Daily Kennebec journal., 1875-12-03
pPEp4RIyG TO !SHIRh RESP0SSI-
RILITI.

After all the clamor OF the last hiteen
years of the democratic party in regard to
the lncompetency and mismanagemen'
of the republican party in Congress, it ap-
pears that the fault-fnders, having OBJ
tanned control of the House, are prepar-
ing to shirk the responsibility which be-
longs to them. They have been intrusted
with power by the people, but instead OF
using that power with effect in regard to
living questions that interest the welfare
of the nation, they propose to evade those
questions and employ their time in raklng
over the dead past to find if possible some
thing that may cast discredit upon the re-
publican party. The wisdom, courage,
statesmanship, which might have been
supposed to lie under their faultfinning
and arraignment. when in minority, OF
the republican party, has wofully collapsed
since they arrived at The responsibility Of
majority.
Here is the Maine Standard actually
shrieking for Statesmanship-"ior states
..mapship in connection with the finances
"of the country In the same article 1t
calls upon the FIX xSpeakcr of the House,
Mr.. Blaine, to step forward and say some
word or initiate some measure 10 improve
the currency. Nearly all the democratic
press is whining about the inability OF the
democrats to accomplish anything be-
cause they only control one branch Of the
government. What a position for party
to take which aspires to rule the nation
Did the republicans when they first gained
control of the House twenty years ago
have no policy to ayow AMI maintain
Did they whine because they had not more
power, or did they go to work resoutely
and fcarlessly using what they had ?
Were they found demanding of the minor
ity whom they had superseded to take the
responsibility of initiating policy for the
country? Did they clamor for "states
manship'' and insist that the Speaker
which they had deposed should be respon-
sble for the measures OF the House over
which he could have no controlo We are
glad to see the Standard on its knees be-
fore the Ex Speaker, imploring him to
lead on the question of the currency 1t
is a confession after so much abuse as that
paper has poured upon him which affords
his friends satisfaction.
But the democrats will not succeed in
evading the responsibility which belongs
to them. They must toe the mark, They
may investigate as much as they please,
but they must take their stand on the
questions oft day. ITO decliae the in
"itiatiye of decisive hard-moncy policy"
says Harper's Weekly, land 10 de-
"pend upon exposures OF republican
"abuses, while the republicans themselves
"are exposing and correcting them, pun
'ishing the offenders and recovering
"stolen money, will be 4 confession OF
"timidity and incapacity to which the com
"mon-sensc of the country will certainly
mot intrust the government, Yet there
sis nothing whatever in the present con
edition Of the democratic party to Justify
"the smallest expectation that its maior
"ty in the House will adopt a really vigor-
''ous Or efficient = hey npon any great
"question. A party which is doubtful to
"the very opening Of the session whether
lit will elect hard money or a rag
'money Speaker is not = party which hold
''any sound financial principles or from
(which sound policy is to be expected.