New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-24
THE LVITH CONGRESS.
CURIOUS SITUATION IN MICHIGAN.
NATIONAL. rssr.Es SUBORDINATE TO THE PINdREE
CAUSE OF EQUAL TAXATloN'-TEN DIS
TRGCTs SURELY REPUBLICAN.

standing upon London Bridge and phiIosoPh"-
ing upon the vanity OF all earthly things WI"
not equal the Intensity OF feeling WIN "h'c" w
day Don NJ Dickinson and Henry NJ Ihur"ei
you remember Thurber. of cours"-Vie" '"e
wreck OF the par-y they SO CALAMITY leu l" u.
feat Unlike the bull who tried conclusions VIII"
the locomotive they survive survive. 'oo' " -
rorierce the bitterness of genius unappreciated
OF sleeplass vlgils pent in vain OF an idoi snh'-
tered and Of the triumph OF the unwashed Inc
names Of the faithful no longer heard anu
in their stead there has arisen handtui Vi SCI"
STYLED leaders, who aspire to leadership not w
perpetuate the fanciful heresies OF the 'h'cas'
platform but to await with more or less cum
ming the opportune moment for selling out I"
the highest bidder.
PTNGREE'S ISSUE DOMINANT.
A campaign. irdeed. 80 devoid OF issues as the
campaign this year in Michigan or one i"o'e
correctly speaking. in which the true ISSUES "''
SO completely been lost sight or couiu ho' w"
be imagined That the Republicans VIII o'
their ticket and win In most. II not all Vi .'''
Congress districts is admitted on all SUES i"V
question OF securing. peradventure' "oi n'"o
,rotor,,v IN Tho next House Of Representatives
xo,tos only n nassing interest. Whether the
doctrine Of an unlimited silver coinage shai oo
givon another lease of life or be permitted 10
rest peacefully in the grave where II mas la'"
tbese two wears awakens no ones anxiety not
even the business mans. The attacks upon the
Administration in Washington, the fervid pro-
tcstations Of Democratic orators III other parts
Of the country as to how the war with spain
ought to have been conducted. ana now thsy
would have conducted 1t IL they had been per-
mit,ed TO- evoke no encouraging echoes here
Everything in fact. Of National importance mas
been made subordinate 10 the Plngree cry vi
'eoual taxation" 1t is that and nothing else.
Equality in taxation, II words convey any
meaning at all is thing, Of course. very much
n no desired Whether 1t exists in Michigan or
not is a question this campaign Is iiKeV u
settle for some years to come. Governor Pm
gree asserts it does not He and his friehds
promise to see to IT that 1t is brought about.
In the mean time, their claim that the railroaos
own more than one-third OF the taxable prop
erty in the State and pay less than one-t"eh-
tieth Of the taxes collected must be permitted
IN an outsider to whom the tax lists not
readily open. and to whom lot Of very solemn
but suspicious looking campaign statistics are
submitted instead. to appear just trife eX-
aggo rated. OF course. the wicked railroads are
the worst Offenders in Governor Pingree eyes
but they are not the only ones. There are
others and they will be dealt with presently
In fact. the Governors reform scheme Is billed
to take In every corporation DOING business in
the State. Like the Chinese mandarin, he serves
notice upon all concerned. exclamng. "Tremble
and obey But for the presence OF those de-
praved corporations Michigan would be an ideal
Commonwealth.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLIGHT.
Unable to rally free-sllver forces in any con-
siderable numbers; Indifferent TO the momentous
issue Of whether the privates in the Michigan
volunteer service shall be carried in Pullman
Palace cars or in ordinary day coaches, nope
lessy divided among themselves as 10 every
important issue growing out Of the Spanish
war and unwilling for obvious reasons, to OPP
pose the equal taxation programme or their
political enemies the Democratic managers see
themselves reduced to the miserable maKeshllt
Of attacking Governor Pingrees administration
on the ground Of its unheard-of extravaganza
and It is not. mind you, an extravaganza Whic"
has saddled an enormous debt upon the State
for which there is little or nothing to show OF
a sudden and unwecome rise in the tax rate,
but a horrid item OF some Sloob In the "oV-
ernor's budget for letter postage which so agi-
tates the Democratic mind
Nightly a score or more OF Democratic spell
binders grow eloquent and hoarse over the iniq-
nifty NJ the letter-wrting Governor. They point
with something akin to pride TO the last Demo-
cratic Governor Michigan had-Governor Luce
who spent in the course OF his entire term as
chief MAGISTRATE Of the state less money for
hostage than Pingree has in single day. After
that statement II should not be difficult 10 de-
tern,ine whether or not Governor Plngree IS
working overtime ct this business of letter
writing He wrote a letter the other day to the
President Some people were prejudiced enough
10 consider il not only in very poor taste, put
unjust AS we'll; others there were who were friv-
olous enough to inquire whether the expense of
mailing so weighty a communication was met
from that $4,000 fund or whether the Governor
went down into his pocket for the purpose or
furnishing 2 conspicuous and impressive ex-
ample Of equality in taxation" The fact has
not been definitely determined.
The personality of Governor Pingree has made
itself felt In the politics Of the State In every
direction Not only has no candidate been
named for the State Legislature who Is not
heart and soul devoted 20 the task Of bringing
the railroads 10 book. according to the Pm
gree formula but member OF Congress mas
been able to secure d denomination. much loss
new man been permitted TO be put up who
did not pledge himself in advance 10 the cause
OF equal taxation IT secretly convinced VI
the injustice Of the raid upon the corporations.
he does not dare TO say SO openly. Indeed. so
perfect is the Pingree discipline and SO effective
the crack Of his political whip that il is more
than likely that his dislike of Senator Burrows
will lead TO the lattrr's downfall The offence
OF the Senator. in the Governors eye, is the
fact that the Atkinson bill embodying the
Pingree dea OF equal taxation" after be-
ing passed through the lower house Of the
State Legislature last winter by a substantial
majority, failed In the Senate by only single
vote that vote being cast by one OF Burrows's