The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-24
Special to the Scranton Tribune.

financial question Is permanently set |
tied this time. The financial bill is in |
conference, but the end is in sight. |
For all practical purposes the election |
of Mckinley and Republican con-
gress following the repeal of the Sher- |
man law, disposed of the question as
a political issue. But there were peo-
pie with vagaries who imagined that
they believed in the possibility of free
silver through some impossible mishap
in the election of a Populist president.
The election of Mckinley was a tr-
umph for common honesty and sound
business principles i'm the administra-
ton of the governments fiscal obliga-
tions. The business men of the coun-
try elected Mr. Mckinley and empha-
| sized the victory by the election of a
Republican congress. When honest
business methods means general pros
perity it is well enough to accept it's
judgment and await further results.
Exactly that thing has been done in
| the pending financial legislation OF
this congress. The country is blessed
with prosperous conditions.
1t is the result of Republican poli-
cies-business methods. To put these
conditions beyond the reach of the
existence is the creation of social. no.
ltical and financial chaos in our do
mestic economy, is the main object of
the Republican financial bill. When
it becomes a law nothing short of a
French revolution can change it. Be-
fore that era is reached the country
will have settled down to honest bust
ness methods. and the evangelist who
is touring the ntryy nd oil
ing every hour in the day and every
day in the week, desecrating Lncoln's
| memory by trying to fool the plain
people of the country by glttering
and meaningless platitudes and hand
! me-down sophistries. will be without
| occupation. Exit Bryan. 1t will ba
the last of him and of the hybrid ag-
gregation known as the Democratic
| opposition
WHAT THE FINANCIAL. BILL.
MEANS.
1t means more than the establish
ment Of the gold standard. 1t is more
| than affirmative legislation. 1t means
| according to the highest fiscal author
ity an addition of more than sixty
millions of dollars to the general cir
| culation And away beyond that il
means confidence. There is mo longer
any dispute about what Specie" or
'coin' means. The word is gold in
big letters. And people who know
more about finance in one second than
l could find out by a year Of indus
trlous application tell me th2t gold
means the money of the world and
that every time il finds it's way into
our laws II means the triumph of
American BUSINESS methods and the
permanent growth OF our country in
the commercial world. That once was
the Yankee of it," now it is the hon
est plain American way. When one
wants advice I'm financial matters, one
is not apt to go To the man or party
who lives Il hand-to- mouth existence
He is flush today, but it may be a
free soup-house tomorrow. That fell
low is an anarchist, not because he
would destroy the government or
ruthlessly tear down any of its insti-
tutions. He is simply new dispcn-
sation Democrat, aroused to the vital
virtue of self-preservation. 1t is "A
harmless fatalism. 1t was never in
tended that such sentiments should
| dominate the greatest nation and the
@randest republic on earth.
THE PORTO RICAN QUESTION.
1t is an important question because
IL involves constitutional interpreta-
tion but mainly because it inoppor-
tuhely comes up i'm a presidential
election year. There is, too, an APP
parent VeXation in the determination
or tariff policy. The president has
recommended free trade. because af-
| ter the most careful and exacting in
vestigation the conclusion has been
reached that Porto Rican products will
| not materially compete with American
products. But the small politician
steps to the front and with an array
or figures and statistics that bewilders
| ana appalls proves that the tobocco
growers and sugar beet growers will
be ruined and beggared hy the free
| admission Of Porto Rican products.
And the howl comes chiefly from the
politicians in congress who denounced
the president as "a coward because he
| did not precipitate the war with Spain
| months before the American ultima
tum was announced. Public clamor
has done its work in the usual way.
The majority of the ways and means
committee accepted the presidents
recommendations and agreed that the
American policy of fair play was the
| logical and honest thing to do in deal
ing with the Porto Ricans. But n
presidential election year makes n
great lot of difference as to whose OK
| is gored
ATMOSPHERIC OF CONTENTION.
There has been more talk about the
| constitution i'm this conpresS caid N
venerable newspaper man to The
| Tribune correspondent. than at any
time within the last fifty years. and it
, reminds me, he added. of "A debating
| society. 1t seems to be the fad. 1t is
twisted and tortured, construed to suit
the argument or condemned for it's
silence. IL Is protest or praise, and re-
calls Mr.. Lincolns advice to IA young
lawyer IF you have a good case in
law said the great man Of the peo-
pie, talk to the judge; if you have a
good case in fact talk to the jury; but
| IL you have no case at all abuse the
lawyers on the other side" That Is
exactly what the Democrats are doing
In their discussion OF our foreign poll
cy. In the most elaborate, euridte
speech that is made there is a panto-
mime exhibition of constitutional in
clination, but single cheer lands the
frenzied orator on both feet in the
center aisle and with pugilistic demon
stration he pummels and mangles,
abuses and denounces the Republican
part, The result Is great, side-split-
ting laugh on the Republican side. 1t
has become standing joke. And af-
ter his ebulition has subsided the ora
tOrical Democrat Sneaks across the