Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1898 — DUTY OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

DUTY OF CONGRESS.

The aemocrats in congress are making a magnificent record of supporting the admin - istration in every preparation for act’ve hostilities that is asked and in pushing the ma* jority on the recognition oi Cuba. It is becoming more apparent daily that one logical justification for interposition is the in iepend'-mce of the Cubans. The destruction ot the JV! aine might have been made the cause, but having been treated as a mere mcalent by the administration, an-i no responsibility having been charged, it can be effectively used only after the acquisition or additional evidence, and that j will hardly serve as a cause for present ac'ion. As a matter of course the minority in i congress will continue m this policy, and do all it can to push the war to a speedy and successful termination. There will doubtless be efforts to protract it unnecessarily by interested persons. There is always a flock of cormorants who desire to profit by their conn try’s needs, who find large gain in army contracts and m unloading property on the government at fancy prices.— It will be the duty and prmlej e of the minority to oppose such selfish efforts in whatever form they may take, and to insist that the honor and welfare of the country he at all times put above all other considerations. , ,

There will doubtless also be efforts to pass partisan tisan under the plea of patriotism. Of course such efforts will tie resisted when their purpose is evident. The people are not blind, and they will not consent that the exigencies of the hour be made an excuse for fastening on them unnecessarily any burdens in the way of financial legislation. There is clearly no immediate necessity tor finan cial legislation beyond an additional revenue measure, and that was needed without regard to war expenses- Tie issue ol bonds is an unnecessary thing at present, at least, and ought to be opposed. The

democratic minoritycan make its record of opposition, and possibly defeat that part of the measure in the.senate. It, however,the majority insist on taking the responsibility and forcing a bond issue no merely obstructive tactics should be resorted to in order to prevent it, because some c.aim can be made tuat it is a. necessary war measure. This wo’d not apply to any merely partisan measure like the schem for currency reform, which ought to be, and would be, fought to the uttermost. The democratic minority shonld also make a record in favor of an income tax. Our readers will remember 1 hat at the bimetallic meeting a few days ago Mr. Bryan referred to this matter in these words:

you remember t at ■when the in come tax was overturned by the suprem 6 court here were dissenting opinions'? You read those ■ pinions, and while you may have f It somewhat md gn< nt at the time, 1 will venture the assertiou that there was one dissenting opinion that will impress the American people to-day as it did not impress them when th t decision was handed down, A republican judge— Justice Brown of Michigan—tiled a dissenting opinion, pud in that opinion he said th t he feared that in some hour of national peril the decision of the court would rise up to paralyze the arm of the government. We ciilled attention to it at the time, but there was no hour of peril then, and m ny people were blind to the force of that statement. But|my friends, the hour .of peril to which he referred as possible iB today nearer than it was then,”

The hour of peril has arrived and willi it the call sot increas* ed revenue has come. J\ ow, if ever, is the time to impress on the awakened 1 ho’t and awak* ened conscience of the people the monstrous inj ustice of that decision, and the necessity for reversing it. Thero is a principle involyed in it that is too important to be abandoned We quote Mr, Bryan again:

“Now, my friends, people will think of that decision who would not think of it at that time, and I want you to think of it for one moment to-night, because t at decision madei- impossible for this nation to lay its hands upon the incomes of the rich, to make them contribute ‘to the expenses of the government, and if an hour of peril comes the nation can go out and take the son from his dependent mother, can take the husband from tne wife, can draft him into the service and make them present th6ir bodies as a sacrifice for the nation, but by that decision this government is prohibited from making he roll people pay their sb re of expenses of the nation*”

That is simple truth and eve* rybody knows 4t is simple truth, but that decision star ds for this unjust purpose only until it is reversed. Tne supreme court should be given an opportunity to reverse it at the earliest moment.—lndian* apolis Sentinel.