New-York tribune., 1875-12-04
UNPLEASANT RU.NORS.

II cannot be denied that through AL the
gossip and conjecture concerning the Speaker
shin. there have been running i'll one form and
another intimations and suggestions which, if
they are true, will furnish by and by the basis
of a great scandal. Some of these rumors and
reports arc 80 vague and indefinite that they
NAV safely be dismissed but there are others
which the party TO be dominant III the next
House cannot afford to ignore or disregard.
1t may be that the suspicion which some
persons are barborDg. that the election
of one of the candidates prominently
named for Speaker would mean among
other things policy of superficial invcstiga-
ton and o purpose to let down Offenders as
easily as possible, is not well founded; but it
is quite openly canvasscd, and it must be con-
fessed that the unusual friendliness ond cor
dality exhibited by the Administration news
papers toward the candidate referred to give
something like color 20 the thought. We pre-
sume we do not need to say that Democratic
Congress, coming together under the circ,ln-
stances of this one, which does not take up the
things that need to be investigated and push
tho search relentlessly. wherever it strikes will
disappoint, not only the party which elected 1t,
but the country as we'll 1t hardly seems pos
sible in the present temper OF the party that
any prominent Democrat should for any pur-
pose whatever fOrcgO i'll the slightest measure
the delights to be anticipated from pushing
Investigations. 1t only shows how little conf
dence il left in our political management that
such "A thing is discussed among the proba-
bilities.
Joined TO these unpleasant rumors are others
III, Ia. lprs " a whole
raft of subsidy schemes and large appropria
tons, and it is said That in the event of the
election of certain one Of the candidates
the committees will be- appointed aud
tho House organized in the interest
of II great lot Of lobby schemes and general
raid upon the Treasury. These are matters of
such importance that the Democratic leaders
in Congress cannot afford to overlook them.
They have too much at stake i'll the way OF
record aud reputation, and too much to risk
IN the near future. to dismiss these rumors as
idle gossip. This is Congress in which they
are on trial before the country. They have to
show their fitness for public trusts; their title
TO public confidence. And it will not do for
them to triflo with the situation, or 10
give any leader, however trustod, an
opportunity to barter away party success
in the future for any apparent present
personal advantage. Tho party and the
country are expecting OF them something
real and tangible in the way of reform. and
there will be great disappointment il the OPP
portunty passes unImprovcd. There will be
worse than disappointment if, under the new
Congress. there come UP scandals if eXpcndi-
tures are increased instead Of being dmn-
ished, and the change shall turn out to be to
worse prodigality than even before, instead
OF to economy and retrcnchment. There never
was party in power on such precarious and
uncertain footing, never party auc-
cess in all respects so much on experiment rs
this the Democracy is about to enter upon
and enjoy The people have pushed them
forward so far and are waiting to see the cf-
feet. If the party keeps its head and acts
wisely it has good prospect for the future;
if it shows weakness and seems to fail to ap-
prehend the situation, its tenure of power will
be very short, and its return to a minority
sure and sudden.
These men need to watch themselves very
carefully, for they ure 30 watched by the
people. They have long been strangers TO the
responsibilities and tho pleasures of power.
Possibly they have lost in some degree as q
party the governing faculty. They have
good many things to learn. The Administra-
ton party has left ia their way some danger
ous pitfalls in the matter Of precedents. They