New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1899-03-29
Never Had An Equal

review Of the work done by the last
Congress, Harper's Weekly, we'll
known journal of high standing, has the
following to say, among other things:
Il las not been expected of late years
that Congress would advance the pub
lie welfare, and the Congress which came
to an end on the 4th of March has been
no exception to the rule. It is entitled,
however, to primacy in wrong doing, in
general incompetency, IN reckless ex-
travagance, in disregard of obvious du-
ties, in absolute failure to meet its re-
sponsibities.
The members If the House of Repre-
sentatives of the Fifty-ffth Congress
were elected in 1895, when President
Mckinley was also elected. = The repub-
lican members-or most OF them-won
their places on the sound mouey issue.
They have failed, however, to fulfil the
promise made for them by their party.
The President called the Congress to
meet in extraordinary session on March
Is, 1897, for the purpose uf passing a
tsriff law that should increase the bur-
dens of consumers and further enrich
the socialistic benefciaries of the pro-
tective system. This was the response
of the party to the demand Of the coun-
try for currency legislation, for the Con-
gress is now at an end and not step
has been taken towards the accomplish
ment of the purpose for which Mr.. Nc
Kinley and Republican majority of
Representatives were chosen by the elec-,
tors. It is apparent now that the men
responsible for the conduct Of The ad-
ministration never intended to sep the
promise of the campaign. It obtained
the votes necessary to success, and was
of no further interest to those who had
made it. In place of currency reform,
we have had protection and expansion
ruu mad. The Dingley law is one of
the blessings which the country obtained
by the election of 1896. It is the crud-
est tariff law ever written into the stat
utes. It's authors-not poor Mr.. Ding
ley, but the manufacturers who have
profted by its extortions-pretended
| that It was revenue measure. Time
has answered that falsehood, for the act
has failed to raise tie revenue necessary
for the ordinary expenditures Of the
government. For the calendar year end
| ing December 81, 1898, the customs rev.
enue was less than it was in the fiscal
year 1890 by $47, 900, 900, and the total
revenue was less by $21, 100000. ~ -.
The war had put upon the country
duties and responsibilities which were
fer Congress to perform and assume.
Hawaii had been annexed, Puerto Rico
aud the Philippines were about to be
ceded, Cuba was under our temporary
control. Congress is charged with the
task of providing governments and laws
for the territories of the United States.
But not law was passed nor a govern
ment established. The President was
made temporary despot in Hawaii by a
resolution, but no-government at all is
provided for Puerto Rico or for the
Philippines, SO that every act performed
by the President in these islands, after
the treaty of peace is ratified by Spain,
must be all act Of usurpatlon. As to
Cuba, it would he difficult to say by
what right the President and his troops
are there today. Congress has thrust
much responsibility upon the President,
but it has denied him of the necessary
j means with which to meet it. It has
deliberately abandoned the new posses
sions to anarchy or q tlsurped dictator.
ship, because it either had not the intel
#|ligence to meet the emergency, or was
so much interested in grabbing plunde1
and in working for subsidies, that it was
/ Indifferent to the interests both of the
United States and Of the people owe,
whom we have assumed at least tempor.
ary government.
Considering all the burdens imposed
Inv the war. it might have been supposed
that congress would practice economy
in other directions. But the appropria
rions made by the Fjfty-ffth Congress
.lexcluding the war expenses, which
amount thus far, as we have stated, te
1 $48s ,OOO, 900, exceed those of the Fifty
. fourth Congress by $4,000, 900. II ha,
s been the most extravagant, as we'll al
! THE most inefficient and Indifferent. Con
gress which ever sat IN the seats Of oul