Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-20
;, USUAL DEMOCRATIC HowLs.
M. Baiiej Of Texas Seeking Political Capital
Out Of Spanish War.

Dunvillc. Va. Sept. i9.-congressanan
Bailey spoke at Cha than. the county
seat. %oday, in the. interest of C.. A.
SwuBson. Democratic Comance for Con-
gr.ss from the 9TH District People for
miles around were sn the big crowd to
hed9 the Texan.
w. Bailey of Texas, made ii pain thad
the Democrats mean TO make the present
can T,iaRn an aggressive one. Among
other things he saGd:
For months Republican politicians and
Republican editors ,isave talked and writ
on cessaE.iy about the mistakes of the
Democratic minority IN Congress. bat
our mistakes in orGer TO divert pubic at
ent.on from their own. they find It i'm
possible TO make good their repeated and
''In order to escape the just and untver-
sal indignation which has been aroused
against them by the suffering inflicted
upon the volunteer army 'throush the in
competence or the dishonesty of those
whom they have. placed in power. they
have been searching the Congressional
some damaging accusation which they
cin sustain against us. But they have
not four 1t: and they will not find 1t.
throughout the last and trying session OF
Congress is absolutely above all criticism.
do not say 1t with the purpose of claim
ter of simple justice TO my Democratic
assistants. | declare thut in all tue his
tory of t,.:s government no minority
party ever passed through Il war session
IF Congress with SO much credit as did
he Democrats of the present Congress.
The only important vote which We be-
ieved at the time we cast 1t could ever
become the subject of reasonable condru-
versy was our vote against the war rev.
enue bill; and events have completely
vindicated our course in respect to that
bill because we believed that it author
iZed an unnecessary sale of interest,"
bearng bonds. and the condition of the
we're riyt When ee Gnngress CONFINES r, in
December next, ii viii find that the sur
plus in th treasury, above the 500 900. 900
gold reserve. will exceed the amount re-
cefved from the sale of bonds: thus dem
ons;rat.ug that there was no necessity
for the government to sell its bonds.
''Our Republican friends cannot excuse
fou2see the carly termination of the war.
because every man who was reasonably
Weil-ciformed about the condition OF
Spain understood that it was imposs ible
struggle.
rowing to the greater distance between
her base of supplies and the seat of war.
t was certain that it would require the
expenditure of at least $l.25 on the part of
Spain to meet the expenditure Of every
dollar on the part Of the United States.
tt was certain, therefore. that IL the war
cost us $200.0C0.OGO it would cost Spain
$3.50. 000. 600. and where could she raise any
Such sum as tEdt?
Torn wgth civil strife. her throne
claimed by Il proteEfler. her people i'm
Dovertshed. she could not levy additional
taxes without precip.tating bread riots
whlhin her own borders. and her only
means of carrying ON the war was to
borrow money.
This she could not hope to do. because
her bonds were already selling at 30 cents
on the dollar in the markets of this
word. and had she attempted to borrow
$3.50. C00.0OO she would have been compelled
% issue $500 Ct9.GC0 worth OF bonds.
BE fore she could have sod orra-half OF
that amount Ear crt,ait would have fallen
still lower and her bonds would not have
commanded 20 cents Oh THE dollar.
with an adversary uraabie to raise
money by taxation and powerless to bor-
row Il. the end of the war was in sigh,
before 1t was begun. The Republican
leaders in Congress knew this as we'll as
we did; or If they did not know it,. they
are not WISE CROUCH to be entrusted with
the administration of this government,
but although knowing that the war must
soon end and knowing that with all their
wastefulness and extravaganza 1T would
not cost probably over 5000, 900 600. they
proceeded to enact a law which imposes
$3.50. 100000 In annual taxes upon the peo-
pie and authorizes the contraction of a
500. coo 600 debt.
Upon that monS.rous propositions al
MOST every Democrat in Congress voted
No. and our Only regret. to-day, is tina,
there was a single one of us who fell,
called upon by his sense of duty to sup.
port it.