Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-04-23
'MkINLEY'S BLUFF"
THAT is JUST WHAT THE MOEG-
TARY COMMISSION is.
Plain Iat;t 30 the Ob.truCtiOnisis-
An Eloquent address by Bryan
\ Sensible Amendment Proposed
To the Tariff Islii-COnsiscatiOn
Suggested IL. u Kennedy for Ex-

TO the Tariff Biii-COnsiscatiOu
Suggested IA. "a Kennedy for Ex-
tortIon.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASIINGrON, April lG'h. 1897.
Senator German took occasion to
give the Republicans little plain
talking ,ncerning their failure to
accept the very fair proposition made
to them for filling the committee
vacancies and the consequent failure
to give the appropriation bills which
failed at the last session the proper
committee consideration, just before
the Indian bill was taken up. The
total OF these appropriations will be
more that $73,000,000, and Mr.. Cor
man said that careful consideration
OF them might result in Il reduction of
at least $4,000, 600 lie also said that
it was time to call Il halt in the vast
expenditures authorized by Congress;
that the limit Of expenditures on the
navy and on fortiiications ought to be
near, now that al era of peace seemed
to be at hand, and he thought it was
also time to limit the expenditures on
rivers and harbors. He closed by say
ing that the Democrats could do no
more than call the attention of Sena-
tors on the other side TO the urgent
need Of retrenchment. 1t is not ex-
pected that Mr.. Germans warning
words will have any effect, but all the
same they were timely, and it was en-
tirely proper that they should have
been spoken by Democrat. The
country will heed, if the Republicans
in Congress do not.
Nothing in the eloquent address
made by Mr.. Bryan at the Jefferson
birthday banquet, gathering of DEM
ocrats that will not soon be forgotten,
WAS more important or significant
than the following words: "The posi-
ton taken by the Democratic party in
1896 will not be surrendered. If you
doubt the permanency of the Chicago
platform as party creed, go among
the rank and file of the party and
measure the zeal and enthusiasm
which that platform has aroused, and
you will realize the impossbility of
taking q backward step. True, the
present administration is seeking to
turn public attention to the tariff
question, but if our reasoning is we'll
founded, an increase of taxes cannot
restore prosperity to the producers of
wealth. In fact, We contend that
neither high taxation nor low taxation
can bring prosperity TO the people, so
long as an approaching dollar con-
tinues TO give the money owner an adj
vantage over the remainder of the peo-
pie. The money question must be the
paramount issue of the next campaign,
as it was of the last. If the Dingley
bill brings genuine and permanent
prosperity, the Democratic party will
not be position to win contest by
opposing it. II, on the other hand,
the Dingley bill proves a disappoint-
ment to those who advocate 1t, our
position of 1896 will be strengthened,
and public attention will be riveted
upon the fact that the cause OF
financial depression is to be found in
our monetary system"
Senator Nelson, of Mimi, although
Republican, is in sympathy with the
efforts made by the Democrats in the
House to amend the tariff bill by au-
thorizing the President to suspend the
collection OF duties upon any imported
article, the home product of which is
shown to be controlled by trust, as
he has given notice of his intention to
| offer the same amendment when the
tariff bill gets before the Senate.
Secretary Cages answer to the
Senate resolution concerning the issue
OF orders by the Secretary of the
Treasury to Collectors of Customs in
relating to carrying out the retroactive
clause of the Republican tariff bill not
being at all satisfactory, Senator Vest
offered resolution declaring this
order to be without authority of law
and in violation of the statutes and
customs regulations concerning the
payment of import duties, and by a
bare majority of one it was referred TO
the Finance committee, to be pigeon
holed.
Democrats would be delighted to
see Mr.. McKinley's bluff, otherwise
known as the special diplomatic COM
mission to visit Europe with power to
negotiate with the governments of
that section IN behalf of international
bimetnllisin, succeeds in accomplishing
something tangible, but none of them
have the slightest idea that it will.
The Commissioners, Senator Wolcott.
Gen. Paine, of Mass, and Hon. Adlai
E. Stevenson, of Ills, are capable
men, and their failure to accomplish
an impossibility will be no personal
reflection on them.
Senator Morgan closed his long
speech in favor of his resolution
recognizing the Cubans as belligerents
by declaring that whatever action this
country might or might not take
towards Cuba the freedom of the island
was written in the stars.
Senator Chambers bills for the
seizure of the armor plants of the
Bethlehem and Carnegie Steel COM
panies by the government, represent a
very dangerous sort of bluff, for it is
evident they are nothing else. That
these companies have been extortion-
ate in their dealings with the govern
ment is true, but that doesn't give
Congress any right to confscate their
property. Dem.
DEL MADE ITCl(O