Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-11-23
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS
NUMBER Is


croaehed upon the legislative preroga
tive as to render congress a subordi-
nate instead of a coordinate branch of
the government. What we are in cry
ing need of, inter ALA, is a restoration
Of equilibrium or balance of power or
parity of ratio between congress and
the president, between the capitol and
the White House. AS things are now
running, the whole machine is becom-
ing lopsided or whopper jawed. The
sword has been thrown into the scale
and weighs more than reason, learn
ing, genius, patriotism and the consti-
tuition
1t will be a strange scene to witness
Republicans defend the Bates treaty
with the sultan of Sulu, whereby we
are to pay that petty despot an an
nual tribute Of thousands of dollars for
the privilege of running Old Glory up
in his dominions and agree to guaran-
tee him in the right Of practicing po-
Iygamy and slavery! Shades Of George
Washington. Andrew Jackson and
Zachary Taylor. think of paying for
the privilege of hoisting our flag any
wherei Mighty spirit Of Thomas JEFF
ferson, who defied and thrashed the
Barbary pirates, think of 5000, 900
of your countrymen pa. ing tribute to
anybody anywhere for any purpose un-
der heaven!
A Question to BE Aired.
There will be music in the air when
"Uncle Joe" Cannon, chairman of the
great committee on appropriations.
reaches the item, Twelve thousand
dollars tribute to the sultan of Sulu."
The debate is likely to take on lurid
hue when the clerk reads, Forty dol
lars per month salary for Raja Mura,
keeper of the royal harem of the sui
tan of Sulu." A direct appeal viii be
made to the conscience of Christian
America to defeat those items. The
Republicans, having now a majority
of 10, which they viii no doubt in
crease by the simple process of bounc-
ing Democrats who were elected and
seating Republicans who were never
elected, may pass it. bat If they do. aft
er the airing it win receive in debate,
they will. in my judgment, write the
death warrant Of the Republican par
ty, a consummation devoutly to be
wished, for it must be that there is
some love of decency and sweet home
life left in the hearts of the American
people. Think of gray haired father
of an American household and of a
mother in Israel being taxed to keep
up harem Of 300 wives for the sultan
of Sulu and of helping to pay $40 per
month to Raja Mura, keeper Of the
harem aforesaid, to look after his mas
ter's many wives, and SIS per month
for an assistant to Raja Mura, keeper
of the suItan's harem! Delightful pic
ture. is it not?
1t is not the amount of the Rppropri-
ation-it's the inefable disgrace Of the
performance that hurts, the weakening
of the moral fiber evidenced by the in
famous transaction. the foul blot upon
the good name of the republic, the In
credible insult to decency, virtue and
female worth. the open defiance Of the
law of God and of the conscience Of
Christendom. If the Republican party
can survive this monstrous outrage up
on all that is best. sweetest and whole
soonest in American life. it can con
fidently write Immortality upon its
banner and will be Iuckier. far luckier.
than the Rayenshoes. who, according
to Henry Kingsley. though often de-
serving conviction and the hangman's
rope for treason, were never convicted
and died peacefully in their beds.
But my guess is that if Republican
congress undertakes to defend or pal
late this beastly Sulu treaty the Amer
lean people will rise in their might and
in their wrath and cast the Republican
party into that outer darkness where
there will be weeping. wailing, gnash-
ing of teeth and a vast deal Of cussing.