The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-28
PUT TO THE TEST.

PUT TO THE TEST.
The sincerity of opinion and the
strength Of purpose Of President Nc
Kinley will be put to test early in his
administration. The country will soon
have knowledge of the quality of his
backbone. He invited it in his inau-
gural, and congress has accepted it
promptly. In his message to the peo-
pie on assuming Office, a document
having greater significance than
message to congress, because it was
his promise to them of what he, as the
executive, would do, while the latter is
merely advisory, he said, after speaking
Of the need of more revenue, as if con-
scious what is the real seat of our
fiscal trouble, that there should be less
spending. Said he: "The severest
economy must be observed in all public
expenditures and extravaganza stopped
wherever it is found and prevented
wherever in the future it may be devel-
oped"
The Fifty-fourth congress damned
through four appropriation bills, car
rying $75,0O0OOO, which Mr.. Cleveland
refused to approve. The sundry civil
bill, carrying $53, O0O, 900, was loaded
with jobs. Chairman Cannon was driv-
en- to the unprecedented admission that
the appropriations were in excess of
the legitimate demands of the public
! service" and that these bills contained
no fT-o1
and some "of questionable and doubt
! full character" The Fifty fifth congress
| convened, and these same bills, just
as they passed the last congress, with
all the claims based on fraud" with
others 'of doubtful character" carry
ing sums ''in excess Of legitimate de-
mands Of the public service" were
damned through in eighty minutes.
Nothing in the character or the past of
the senate warrants any hope Of
action there, unless it be to add to their
pad features and increase their ex-
travagance Much of both originated in
amendments made by that body.
This is the quick response to the
presidents injunction Of economy. It
is quite as insOlent as was the action
of congress in overriding President
CleVeland's veto of the extravagant
river and harbor bill, or the foisting on
the department of agriculture hundreds
of thousands of dollars for the gratui-
tous distribution of worthless seeds.
The house has said to the new prest-
dent as plainly as if it had couched it's
action in formal words: We are aware
that the appropriations in these bills
are eXtravagant, far in excess of all
legitimate demands of the public serv-
ice" Ours is the responsibility for
their passage, yours for their enact
ment. If you believe that they are ex-
travagant, if you believe Chairman
Cannon's statement that they contain
claims based on fraud, punched with
others of doubtful character, and if
you believe that all such extravagance
should be stopped where it exists. 1t is
your privilege to release yourself from
responsibility by interposing an execu
tive veto. Ours will then be the re-
sponsiblity, as it was under your prede-
! cessor, of their enactment, by making
them laws Notwithstanding your objec-
tons
The country waits with curiosity the
reception of these bills by the presi-
dent. If he approve them, it will ask
where, in the face Of Mr. Cannon's ad-
mission of their character, are his pro-
LESSONS Of economy. If he veto them.
he will assure the country that he was
sincere and convince congress that
there must be decrease of spending as
we'll as increase Of income. 1t will fur
Their assure that irresponsible body that
1t has an executive with as
much f1rmness Of purpose and
will in this particular as it found
his predecessor to possess. President
Mckinley goes on trial early in his
administration, and the test will afford
an indication Of what the country NAV
expect in the coming four years.