Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1900 — READY FOR PARTY BATTLE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

READY FOR PARTY BATTLE.

Organization of Republican Congressional Campaign Committee. The Republican Congressional Campaign Committee has been organized with the following officers: Representative J. W. Babcock of Wisconsin, chairman; Representative J. 8.. Sherman of New York, Vice Chairman; Representative Jesse Overstreet of Indiana, Secretary; W. B. Thompson, Treasurer. A resolution was adopted declaring that “in the interest of an effective and successful campaign the early nomination of candidates for Congress is earnestly requested.” The list of members of the committee is as follows: California —Representative Metcalf. Connecticut—Representative Russell. Delaware—Representative Hoffecker. Idaho —Senator Shoup. Illinois—Representative Cannon. Indiana —Representative Overstreet. lowa—Representative Hull. Kansas—Representative Calderhead. Kentucky—Representative Pugh. Maine —Representative Boutelle. Maryland—Representative Mudd. Massachusetts—Representative Lovering. Michigan—Representative Corliss. Minnesota—Representative Eddy. Missouri—Representative Pearce. Montana —Senator Carter. Nebraska —Representative Mercer. New Hampshire —Senator Gallinger. __ New Ldudenslager. New Y'ork —Representative Sherman. North Carolina —Representative Linney. North Dakota—Representative Spalding. Ohio—Representative Van Voorhees. Oregon—Senator Mcßride. ' Pennsylvania—Representative Connell. Rhode Island —Representative Bull. South Dakota—Representative Gambell. Tennessee—Representative Gibson. Texas —Representative Hawley. Vermont —Senator Proctor. Washington—Represent ative J ones. West Virginia—Representative Dovener. Wisconsin —Representative Babcock. Wyoming —Representative Mondell. Oklahoma —Delegate Flynn. New Mexico —Delegate Perea. Two Billions in "Circulation. For the first time on record the monthly treasury statement show’s that the money in circulation in the United States exceeds two billions. Not only is this the high-water mark of money in circulation, but, calculated on the highest estimation of population, 77,116,000. it yields the highest per capita circulation ever enjoyed in this country, to wit, $25.98. In order that our readers may appreciate the full significance of these figures we append ar table of population, money in circulation and per capita circulation by decades since 1800: Money in Per Population. circulation, capita. 1800.. 5,308,483 $26,500,000 $4.99 1810.. 7,239,881 55,000,000 7.60 1820.. 9,633,822 67,100,000 6.96 1830.. 12,866,020 87,344,295 6.69 1840.. .17,069,453 186,305,488 10.91 1850.. .23,191,876 278,761,982 12.02 1860. ..31.443,321 435,407,252 13.85 1870. . .38,558,371 675,212,794 17.50 1880. . .50,155,783 973,382,228 19.41 1890. . .62,622,250 1,429,251,270 22.82 1900.. .77,116,000 2,003,149,355 25.98 It will be perceived that the amount of money in circulation has more than doubled since 1880 and that it has almost trebled since in 1870, during which thirty years the population has only increased about twofold. Such figures as these refute the wild statements of the Bryanltes, especially as more than one-half of the money In circulation is gold coin or certificates based on gold or its equivalent held In the treasury for their redemption. There is more go|d coin and gold certificates in circulation in the United States to-day than the total circulation of all kinds of money in the year 1878. These are facts worth bearing in mind when free sllverites talk of the contraction in the circulating medium caused by the adoption of the gold standard.—Chicago Times-Herald. Allen as a Trimmer, Senator Allen of Nebraska is a lively illustration of the influence of the party whip. He has succeeded in making a complete somersault on the Philippine question. As his former term as Senator approached its end no voice In the country was raised higher than hla in favor of the retention of the islands. Now he says that he cannot defend the

