Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-12-12
rnsns. worm remembering.

lic opinion should blind the people
ofthe United States to the great
reforms and retrenchments which
have been accomplished by the
Democratic party since it first OBJ
tanned control OF the National
House of Representatives. A great
howl has been raised because the
last Congress endeavored to abolish
the unfair Republican electioneer-
ing machinery which was unknown
until OF late years and, at the same
time, to remove disabilities which
kept many of the most respectable
people Of the South off juries. 1t is
perfectly safe to assume that every
President OF the United States from
Washington down to Andrew
johnson, inclusive, would have
sanctioned q legislation which
aimed to obliterate the last vestlge
Of war that ought to be recalled
In current politics as seldom as pos
sible. Hayes, however, succeeded
In obstructing this beneficial legis-
lation and so far the matter is at
an end.
The New York Sun, in its pros
pectus, correctly describes itself
as journal which sis for the hon.
'sest man against the rogues every
slime; for the honest Democrat as
''against the dishonest Republi-
"can and for the honest Republic
''can as against the dishonest Dem
'ocrat; which does not take its cue
sfrom the utterances of any poll
"tician or political organization"
In its issue of December 1st the
Sun pays this emphatic tribute to
the good work done by Demo
cratic House of Representatives,
and outlines the policy which is
likely to be pursued in the present
Congress:
Speaker Randall hopes, bis
friends say, for a comparatively
short session, little caucussing, no
political discussion that can be
avoided, careful examination by
committees of the department es-
Inmates, and reduction of the ap-
propriations wherever practicable.
This includes every principle OF
political life. Retrenchment i'm
plies destruction of the Rings
which live by unnecessary appro-
priations, and the slaughter, OF
more properly speaking, death by
starvation of the corrupt lobbies.
It was the extravagant expendi-
lures and the almost open spolia-
tions Of the associated Rings of the
Grant Administration, and the
promise of Democratic reform in
these particulars, that produced
the sweeping revolution of 1874.
When the Democratic House oi
Representatives then elected came
In, 1t redeemed. in power the pledge
1t had made in opposition with
most singular and honorable fidel-
ity. Mr.. Randall, failing providen-
TALLY Of election to the chair at the
first session, was placed at the
head OF the Committee on Appro.
priations. That he has never had
thoroughly competent successor
In that important place, and thai
he was at that time the only mai
In the majority able to fill the va
cancy perfectly, is a confession
which you may hear wherever two
or three Congressmen are gathered
together. But he bent every energy
to his task, and with much ill-wilI
and even malignant opposition IL
his own party, he succeeded
against the Senate and the admin
istration, in reducing the expendi
lures about $40,000,000 for that fis
cal year.
This was tremendous fact. L
loomed up clear and solid in the
field Of politics from any and every
point of view, that one grand spec
tacle-the Democrats cutting dowr
expenses by the millions! 1t was
gratifying alike to the toiling tax
payer, who saw now, for the frs
time in years, a prospect that the
fruits of his labor appropriated BY
taxation were not to be ruthlessly
squandered, and to the independent
voter, who longed to see the axe
laid at the root OF official venality
This record is the brightest page il
Democratic history since the war
In connection with Mr.. Tilden'i
tax-saving reforms in New York, Il
called out the large majority fol
Tilden and Hendricks in 1876
whose purpose was defeated by
fraud, at the instance and expense
and largely for the benefit of the
corporations and rings against
which the Democratic policy o.
cheap and pure government bore
NEST heavily.
The people can pardon many mis-
takes in body which sincerely
aims to bring the administration Of
the government into the old hon.
est and economical channels. 1t is
indeed to be regretted that Speaker
Randall is not at his former post.
Even the important trust of Speak
er..of the House is dwarfed in COM
parison with the supreme useful
ness to the people Of which thii
man proved himself capable while
at the head of the Committee o
Appropriations. His wise counse
IL still at the service of his party
however, and it should be literally
availed of by less able and expert
enced leaders.
AN infinite amount OF stress hal
been laid upon the fact that 81
many Confederate Brigadiers'