St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-04-15
THE R.7TIR1NG CONGRESS.
ts Course throughout Was Marked
by Extravaganza and Ig-
So noranee.

I
| ' norance.
The congress which expired March
4 will be memorable in the history of
the country. The war with Spain :eoIn-
| menced during It's first session and the
fruits Of the struggle had to be gath,
cred as far as possible during the ses-
sion which has just closed. The coun-
| try has taken a new departure since
the late congress was elected in 1896
Whether the change in the direction of
our national progress shall be for good
Or evil the future years must demon
strate. We have gone in a direction
from which we cannot turn back and
which we must pursue to the end, ae-
.epting all its consequences.
What is most striking in the con-
gfess which has just adjourned is its
perfect self-abneg in claiming
power and in using it. The congress
which adjourned two years ago, at the
close of President Cleve1and,s admin
istration, was in constant Wrangle
with the executive department in re-
gard to the extent of its prerogatives.
Repeated efforts were made to guide
the diplomacy of the country by in
structions to the president on the sub
ject of foreign affairs and by attempts
to legislate directly in relation to 9th
er nations, especially in relation to
Spain and Cuba. The administration uf
President Cleveland resented these at-
tempts to interfere with the discharge
ofits legitimate duties, and hostile SEN
timents between the two departments
of the government were excited. Some
heated republican partisans in congress
threatened the president with impeach-
ment because he would not submit to
congressional ilsurpation in interna-s
ional affairs. This attitude of opposi-
ton on the part of the executive and
congress remained to the last
The late congress assumed and re-
tanned decidedly different attitude,
toward the president. At first there
were some symptoms Of attempts at
nagging Mckinley as Cleveland had
been nagged- But they were. only tenn
porary. After the war began congress
the president. The mob of congress
men were not taken into the confidence
Of the president, and they did not re
sent the slight, as they did in the case
Of the previous president. Mckinley
conducted the war through his naval
and army boards, negotiated peace,
eonfscated Porto Rico and bought the
Philippines for 10000. 900, parleyed
with Gomez and contracted to pay. him
$3 1000 900 for his Cuban soldiers-never
asking the opinion, wishes or approval
of congress until he sent the treaty
with Spain to the senate for ratifca
ton and demanded the appropriation
of the money that he had agreed to pay
could not have displayed eondthi6hss fltf Sol 81
greater difference between the two de-
partments of the government than was
displayed by this country under the
two administrations of Cleveland and
Mckinley.
The late congress appropriated four
times as much money for the expenses
of this year as any previous congress
appropriated for any one year. Ten
years ago, when the appfopriat ations for
two years amounted to nearly $1,000
700 900, it was regarded as monstrous
extravaganza and psofigacy The APP
preparations fer the present fiscal year
amount to 81, ,75o ,90o, 900 ) or IS percent.
more than for the two years OF the "bil-
lion dollar congress" Much Of this
sum was for war and other extraordi-
nary purposes. But that fact does not
Tighten the burden nor remove the
probability that new issues Of govern
ment bonds will be required to meet
the obligations of the treasury.
There. has been no currency legisla--
ton to answer the demand Of very
great proportion of the people. The
fact is that congress did not know what
should be done in order to avoid future
dangers to the financial system. Ig-
| noranee. and timidity prevented action
So congress stood still, like man in
The dark surrounded by pitfalls The
country was permitted to drift where
soever the currents should lead, trust
| ing to luck and Providence for a happy
| escape in the end.-C Chicago Chronicle
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