The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-03

the par value of government bonds.
About eighty millions will be paid out
by the government under the refunding
feature of the bill. AS here is circula-
tion, money unshackled and let loose.
not imitation. abundantly sufficient to
meet any exigency that may happen in
the administration of our fiscal affairs,
what more does any honest man, any
laboring man, any farmer, any manu-
facturer, any man or people engaged in
industrial enterprise want. A stable
circulating medium of ample sufii.
cheney to meet all demands. The agita-
ton of this question has been more dis
tructive to the material interests of the
country than war. 1t has destroyed
enterprise, paralyzed business. demor-
allied investment, bankrupted honest
people, and subjected the nation to dis
credit and contempt
But it is all over now. The Republic
can party has settled it. 1t has re-
deemed it's pledge to the people. And
in so doing it has compelled the conf
dence of the honest voters; and that
means a great Republican victory in
1900
PUERTO RICAN QUESTION.
Whatever may he the shortcomings
Of the Republican party, it never lacks
the cohesive power of final action on
party measures. The simple consider.
alton involved in the discussion at this
time of the Puerto Rican question was
one Of eXpodiency. Was the admnis-
tration or congress prepared to con-
slider the new conditions rrecipitated
by the acquisition of that country /?
Had the presidents free trade policy
in connection with Puerto Rican pro-
ducts prevailed. It would have been
| meaningless and utterly without sig
nificance as indicating chance of
sentiment on the general tariff policy
OF the Republican party. The presi-
| dent wanted to be generous and lib
eral with these people. who had suf-
fered so much and so long He was
| disposed to elevate the question above
the common plane of cross roads poll
| tics. There is a difference between
Spanish intolerance and tyranny and
American craftsmanship.
Here was an opportunity for prac-
tical demonstration to the world that
the republic was big enough and hon
est enough and fair enough to do what
was right and just i'm this matter. But
! the constitution ives in the way' The
party that fought desperately four
years ago to destroy it now bewail the
tendency Of the party that preserved
| it. to ignore and distort it. So that
the grave question OF allowing the
Puerto Ricans such government protec-
tion as would enable them to overcome
/ nf ,;el,
pare them to meet existing and appre
hended eXigencies, was considered
from the lowest plane Of soup house
politics.
All that saved the discussion in the
house this week from the most offen-
sive reproach and discredit was the
general ability. agreeably obvious, in
an uncommon academic debate. Many
Of the speeches were much above the
average and showed q surprising fa-
miliarity with constitutional history.
But all this talk amounts to little or
nothing in practical politics. The Re-
publican party will settle these ques-
tions, big or little, original or COM
monplace, and settle them to the per-
feet satisfaction of the whole country
Where the American flag Is concerned
the people will trust the Republican
party in the future as it has done in
the past-whether it floats over the
whole republic. in the Cccident as well
as the Orient, over the Pearl of the
Antilles and the thousand islands near
far-off Cathay. upon land and sea,
over schoolhouse and church, the em-
blem Of integrity and good faith, OF
liberty and freedom, of the inestima-
BILE advantages of Christian civiliza.
tion, of human rights guaranteed in
the Constitution. not dependent upon
the eVanescent will of state or national
legislators, too often frightened by
their own shadow" II will reprssant