Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-01-04

lf remedy is not soon found
The attacks which are being made upon
seer etary Gage for depositing public
mt ney in cer'ain national banks are sim
ply republican chickens Coming home to
lrcost' Secretary Fairchid was subject
led by the republican leaders to the same
indecent and palpably false insnua lions
against his political integrity in 1885, and
Mr.. Blaine made these absurd charges
the chief burden If one Of his speeches
There are even now republicans who de-
clare that these attacks upon Mr. Fair
child were justified. while those upon Sec
re tary Gag, are of course dismissed with
the contempt which they merit When
q sked why Mr.. Fairchild was wrong " lille
Mr.. Gage is right. the answer made is
that Mr. Fairchild should have bought
bonds instead of transferring the public
funds, while Secretary Gage is rot jusli-
fled in spending ns ncy for bends while
war Is going On. As the expense of the
war and navy department have been re
duced for December to about s9OOO,oy0 a
month III excess of those before the Span
ish war and this amount Is fully covered
by existing taxation, it does not appear
that bonds could not he safely bought if
| it were necessary. Secretary Faitchlld
borrower, was 50 L. rye a buyer of bonds
that he was assailed in some quarters for
forcing up the price by his willingnesa
to buy at a premium. While reither Nj
Fairchild nor Mr.. Gage may have been
ahsolutely flawless in his judgment in
every detail of his conduct the simple
truth is that each did his best according
TO the recognized rules of sound finance
ard neither has been assailed except as
the result of petty PARTISAN necessity
| If the republicans were disposed to give
the democrats an issue upon which they
could get together, Independently of dif-
ferences on the currency. foreign policy
and other economic problems. Mr. Cruu..
packer of Indiana would be able to point
the way. 1t does rot appear that any OF
the responsible republican leaders taxi
any interest in his plan to apportion rep
rescntation in Congress according to tn,
Votes that happen to be cast in some
election or the laws which may purify the
voting list Of the illitcrate. If the prop
oSlton was in any sense serious there
would be no more heard of gold dem CORA Is
in the border States which gave Prosidert
Mckinley his large popular and olectora
maJoriles even if they dd not disappear
in the North. There would be only ore
Kind of democrat and they would be fol
white mans government in the Soutl
Just as the republicans are fer whit,
mans government in the Philippines
They would be for representation accord
ing TO population. Just as much for Mas
sachusetts as for Pennsylvania. If the
question of cutting down representation
because of educa tional tests in the State
should once be taken up in earnest. II
would raise a good many troubles ONE
questions. Massachusetts would be one
of the first States to suffer. because Of hel
requirement that a voter shall be able tC
lead and write and Pennsylvania shoul,
receive rigid investigation to deternin,
how many representatives the republican
machine was trying to steal by paddini
the voting list with fictitious and fradu