next year, when the congressional cleo
tions come on, this return movement
will be more prominent, should this do
nothing policy prevail. 1t is the ap-
prehension of this that makes one of
the papers quoted put that doubling
''if'' before its statement of what a
Republican congress will do ''if' one is
elected.
So astute an observer as Chauncey
Depew is quoted as predicting, from
the result of the elections, the predom-
nance of the currency issue in next
years congressional contest. Mr.. Bry-
an is of the same opinion. With no
reform even attempted in the house
with it's Republican majority, with
Dingleyism then getting in its full eff
feet on every hand, how can any Re-
publican look for a continuance of the
control of the house by his party?
What reason is there for assuming
in advance that no measure can pass
the next or even this senate, if the
administration backs the bill with even
half the vigOr Cleveland's pressed the
silver purchase repeal bill? But, even
concedirg failure in the senate, nothing
is more certain than that supineness
in the house will send thousands of
Democrats back to their party and
make the next house un-Republican, at
least, whatever else it may be- With
this condition confronting the con-
gress soon to assemble. facing the re-
sponsible house, if not the senate it
is clear that the Republican party in
congress must either fish, cut bait or
go ashore.
--aee~---
THE METRIC SYSTEM.
Among the bills that failed of pass
age in the last congress was one estab-
fishing the metric system in this coun-
try, supplementing the commendatory