The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-04-16
WHAT HAS a1lssSIDs 1IlsS Dsg~ PARTY

| o0son VI otoindfg length, T,
our Iowa Legislature has adjourned.
lit has acoomplised no great work,
u Is not apparent any OF it's lsgisla.
ton was bad. In no General As.
sembly ever convened in this Stat.
was there less party feeling and par.
~ voting than In this. The divis.
Ion lines Of the parties were scarcely
peroept'bls on any question, and not
on single bill offs general nature
was the vote Of one party solidly ar
rayed against that Of the other.
The "new party" which numbered
precisely half the members Of the
House. without . majority in the
Senate, had no distinctive measures
OF its own, and although started on
the idea Of reform" !" was not half 80
active and Influential In originating
and carrying through reform work,
% the Republicans. They we're
united on only one matter, and ,hat
was at the beginning Of the session
in 90 organizing the House % to se.
cure the lions share of ito of.
hces. The officers once fixed. the
object Of its party existence, 90 far
a. this Legislature was concerned.
seemed to have been accomplished.
One Of it, own prominent members
confessed on the foor after the ses.
sion had long been oontinued-"The
Republicans have taken the lead
this winter in introducing every re.
form measure" and he might have
added-in carrying them through.
So far as the General Assembly
is concerned the new party has won
no new laurals-it has done nothing
TO convince the people their conf
dence oan be reposed in it % more
faithful to their interests and to the
welfare and prosperity Of the State,
than the Republican party. The
new party was not even wise In the
selection Of the men to represent il
in ito Legislative advent. While il
sent to the Legislature . few able
men, or men 6t at least respectfully
to fll their seats, other Of its repre-.
sentatives were totally disqualified
for the position. and not only injured
their party and subjected il and
themselves to ridicule, bus st times
almost brought the Legislature itself
into contempt. We make no boast
ofthe Republican representation in
this body, for it was perhaps below
the aversge-but IL was made 70.
speotsbls by contrast with the new
party delegation. If the people are
TO choose under which banner TO
train and vote Republicsn or new
party, We should like the history of
the late Legislature to be the test,
that BY it they might decide which is
the true reformatory party, and that
promises by its acts, not Pre- fessions,
the best for the welfare Of State and
people. One party has . history
the other 10 not likely to live long
enough to make . history. Profes
sions being equal one party has been
tried, and the other has not been,
only in the history Of this Legisls.
ture. II in that il has gained any
credit or any additional confidence
Of the people, or has developed any
party principles distinct from and
preferable to those claimed by Re.
publicans, then In . faithful psrusal
Of every days proceedings. We
have totally misresd this history.
Through an able correspondent
vs have laid before the readers Of
the Gazette . complete summary Of
every days business OF the Lsgisla-
ture, posted up to the close Of every
mornings session, and have avsiled
Of frequent telegraph dispstohss.
The readers of those letters know
the actual business attempted, and
what was done. There we're hun
dreds of referred bills which stayed
referrsd-neves again saw legisla.
tive light after presentation. But
We are aware of none, or only very
few, which merited sction that did
not at least receive respectful csn-
siderstion and there il little needed
work left undone. The Railroad
Tariff bill, Wine and Beer bill, and
Herd Law, probably attracted the
most discussion. The Railroad bill
is the most important passed, If it
prove of any real practical account
whatever. Not fully discussed in
the Legislature, there 10 plenty OF
time for its discussion before the
people between now and the 4th of
July whom the attempt will bs made
70 put it in operstion.-Davsnpo
Gazette.