Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-11-09
THE DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS.

There is nothing in the general results
of the elections which is more satisfactory
than the fact that the democrats have Sc.
cured a majority in the House of Repre-
sentatives. If it was inevitable that they
should win on great scale, and drive
out such Governor of New York as Gen.
Dix, It is decidedly advantageous to have
them placed in a position in Con-
gress where they will be forced to tell
US what they propose to do with the affairs
of the nation. After such a vote as that
which was given in several States on Tues
day against the republican party, it would
have been unfortunate if the democrats
had escaped all responsibility for suggest
ing measures in Congress during the next
two years. With powerful minority in
the House Of Representatives they might
have hung upon the heels of the republi-
can party. and succeeded in harassing it
and destroying all its opportunities of use
fulness. while declining to be held respon-
s:ble for anything themselves. 1t is al
ways much easier to oppose policy than
to invent one. Since the conclusion of the
war, the democrats have had the advan-
tage over the republicans in this respect,
and II their party had been wisely led, or
had possessed any competent journals.
much more might have been made of this
opportunity. As it is. the democrats will
be obliged 10 declare plainly what they
wouldldo themselves. and will not be able
to intrench themselves behind mere OBJ.
iections TO republican measures.
They viii probably try to evade this re.
sponsibility at first by continuing their at
tacks upon republican Enthusiastically
moving for countless COMMITTEES of In.
vestigation," and inquiries into every pub
lie department. But this expedient will
not serve them very long. The people
expect them to do something more than
they have done during the last six years.
And the moment they show their hands,
they will begin to lose ground. For
it Is no less true than it was a week
ago that the democratic party is dis
qualified from dealing with the two
leading questions before the people
the state of. finances and the condi-
ton of the South. The shrewdest dem
ocrat alive cannot manufacture a financial
scheme which will be equally acceptable
East, West and South. 1t may be, indeed,
that the policy of imitation is more popu-
lar than many people supposed. Sound
ideas on great financial questions are con-
fined to very few persons. and it takes
long time to distribute them over masses
of people. To many men it may seem
that money was more plentiful when
greenbacks were issued more freely, and
they have an idea that the printing-press
is still the best engine for removing the |
dizziness of trade. 1t is impossible to say
how lsrge proportion of the people are
secretly In favor OF Initiation. But any
open measure on the subject is certain to
encounter great opposition, and it will al. |
ways be difficult for the democrats to rec
oncile the platforms of Ohio and Indiana
with the declarations of their party at
Syracuse.
A still more nearly nsuperable difficulty
which the democrats will have to encoun-
ter lies IN the treatment of the South.
The Southern people will expect much
more from them than the Northern people
will permit them to concede. If they at
tempt to reverse any Of the legislation of
the period since 1865, they will commit
themselves to step which will soon bring
down upon them the vengeace of the peo-
pie. II they accept the stasu quo, the
Southern States will very soon discover
that 1t would be better for them to deal at
once with the republican party. The only
strong game of the democrats would be
to do nothing. and this is out of the ques-
ion. Both South and North will demand
lction Of some kind or other. And it
would puzzle much wiser statesmen than