Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-03


The tenure of the President pro tenn. will
probably command the serious attention of
the Senate, add will be made The subject of
some decision, for the sake of a precedent
at least, If not out of regard 10 the present
exigency. The financial views of Mr.. Fer
ry, who now stands next to the President
of the United States in the order of success
sion, seem to have undergone considerable
improvement, although he may not yet be
entitled to the full confidence of the hard
money men. This personal consideration,
however, cannot override dispassionate
view Of the legal elements fthe case. But
If the latter, in the opinion of the Republic
can Senators, warrants a new election, we
trust that u more reliable man will be
chosen at an early dale. The Senate now
stands as follows: Republicans 43; Dem
oerats %; Independent Booth of Califor-
MAJ / vacancy l. The Republicans, there
fore, have an ample working majority.
In the House, the grand contest for the
speakership is the first thing TO be settled.
At present the chances seem to be in favor
of Randall of Pennsylvania. His views on
the currency are equivocal, he is remem-
bered as leading salary grabber, and all
his party notions are Pennsylvania-ish,
that is, he has no special objection TO jobs,
subsidies, tariff rings, or anything of the
kind In which his constituents may be
interested. At the same time he is an alert,
good natured man, capable of driving for
ward the business of the House from the
Speakers chair with vigor and good order,
so that no seems to have decided advantage
over his chief competitor, Kerr of Indiana,
q sounder man and thinker, rather than
managing polition. At all events, the
matter lies with the Democratic majority of
the House. The Republicans will prob.
ably cast their votes in solid body for
Mr.. Blaine, who will become the Republic
can leader on the floor. For tho other
offices in the House, there are scores of ap-
plicants TO each place, and already, it is
said, the fiereeness of the electioneering ex-
ceeds anything known under Republican
auspices. The political. composition of the
House is not capable of definite settlement
Just yet, even aside from the fifteen TO
twenty cases Of contested elections which
will come up. TIE Washington Democrat
ic organ claims the following cast Simon
Pure Democrats, 176 Radical Republicans,
lO2; Liberal Republicans, 6; Independent
Republicans, A Independent Reformers,
4. This is shading oil the anti-Democratic
forces rather finely. The Republican sta
tisticians assign more or less of the three
latter classes TO the regular party.
PROFESSIONALLY the effect of the session
will he 10 draw a definite line between the
two great parties in preparation for the
coming Presidential contest. We wish that
the latter might not interfere with the gem
oral business Of Congress SO as 10 arrest its
wise and efficient transaction. But the ex-
perience of The past is, unfortunately, loo
marked. A "Presidentlal session." as one
situated like this has come TO be called,
has almost always been substantially given
overto politics. The ohiel motive for do
ing anything Is TO make record for popu-
lar effect, but the party managers are often
less inclined 10 that than TO entrapping
their opponents in an obnoxious record.
We sincerely trust however, that higher
views anda sounder policy will animate
the Republican members of both Houses
There is no possible way in which they can
SO advance the Republican cause as by at
lending strictly aud assduously 10 the
work of legislation, with view to promot-
ing economy aud retrencbment and TO i'm
proving the business interests Of the eoun-
Iry.-BOsfon Journal