Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-08-30

Every Congress has its long and its
short session Beginning with December,
the first session extends nd libitu7n, but
the second one is cut short by the expira-
ton of the Congress itself, March A.
| Usually the excessive heat drives the
members home early in the summer
This year the last month of the season was
half over when the final adjournment was
effected. After session of almost nine
months the Forty fourth Congress adj
| journed yesterday until next winter. The
country can survey its record at leisure,
and in its light, TO a large extent, see the
untrustworthiness Of the Democratic
| party.
1t is now twenty years since the kepub-
lican party gained possession of the
House of Representatives, which was
kept without interruption, with one ex-
ception, until the present House came
into power. The Republican party from
its birth, with unimportant exceptions,
therefore had controlled the department
of Government with which all legislation
affecting finance or taxation must origi-
nate. During every year since the war
the National appropriations have been
lessened. The present Congress has pur-
sued the same policy herein that its Re
publican predecessors have, the reductions
of this Congress averaging considerably
less, however, than those Of the Republi.
can Congresses since the war. This is a
fact which gives the lie to the Democratic
pictense OF special merit in the way of
retrcnchment
The House has had two characteristics
one positive, the other negative it has
gone beyond all its predecessors in the
number of investigations instituted, and
fallen behind all others as regards atten.
tention to revenue matters. Between thirty
and forty smelling committees were set at
work to make raids upon the regulations
of Republican politicians Not nook
or Granny has been left UNEMPLOYED. The
Democratic snoot has snuiled the air of
every Office, from the Presidency down,
extending 10 the humbest official in the
remotest revenue district. The Republi-
can service has been raked over with a
fine tooth-comba as thoroughly as the WON
an of the parable swept her house in
search of the stray piece of money What
is the result? Belknap In that one word
is comprised the sum total. Whatever of
rottenness is discovered belonged to the
War Department, under the administra-
tion Of that man-who, by the way, had
never cast Republican ballot until after
his elevation to the Cabinet. He was
placed there partly by personal friend
ship, and partly in Difference to the de.
mand for an Independent, y or non par
tisan Civil Service In his fall went
down the pet of the Democracy, Pendle-
ton, In the Bclknap exposure the Re
pubhcans showed rs much zeal as the
Democrats Every intelligent reader
knows very well that the eXSecretary of
War received no defense, shelter or palli
alton ut the hands of the Republican press
or party. He would have been convicted
under impeachment had not the Demo
cratic Chairman of the committee which
ascertained his niquity suggested to him
to resign, and given him the opportunity
to thus raise Il doubt as To his amcnabilitv
TO impeachment We condemn his ac-
quttal, but the chief responsibility for it
rests with Hester Clymer one of the
Democratic leaders of the House.
The nearest approach made To success
in eilecting another downfall was in the
case OF Scc'y. Robson, of the Navy De
partment. Over and over again the
Democrats announced that he had been
proven guilty of high crimes and misde-
meanors. BY giving out garbled and dis
torted extracts from the testimony, they
succeeded in creating general diStrust
among those who did not know the Secre.
tary well. But now those who were the
severest in his censure are obliged to con
cede his vindiCation. The Tribune, which
asserted his guilt previous to the compile
tion of the investigation, now says of
him:
For nine continuous months two separate com,
mittees bounded Sec'y. Robeson and incurred
into every matter public and private in which he
had ever been concerned As II result aftsr tax.
ing evidence equal 10 a thousand printed papers
the committees. mainly composed OF LAWYERS were
unable TO state that ne had done ANYTHING criminal
aud they recommended that another committee
inquire II he had committed any ohense and
what; and whether his ohcnse, If any. was i'm
peachahe or not
Never did any Congress show such in
difference Ia the material interests of the
country rs the one which adjourned
yesterday. With the exception of the ex.
change of silver small coin fo, fractional
currency land Senator sherman was the
real leader in that the House did little
else than cripple the power of the
Revenue Bureau to collect taxes, and pass
! a hGacnmhe hill for the repeal of the en-
acting clause OF the Resumption act. The
Democrats have shown a singular in
ability to grasp the needs OF the hour and
provide WAYS and means for the relief of
the people from the pressure Of hard
. times --Chicsgo JeargaL
PROF HENRY SAYS If the earth werc
81