action of the Government in the islands. Allen evidently belongs to the class of statesmen with whom party comes first and country second.—Burlington Haweye. Why Bryan Is Impossible. The wildest Bryan enthusiast, if he has a thinking head upon his shoulders, dares not believe that Bryan or any other candidate can be elected this year on the old free silver issue. The silver men can at this very time make a poll of the 1 States shat cast a clean majority 5f the electoral votes and ascertain that they are as absolutely opposed to Bryan on the free silver issue as if their votes had been cast and canvassed against him. All over the country prominent free silver men are undergoing a change of heart in the light of experience. The South, solidly Democratic in the past and conscientiously loyal to Bryan under the conditions that existed In 1896, are now looking for other issues. They realize that conditions have changed, and so must the candidates. Prosperity and supplanted adversity, profitable wages and higher prices have taken the places of low wages and low prices. The hum of Industry has smothered the cries of discontent which were the basis of Bryan’s candidacy in 1896. The rising call is for new issues, new men and a new Democracy, and Re- . publicans.who are tickling.themselves, over the prospect of what is commonly called “a walkover” next fall, because of the certainty of Bryan’s nomination, should wait a moment and think. The nomination of Bryan was a certainty a year ago. It is extremely doubtful now, and four or five mouths hence, when the convention meets, it may prove to be'utterly impossibje.—Leslie’s Weekly. Why More Railways Were Built. The Railroad Gazette reports that, according to estimates and facts al-' ready at hand, it appears that during the year ending Dec. 31 more than 4,500 miles of new railroad have been built in the United States. There have been no figures like these since before the free-trade blight fell upon the country through the election of Grover Cleveland to the Presidency in 1892. During the free trade periml the average number of miles of new railroad built per year did not reach half this amount. Free trade is as preventive of the further development of the country and of a greater opening up of its resources as it is destructive to business already established. Every one of those 4,500 and more miles of new railroad was built in response to the demands of some new Industry, or to the increased demands for transportation facilities made by those Industries already In existence, and to which new life was given by the enactment of the Dingley law. Altogether, as the Gazette puts it, “the exhibit Is a remarkable evidence of the widespread prosperity that has at last overtaken the country.” How He Lost His Reason.

“That man looks like a lliatlc.” “He is crazy—became so by trying to prove that free trade was the proper policy, and that under protection this country could not possibly prosper.” Democratic Scurrility. The Minneapolis Journal says that neither Washington's nor Lincoln's administrations were subjected to the scurrilous assaults which have characterized the activities of the present anti-administration element. There Is reason to believe that the Minneapolis paper is in error. The Jefferson press did nothing else than abuse and lie about Washington during bis last administration. The scurrility was coarse and brutal. As to Mr.' Lincoln, let any one go through the files of any Demo 1 - cratlc paper of the war period, or the debates of the House. Gen. Grant was the object of every possible kind of scurrility and malignity.. The truth is the assailants of all these men were

the Democrats of their times or renegades like Pettigrew, who bav? added malice to scurrility.—lndianapolis Journal. Mr. Roberts of Utah. Roberts talks morals and patriotism as he turns away from the shut doors of Congress as if he were a political martyr and a saint suffering persecution for righteousness’ sake. But be is nothing of the sort. He is merely a glib, smooth tongued politician who has married several more wives than the law entitles him to, and is thus an offense to the legislative, body to which he was elected. It rejects him quite properly, and public opinion approves it everywhere in the country, except perhaps In Utah, where a perishing remnant of ancient and moss-grown polygamists may still be found to sympathize with him.—New York Tribune. A Fair Sample. The American Steel and Wire Company last week posted notices in all its plants notifying its employes of a general advance in wages of 7% per cent., to take effect from Jan. 1. The advance affects 30,000 employes. This is a sample of the prosperity that has struck the laboring men all over the country. There is scarcely a day that the newspapers do not chronicle an advance in wages in one or more of the great manufacturing enterprises of the nation. The Bryanites pass such items by without reading.—Tecumseh (Neb.) Chieftain. Hurtful Prosperity. The traveling men’s Bryan Club had the word “prosperity’* printed with their menus on coarse wrapping paper at the banquet two years ago. This year, they didn’t have either, but couldn’t help sneeringly refer to it In their addresses. Prosperity has eyl>dently struck Bryan’s traveling men. Pierce (Neb.) Call. No Time for Tinkering;. It is encouraging to note that the man who always has a scheme to putter away at the tariff is not conspicuous at the present session of Congress. The tariff is doing very good work at present, and it seems to-be accepted that this is no time for tinkering.—Topeka (Kan.) Capital. Hostile to Bryan. Increases in wages on the part of business men and corporations are to be taken as positively hostile movements against Col. Bryan. A candidate who depends upon calamity for suppon, however, has little chance this year.— Peoria (Hi.) Journal. Certainly for Expansion. The Senate vote of 38 to 21 against reconsidering its acceptance of the Samoan treaty is another test of that body on expansion. It makes another precedent in the policy of this country in the Pacific ocean.—St. Louis GlobeDeinocratv Chance for Us to Crow. The American management of the Spanish war grows more and more justified by the English management of the Boer war. How small the criticism of Santiago s'eems by the side of the blunders before Ladysmith!—Philadelphia Press. Why They Are Closed. Four years ago Mr. McKinley said it would be better to open the mills than the mints. Now the only mills which are closed are those which cannot get material to run with.—Burlington Hawk-Eye.