The New York herald., 1879-03-05
Adjournment OF Congress-Extra ses-
siOn-POlitical Issues OF the Year.

the defaults in legislation by which that
necessity is created render it certain that
this will be the liveliest "off year" we
have ever had in our national politics
Except in California only State officers are
turn on national issues and in great part
on the new issue upon which the recent
drawn battle has been fought between the
two parties in Congress. The violent
thrusting Of this issue into the foreground
by the democrats may be viewed in two
different lights namely, as Legislative
measure and as a stroke OF party
tactics On the first of these grounds
it admits of no rational defence. The
obnoxious laws will be imperative in the
elections of the present year, and their re-
peal at the next regular session would
bring precisely the same relief as their re-
peal at an earlier date. This has been so
clearly pointed out, both in the press and
in both houses OF Congress, that it can
have escaped the attention of no democratic
member The battle for repeal has been
precipitated and been fought with such
dogged obstinacy for the unavowed reason
that it furnishes, what the democrats 80
greatly lacked, an issue tor the coming cleo
tions on which the party can be united and
its zeal iniamed.
A noted republican politician, now de-
ocrats story Of very ragged urchin with
half the brim Of his hat torn off in pursuit
of woodchuck. A farmer crossing his
field in the morning to begin his days work
noticed boy who had chased woodchuck
into its hole and was plying crowbar and
shovel to dig the animal out. Returning
late in the day the farmer passed the same
spot and found the ragged urchin still
digging like beaver, with great pile Of
fresh earth as o monument of his industry.
''Aren't you taking more trouble for that
woodchuck than he is worth ?" II must
get this woodchuck," was the reply; 'the
fact is the family is out Of meat" This
anecdote was never SO aptly applied by the
relator as it may now be to the
digging out of the democratic woodchuck
at Washington. ''The family is out Of
meat" The democratic party had no issue
on which it could safely 60 before the peo-
pie in this years elections. The currency
issue is worse than spoiled by the success
full resumption of specie payments. 1t is
worse than spoiled, because resumption
falsifes SO many confident democratic pre-
dictions and discredits SO much formal
party action-as, for example, the attempted
repeal of the Resumption law by o demo-
cratic House, after it had been condemned
by the last Democratic National Conven-
ton. Besides, the currency question is q
ground of democratic dissension and divi-
united on that question. The fraud issue,
which has recently been galvanized
into life by the laborious report OF
the Potter Committee, is too stale to
excite much interest. The democratic
party was destitute OF any potent live issue
on which the party could agree, and the
sore stress of necessity has compelled it to
expend disproportionate labor in digging
out political woodchuck. What the new
issue will be worth to this family which
is out of meat will be seen when they come
to cook it in the political canvass.
1t is not wholly without value, because
it has an evident tendency to excite the
public mind and hndle party zeal. Any
thing is an advantage to the democratic
party which draws off attention from
the questions on which the party
differs and concentrates its interest
on an issue upon which the whole
democratic organization is likely to
be unanimous. Even Senator Bayard, who
at first disapproved of making this fight,
has given in, and in the last stages of the
session acted with his party. He has come
to realize that the family is out of meat and
must have this particular woodchuck. The
skinning and cooking of it will, no doubt,
be very lively affair.
President Hayes seems disposed to take
time by the forelock. under the impression,
probably, that if he gives the new demo-
cratic Congress rope enough it will become
its own executioner. The democratic ma
jority in the new House is so very slight
that contest of factions over the Speaker
ship may demoralize the party, especially if
| the greenback members should be called in
| to turn the scale. The President is perhaps
Of General Grants opinion, that the repub-
licans have IN unfailing resource in tho
democratic tendency to blunder. But,
apart from such considerations, it is wise
to call the extra session at once. The
struggle for tho Speakership may, as on
some former occasions, run through sew
eral weeks, and may possibly result in the
election of General Garfield. Mr.. Ran
dall's democratic competitor, Mr.. Black
burn, has expressed the opinion that Gen.
ornl Garfield will be elected If he is not.
If there is any ground for such predic-
ton the contest for the Speakership is
likely to be long and strenuous. However