New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-15
MIR. RlNDALHS SUMMING UP,


Mr.. Randall took occasion in his speech in
the House yesterday to sum up the argument
in behalf OF his party upon the record it had
made in this Congress as the party of economy,
r;trenchmcnt, and reform. Though the plea
OF partisan advocate it is an able effort, and
as coming from the admitted leader OF his
party III the House deserves attention. 1t Is
IN some sense an answer to the speech OF Mr..
Window in the Senate, in which that gentle
man undertook to expose the falsity OF the
Democratic claims on the score OF letTench-
ment, and the fallacics and receptions
upon which they rested. 1t is proper to
make some allowance for pGrtisanslip IN both
speeches and to take into account the fact that
each of these gentlemen is laborinG to make
his own party appear IN the best and the OPP
position in the worst possible light. Fortu-
natcly the country is in a Judicial mood at
present and capable of hearing both sides
and indging fairly. We do not mean Ivy this
that I'll the people are judicial in their views
of political questions, or that they are free, all
of them, from partisanship and from the
passion and prejudice it enSenders. But
there is great body OF thinking
men-larger than ever before III the
history of the countrywide are standing of
from the two parties, undecided as to their
action, listening to both sides and reaching Ivy
slow processes impartial conclusions There
are fewer advocates and more jurors among
the voters this year than ever before. There
is recognition of this fact in the calm and
argumcntative tone and the dspassionate man
her with which Mr.. Window on the one side
in the Senate, and Mr.. Randall on the other in
the House, have summed up the transac-
tons Of Congress and put their fig
ures in array before the people. Ii
was Mr.. WINDOWS purpose to show that
the whole claim of Democratic economy
and rctrcnchment was sham and deception,
and that the party deserved no credit at ali
OH that score. Mr.. Randall yesterday under
took to show THAI the Democrats in the House
had been actuated by sincere ard unscliiSh
desire to economic in all the departments OF
the Government; that they had been CON
stantly INSTRUCTED by the Republican Senate;
but that in spite of all factiOus opposition
they had succeeded in cutting Oft millions OF
useless, wastcful, and corrupt expenditures.
Neither of the gentlemen presented his side OF
the case with perfect fairness and impartiality.
That was not 10 be expected.
There is not time this morning for anything
like an analysis of Mr.. RaDdalps figures and
facts or for Il comparison of his summing up
with the record We take it for granted that
he has not misrcpresented facts or distorted
figures though it is quite likely he has
wrung ont of all of them as favorable show
ing for his party as the record was capable Of
furnishing. But his argument, as we under
stand it, is that upon this demonstration OF the
DISPOSITION and the capacity OF the Democratic
party TO IetTercb the expenses OF the Govern
ment and cut down taxation, the admnistra-
ton should be entirely turned over to it in
order that an era Of economy and re-
form may be inaugurated. Bat are
there not other considerations to he taken
into the account than this bare record
of reduced appropriations, upon the strength
of which the appeal to the people Is taken?
There arc questions relating to the wisdom
and the policy of some Of those rctrenchmcnt
measures which must be left to time to set
tie. When Mr.. Randall goes TO the country
with the boast that a Democratic House of
REPRESENTATIVES has cut down the expenditures
of the Government to the extent Of many
millions, and reduced the burdens of taxation
accordingly, there are a great many thoughtful
voters in the country who will say, i'll the first
place, that it was not difficult task or one
that involved any great discrimination or any
personal or party sacrifices on the part OF a
Democratic House to cut down the appTO-
piiations for a Republican Administration.
They had everything to gain by making "a
cheap reputation as rcformcrs and nothing to
lose by leaving the several departments of
Government under the disadvantage Of q lack
of sufficient means 10 cary on their business.
There was gain for them at both ends of the
transaction. They made themselves popular
by retrenchmcnt, and their opponents unpop-
ular by dcpriying them of the means of add
lninistcrng the Government satisfactorily. 1T
was their game in fact to cripple the resources
of the party in power How far they have
done This in the business of Tctrenchment re-
mains 60 be seen. Then too the fact will not
be lost sight of by the voters to whom Mr..
Randall appeals, that the Democratic party has
not such record as the advocate of economy
that this spasm should be accepted at
once and without question as evidence OF It's
actual spirit and purpose. There Is Mr.. Ran
dali himself, who has been the leading spirit i'll
all tie retrcnchment measures, the most
truculent reformer of them all, who is certainly
not fortunate in his own record on this point.
That gentleman was quite willing when he and
his party had no responsibility for legislation,
not only to sit by and see the expenses OF the
Government increased by the notorious Back
Pay Grab, but to vote for and actively pro-
mote the passage of the bill and put in his own
pocket his share of the proceeds. When Mr..
Randall rises in Congress and claims credit as
a relormer, voters who have memories will be
very likely to look behind his facts and figures