Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-09-16
CURRENCY LEGISLATION.

President Warned Against Gamblers
who Want Extra Session.
The character and action Of the Re
publican majority IN congress have al
ways been questionable, but If the
opinion of a leading Republican bust
ness man who is nott politician is
anywhere near the actual condition of
affairs it certainly is time that there
should be a change intparty control.
An open letter from J. b. Corey, the
retired coal magnateiand uncle of w.
L. Corey, president of the United States
Steel trust, to President Roosevelt says:
ut is reported and is going the
rounds of the public press that you
propose to call an extra session of con-
gresS to tinker with OIr national cur
rency in order to afford relief to the
Wall street stock gamblers and multi
millionaire adventurersNw whose artistic
ally printed certificates of stocks and
bonds fill our national bank vaults and
which have brought On the present
panic. AS an American citizen, feeling
a deep interest and pride In the good
name Of the American people and the
sincerely hope that the dignity of our
nation, the good name of the American
people, as well as the success of your
own administration, will cause you to
refuse to commit such a grave mistake
as that of calling an extra session of
congress. If you will stop and consider
for one moment the fact will appear
that the majority of the men Icompos-
ing our national congress are as men
tally unfit to legislate upon n financial
or currency measure as, they are moral
ly incapable of resisting the temptation
to fall victims to Wall street stock
gamblers and Adventures. II is a well
established fact that the political and
business interests of the American peo-
pie are never as safe and free from
disturbance as they are when congress
is not in session
That Is a more incisive ana harsh in
dictment of the Republican party in
congress than Democratic newspapers
or speakers have ever made, and it is
hardly possible to doubt Its truth, COM
ing from one so Well informed as the
writer is. He appears to be as well ac-
Quainted with the Wall street element
that controls the Republican party as
he is with the personnel of the major
ity in congress.
Is ii not n travesty on craftsmanship
that the business men of the country
have to appeal to the president not to
call congress together congress, which
should Iegislate for the benefit of the
whole people? But il 1t is a fact that
the majority of the Republicans are
such scamps as Ar. Corey says they
are it is no wonder that scandals are
prevalent in the post office. the war
and INTERIOR and other departments OF
the government, the only check on
these departments being the oversight
of the representatives that the people
have elected.
President Roosevelt mey refuse to
take the advice of Mr.. Corey and call
congress in. extraordinary session ito
tinker with our national currency in or
der to afford relief to the Wall street
stock gamblers" but that would not be
a good card to play when just entering
upon the presidential campaign. Those
voters, and they are the great major
ity, who have no interest in Wall street
stock jObbing are not asking President
Roosevelt TO call congress together be-
fore the regular session begins, for
they know that the legislation desired
by them-nanlely, tariff reform and
trust CONTROLS not possible from con-
gress as at present constituted.