The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-07-24
JiNeo AND TARIFF TlNKERERs
Bi4ndness OF the Republican leaders
an Comosreaa!

Blindness of h Republican LenOeRa
In CONGRESS-.
There is no doubt that action or nom
notion of congress is making the state
of business and industrial affairs worse
day by day. At least the antics of the
reckless partisan and lingo politicians
are preventing all tendencies toward a
general trade and labor revival.
Congress in both branches seems
to be utterly insensible t. the fact that
the disturbance in values caused by the
menaces Of tariff legislation and that
the insecurity of investments caused by
the feverish war talk at Washington
are the causes of continued business
depression and Of all the evils that
have been perpetrated by hard times.
There should be a change of some kind
"a wave Of popular influence or a po-
1itical shock--that would bring con-
gress to its senses.
This is the sentiment of all the men
in business and in the employments of
industry. A representative business
journal. the Financial Chronicle, speak
ing Of the senate action regarding Cuba,
SAYS:
EVERY senator who Is not given over to
silver and who has any regard for our
suffering country must feel that such pro-
ceedings are in every way detrimental,
delaying business revival and destroying
every hope Of speedy cover 1t Is fool
ish amid such goings on to talk about
signs Of business Improvement, as some
are trying to do. There are no such signs
and can be none until our legislators in
washington stop playing the fool and go
to work earning their wages like the rest
Of us. trying to build up instead of pull
down"
But what can be expected? A report
of a conversation with Senator Nor
gan, the Cuban leader in the senate,
says that he was asked as to the pros
poets of war with Spain if the United
States should recognize the independ-
cnce of Cuba. ''War will come" he is
said to have replied in an airy way.
"How long will it last?" he was asked.
twenty-five days." he replied. slow
much will it cost?" added the inter
viewer. "Oh, about $50, 900 1000" said the
Alabama jingo statesman. But" he
is said to have added, war will help the
country, and bring better times"
This is preposterous. A var with
Spain would be mostly at sea, and
would be most especially destructive
on the highways of our sea coast com
merce. Spanish cruisers, perhaps priva-
tcers, swarming out Of all the ports of
commerce, would sweep American mer-
chant commerce from the seas off our
southern Atlantic and gulf coasts.
The coastwise of the
United States is all that we have of
value. Our transatlantic commerce
is mostly carried in foreign ships. Our
navigation laws exclude foreign ship
ping from the commerce between our
own ports. Buta few fast armorcd
vessels. such as Spain could buy and put
into service in ten days, the guerillas
Of the sea, could drive our coastwise
shipping into port and keep it there.
This is what the jingo leader calls
shelping business" A few southern
cruisers during the civil war damaged
our commerce to the extent of hundreds
of millions of dollars. A similar re
suit would follow war with Spain,
An attempt to land a formidable
American army in Cuba would be to
court disaster. It might be met by an
attempt of Spain to land its Cuban
army on our soil. At any rate it would
be attended by immense loss of life and
other horrors of war. A senator who in
dulges in inflated persiflage on such a
subject is an enemy to the country.
1t is singular that the men at Wash
ington cannot read the most obvious
signs of the times. The republicans in
congress-those engaged in tariff leg
islation and those who follow the jingo
lead of Morgan-are inviting a new
Bryan crusade, and it's defeat would be
a far more difficult task in 1900 thar
that Of 1s96.--Chicago Chronicle.