The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1898-01-15
WASHINGTON L
(From our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON Dec. 81. 1897.

Secretary Gage is the financial boss
ef tie whole administration outfit.
H. made IA bluff at resigning, if Mr..
Mckinley was dissatisfied with his
advocacy of legislation to clineh tho
gold standard upon our financial sys-
tenn, and Mr.. Mckinley at once drop
ped to the gold side Of the financial
fence, and Informed his willy Secreta-
nv Of the Treasury that he didn't
w4at lis resignation and was perfect
~ satisfied with what lie had done
and what he was doing. If that
doesn't convince the silver republic
can in Congress that Mr.. Mckinley
has left them in the lurch and sur
rendered, bag and baggage, to the
gold standard crowd, it will be plain
as the nose on your face that they
don't want to be convinced. AL
though the democrats we're moi at all
surprised at Mr.. MckinJey's action,
they are much pleased with it. De-
lighted, in fact. It's worth many
thousand democratic votes.
Hon. Richard Park Bland, Of Mo,
whose nickname of .'Silver Dickn has
always been considered by him and
his admirers as one of the greatest
hon"rs he has won in his long career
in the House, is jubilant over the
democratic outlook. He says the
democrats Will sweep the country
next year, and that in 1900 free silver
will be irresistible. He condensed his
reasons for this belief into the fol-
lowing: "The gold standard is too
narrow for this magnificent country"
Speaking of the republican party,
Mr.. Bland said: 1.-The Gage bill is
strictly in line with the republican
policy and with Maj. McKinley's ad-
minlstration. They ought to enact
the bill into law
for a few minutes, one day this week,
because of what he properly consider
eu dlscourteous treatment Of himself
by officials of the Post Office Depart-
nent, and the matter may be heard
from on the floor of the Senate. SEN
ator Bate went to the department and
asked to see the papers in the ease of
Peter Clarke, who was recently nom
mated for postmaster at Pulaski,
Tenn. and against whom charges
have been made. Much to his sur
prise he was told that lie could not
see them because lie was moi a mem
Der Of the Senate Post Office commit
tee. Representative Cox. who re-
presents the district in which Pulaski
Is located, was also refused a look al
the papers in the case. If there ia
any law for these refusals it should
be brought TO the notice of Senators |
and REPRESENTATIVES VINO do not an
JOY being snubbed by department
offlcIais; If there is no law, the of
fetal by whose order access was re-
fused to these papers should be made
to smart for it in some way.
With a continuation of the Cleve-
land and Mckinley financial policy
the bonds of the United States would
practically be gold bonds, Just as
they are now. Isn't it strange then,
that the large bond holders should be
III IA 7 of Secretary Cages scheme
to refund the bonded Indebtedness of
the country with p gold bonds,
knowing that it would reduce the
amount of interest paid by the
government to tile extent of ten or
twelve millions a year, The fact
that these bondholders are willing to
give up that much money to get the
"gold" put upon Z. S. bonds is
significant. 1t indicates the price the
bondholdors would pay for the per-
p%etuating of the gold standard also,
that they believe, in common with
most democrats, that existing laws
do not justify the policy of the Treas
nry Department in deciding that e.
5. bonds are payable in gold when
ever their holders so desire. Gold
bonds will not be authorized BY Con-
gress. but the effort to get such legis-
lation may result in good by opening
the eyes of many who have hereto
tore been unable to see the drift of
the gold movement.
OF course everybody expects the
minister to try to earn his
salary by making things appear as
favorable as possible for his country,
but he overaid his part in a state
ment concerning the contributions
for suffering humanity in Cuba, which
have been officially asked for from
people by the President of the
e. 5. which he made public this week.
If Spain Lad not acknowledge its
inability to deal with the situation.
Americans would not have been asked
to contribute; yet, Senior Depuy de
Lone begins By saying: 1T is not
true that the Spanish authorities ID
Cuba are not equal 70 the situation
In his anxiety to make a good show
ing for Spain he dashes would be
contributors with ice water by saying
that many of the sufferers are such
nnlr lReansa IF tLair rnuiLI;.-.-.