New-York tribune., 1874-12-12
WASHINGTON.
..Ns tn SAVE A SINKING SHIP.

w AOhI NN AONs
P1ANs TO SAVE A SINKING SHIP.
CONFLICTING OPINIONS OF REPUBLICAN, CONGRESS-
nxy As To THE MODE OF RESTORING PUBLIC
e.. ooNyDyNcy IN THEIR PARTY-GENERALAGREE-
-MKNr THAT SOMETHING MUST BIZ DoNE-wAsH-
BURNE AND BLAINE AS CANDIDATES FOX fhh
PRESIDENCY.
nnox A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE ThtDUFh'l
wAsurS0roN, Dec. u.-About dozen leading
Republican Congressman were asked recently
what, in their opinion. would most teno
to restore popular confidence in tho he
publican party. The inquiry was put to them sepa-
rately and each was assured that bis name would
not be givcn with his answer. Some Of the replies
were a. follows
An Ohio member said Get all the newspapers in
the land to say that we Congressman are honest fel
Iowa. Another Ohioan replied: 81 can think OF
nothing more effective than for The TRIBUNE 10
change its course and support the party" An Old
Illinois member thought the press was to blame 1or
the condition of the party, aud said the best thing
to strengthen it would be for the newspapers to stop
lying about Congress- Two excellent things were
recommended BY New-Yorker: o sound financial
bill passed and signed. and the divorce Of the
Administration from the politicians who are most
influential at the White House. A Pennsylvania s
answer was that Congress should do something to
revive the industries of the country by providing for
the construction of railroads. Another Pennsyyanian
maintained that the best thing for the party and the
country would be TO pass the 3.65 bond bill A
Maine mans remedy for the trouble was for the
press to wheel about aud take fair reasonable views
of the political situation and Of the acts of public
men, The passage of the Civil Rights bill was
held by South Carolinian as essential
to the perpetuity of the party The advice OF Yer
monter was the most sensible of any. He proposed
4 .nct Oph oh q \
il were not all the while looking out for itself No
device for saving it would convince the people that
1t was worth saving he added Several gentlemen
we're for the immediate issue of more paper money.
and others were emphatic in the opinion that If the
Republican ORGANIZATION were TO have new lease
of public confidence and usefulness, it would come
from its adoption of plan for restoring the cur
repcy to q sound specie basis.
A group Of Republican members were talking
over the prospects for the next Presidential cam
paign after the House adjourned to-day, when
one remarked that il was clear now that the hght
would be between the two old party organizations.
with no distractng side issues third party move
ments. In his opinion the strongest candidate Tor
the Republicans 10 nominate would be Ellhu be
Washburne Tor three reasons-frst, because he had
good record for economy in public expenditures and
opposition to jobs; second, because he had been
not mixed in recent politics; and third, be-
cause bis course IN protecting the Germans
in Paris during the Franco-Prussan War
would secure him the solid German vote. Another
member SAID that one thing against Washburne
was the fact that every plblic man who had served
in Congress with him disliked him, and had no re-
spect for his craftsmanship All that he ever did
was to move to reduce appropriations-to cut OIL
dollar here and O dollar there. This member be-
lieved that Blline would get the nomination. and
would be a much stronger candidate than Wash
burne His superior talents for leadership would
show themselves as never before when he came to
leave the chair and take position on the floor IN
the thick of the fight which the Republican mi
nority would wage incessantly with the Demo-
cratic majority in the next Congress. In
his recognized capacity of leader OF his
party in Congress, Mr.. Blaine would forlsix months
before the Republican Convention meets In 1876
have the attention of Republicans throughout the
country fixed upon him, and it was absurd to sup
pose that foreign Minister whom three-fourths of
the people had forgotten could rival him in popu-
larity. "But suppose the Administration throws
all its influence for Washburne. what then = asked
a third member. Between you and me, the Ad-
ministration will be so badly played out by that
time that its support will damage any man., was the
reply.