Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-25
Democratic Promise and Failure.

Governor of New York sent to Congress
the ex.Confederate majority In the House.
The financial panic had swept over the
country, spreading disaster far and wide
10 its course, and on the discomfort engen-
dered among the people by the failure Of
banks and business houses, for which the
republican party was not responsible. Mr..
Tilden and the ex-Confederate House rode
into power. The promises which they
made to secure votes were generous.
They denounced the republican party as
the cause OF the hard times, and declared
that they would bring about such re-
form in the government. if they could
gain the control of the House, as would
at once set the wheels of business in mo-
ton and create good times. They prom
sed to reduce taxation, to make money
abundant and as good as gold and silver,
to reduce largely the number of officials,
to do away with political considerations
in appointments connected with the civil
service and otherwise reform it.
Well, they gained the full control of the
House in the elections of 1874. They
have a hundred democratic majority.
What have they done towards fulfilling
their promises?
Are the times any better in consequence
of their success in getting a majority OF
the House. Has business improved since
the panic of 1874? Are wages more or
less? Is the currency any better by their
action? Is taxation less ? Have they abol-
ished any offices or improved the civil
service in any respect?
during the eight months of session
says the Chicago Tribune" the democrat
ic House, with 100 democratic majority,
has never prepared, matured, or proposed
a measure on the currency, either to ex-
pand or contract, to produce or postpone
specie payments, to improve the public
credit. to inspire confidence, promote
industry, or increase production. There
have been individual schemes proposed by
Bright, Holman. Fernando Wood, Payne,
Morrison, and others, but the House, with
its 100 democratic ma jority. voted them
all down At the end OF eight months,
the democratic House with its 100 demo-
cratic majority, is about to adjourn. leav-
ing the finances, public credit, and the
currency. precisely where the republicans
had left them eighteen months ago, con-
Tossing an inability to improve matters in
any particular, and that the policy of the
republican party should continue undis-
turbed. That is the confession made by
the democratic House with its 100 demo-
cratic majority, after eight months delib-
Grafton of how to redeem its pledge to re-
form the currency and finances.
After eight months session it has not
abolished an office. During the year, I'M
der laws passed by the previous republi-
can Congress, the employment of nearly
1000 persons has expired by Limitation,
and they have gone.out Of office; but the
democrats have not been able to pass any
law having for its object the reduction OF
the number of employees of the Govern
ment, nor for the reduction of salaries.
The democratic House has made blind,
ard reckless, and arbitrary reductions OF
the appropriations, without first reducing
the legal expenditures. This is not reduc-
ton: it is merely paying half the amount
required by law, and postponing payment
of the other half until next winter. 1t
has deducted $40, O00, 900 from the appro-
priations for the legally authorized and
required expenditures of the Government,
leaving that sum to be appropriated at
the next session, after the election. in a
deficiency bill. So there has been literal
ly no reduction whatever of the expend-
lures.
In the matter of Civil-Service reform,
the democratic House, with its 100 demo-
cratic majority, has done nothing and
proposed nothing, except in respect to the
persons in its own employment Here it
''reiormed' with vengeance. 1t found
the various Doorkeepers, Messengers and
other petty officers, all republicans, but
mainly men who had been sold
diers, and who had been disabled
by wounds from hard labor. The
democratic House reformed" this state
of things by turning all these men out
of office. For principal Doorkeeper
it elected man who had been Door
keeper of the Confederate House at
Richmond during the War. This func-
tionary.filled all the subordinate places
with ex-Confederate soldiers, and was
finally dismissed himself because of in
competency and other unftness. The
House has also been called upon to dis
charge several other of its officers. Here
the reform began and ended. The demo-
cratic House. with its 100 democratic ma
jority. at the end Of eight months frankly
contesses its incapacity to redeem any one
of the pledges on which it was elected,
and is now alb out to adjourn as a notori-
ouS and absolute fai,uro