Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-23

aid: "a political doctor If long experience,
but of sanguine temperament, remarked to-
day after the installation OF the speaker:
We'll, the Democratic party has safely
passed a Crisis and seems to me now to have
a reasonable chance OF recovery. But the pa
uent needs careful nursing and very good
luck to get through alter all Undoubtedly
the reelection OF Mr. Randall saved his
! party from immediate rum. This piece OF
good fortune gives 1t breathing time. 1t
might even be said that the fact that MIR.
| Randall could get a majority IN the Demo
cratic caucus is evidence that the better e.e
ments predominant IN the party III the new
| house, for he had to struggle against the very
| vigorous opposition OF all to whom his IN
| tiInchlng policy OF economy and opposition to
| subsidies and jobs has made him hateful.
| The election OF Mr.. Blackburn, especially
| after the publication by his friends Of his
| letter declaring for legai-tender and unlmit-
ed silver, would have flung the party head
| long INTO the arms OF the Greenbackers, and
the election OF Mr.. Randall has at
| least delayed that catastrophe But it yet
remains TO be seen where the new congress
| is going to land, ana whether the Democrats
who now control both houses, are going TO
! impose definite policy on their party or re
| peat the blunder Of making It n sembIe "Mr
Facing Both Ways" in the Pilgrims Prog
resS. The constitution Of the Democratic
part of the senate finance committee, as it is
reported InlS evening, certainly looks ike the
continuation OF the contradictory and fcrciby
| feeble policy on the currency, which has d.
mInished the Democratic iGsJcrity in the
| house from over sixty In 1875 to less than q
| dozen II 1879, and has let the party a. large
| a prey to con family increasing dissensions.
| the Democrats N the senate finance COM
mittee ought to represent some definite upin-
ION on the currency question, but their names
are Bayard and Herman, hard money; WAL
lace on the fence, but leaning to soft money;
aud Voorhees, and Beck, extreme Initiation
| 'Vichever you please, my little dedrS,' said
| the Snowman when he was asked which
was the elephant and which the byena;
| you pays your money and you takes your
| choice" And that is the best that car
be said of the Democratic end of the senate
| finance committee. Messrs. Bayard and Kcr-
! nan will have to depend on the help of the
Republican members to beat their own party
friends Oh any important measure. 1t is true
that IN the last congress the Republican hard
money men on the committee had In like
manner to get Messrs. BAyard and Herman
to help them 10 beat the Republican infation-
lists, but that does not better the present
Democratic position, which Is embarrassing
and Illuminating to men just coming INTO the
control OF both branches of congress, and it
shows that the Democrats, even In the senate,
have not the wit ID see that 1t is hunger to
allow their opponents to take the side Of &C
complished facts OF this question. The truth
-
ators have framed the committees shows that
they do not expect to retain control of the
s"nate for more than two years. II they were
conscious of the new and important duties
and responsibilities this control imposed upon
them as Democrats, they would have cast
aside the stupid old seniority rule by which
senators rise on committees regardless of fit
ness or opinions. by mere length of service,
as 90 9th. ers OF an army OIL a peace footing,
and would have Lathered the abiest men
on the most important Committees, and
taken care that such a committee as that
on finance shou d mean something. As
they have arranged it, either the
Republican members will control It for
sound money, and Mr.. Bayard will be merely
their mouthpiece, or he will have the still
greater humiliation Of being controlled by
Democratic and Republican inf ationists. As
to the house committees fortunately the
speaker Will not appoiI.j tlem for the pres
ent. II Is understood nat Mr.. Randall
tavors a short session { n a quick dispatch
Of only the absolutely r"cessary business. 1t
Is not necessary even to appoint committees
on appropriations and judiciary. All the
bills which must be passed were perfected by
the last congress and the house can make
needful changes IN committee OF the whole
if such should be required. There is reason
to hope, therefore, that the session will not
last more than two or three weeks, though
nothing IS certain 10 this msttsr. Concern
ing the political legislation no definite plan
has been agreed on so far. There is much
talk of an absurd scheme to PASS the army
bill with the provision about troops at the
pills. the repeal OF the test oaths and the
change in the juror laws first, ali of
which the President is expected 20 sign,
aud then to pass the legislative bill,
with the repeal of the supervisor and deputy
marshal laws hltched on, send it to the
President and If he vetOes it adjourn without
further action. 1t is amazing that this crazy
scheme has the apparent consent CT few
men who usually possess common sense. But
it Is not likely to be adopted, bee luse most
sensible Democrats here see and acknowledge
that the supervisor law Is of little Importance
and gives no Just cause of complaint, be-
cause two supervisors are IN all cases ap-
pointed, one from each party. Some south
ern Journals and many southern men also
say openly that they prefer to keep the su-
perv1sors, as being not merely harmless but
IN many cases useful. The only real and
substantial cause OF difference that remains.
therefore, is the law permitting the appoint
ment OF deputy marshals for elections, be-
cause these are selected by the narshals,
who are, of course, In strong sympathy with |
the party IN power. It Is charged that this |
deputy Iuarshas law simply gives the party
10 power an important Campaign fund from
the pubic trea my, ard this = srhStsr';sllv :
tue > Re D-l.l. ciajs -..as D. &, ..-. g. 8
IyOr=--N corn y-IJ1 IlEt-Sau r.i=sc IA, ia 1
u New England city at the last election the /
Republican managers were shrewd and I'M !
scrupulous enough to appoint thirty bribe- |
able Democrats deputy marshals, and thus |
secured their votes and services for !
the Republican ticket. These officers may re- !
ceive fifty dollars each from the public |
treasury, a handsome bride in these hard |
times II the Democrats were good ten; cred |
and thoroughly informed, ana If they bad |
wit enough 10 let the supervisors law stand |
aad n 8 we.l-corducted debate show up the |
evils and ADJUSTS of the deputy marshals' |
law, 1t would be possible for them to make |
the Republicans ashamed of it and ready at |
least to SO modify and guard it as 10 make it /
far. Bat they are likely to put themselves |
IN tue wrong before the country by foolish |
AID angry action. What Is remarked here |
In general Is that too many OF the Demo |
Gratis, coming after twenty years once more
into the control of both houses Of Congress.
act rather as persons who have fallen heirs /
to great fortune than as people upon whom
d very serious responsibility has devolved Of |
course there are many exceptions to this. N /
each house there are among the De Mocrats a
mum er of men OF sound democratic princi-
pies and of undoubted and great capacity
aad wisdom, but it must be confessed that /
they are slow TO take command. The selee-
ton OF Mr. Randall as speaker will help
them, but they are slow 10 understand that
1t IS their first duty TO have q definite policy"
They viii Fight 1t Out on That Line,
Ete.
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