The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-11-24
Work for Congress-.

The popular majorities in the several
States in the Presidential election have been
ascertained, the political complexion of the
next Congress pretty accurately determined,
a little speculation has been INDUCED in as
regards the construction of the next Cabi-
net, and the policy of the Incoming Admin
istration has been carefully mapped out by
active and disinterested politicians, and we
have come to period of comparative quiet.
After our national festival shall have been
observed, much of the public attention will
be directed to Washington in anticipation of
the last session of the Forty-Sixth Congress.
That body will have but three months of
life, and the time ought to be devoted to
honest, practical work, for the national in
terests of the country, and the changed re-
lations of the two great political parties for
bid the indulgence of partisan controversy.
1t is legitimate at this time to suggest some
of the work of the approaching session.
During the coming Summer six hundred
and seventy-five millions of our public debt
will become redeemable, and Congress will
be asked to adopt new funding measure.
The Democrats cannot oppose this unless
they mean wilfully TO delaythe economical
administering of the Government and draw
on themselves anew the eensure Of the peo-
pie. The request of the Secretary of the
Treasury should be promptly met. We can
hire money nov very cheaply and it is
do,,btIose in ontic;natiuo a ctilI Iowar ro ta
of interest than the present on the public
debt that the recent demand for all sorts of
sound, irreproachable, dividend paying
stocks has sprung up in the money centres.
Cheap money inspires activity in almost all
ordinary industrial pursuits; and the party
that places an obstacle in the way of nation
al prosperity is wicked and malicious. An
other financial measure-likely to re-
ceive the attention of Congress-is the re-
duction of silver dollar coinage to the actual
requirements Of business. AS we had re-
Gently upwards of eighty millions of these
Sc cent dollars burdening the Treasury, it
will hardly be claimed that there is a pres
ent demand for them. Mr.. Bayard's reso-
luton ordering the redemption and cancel
ling of legal tender notes will undoubtedly
be called up also. Congress will be urged
to repair the levees along the Mississippi
river and promote an improvement of the
navigation Of the larger tributary streams.
A bill to this effect was introduced at the
last session, but was defeated by the Demo-
Gratis, who were trying to get up reputa-
tion for economy with which to go into the
campaign; and as the Republican party
claims to favor internal improvements, the
bill will be likely to receive favorable atten-
ton. Measures to promote our shipping
interests and the establishment of steam
ship lines-especially from Southern ports
to facilitate and extend our commerce with
Mexico, the West Indies, Central and other
South American States and Brazil, will also
be introduced, all of which are important
and should be taken up as early as possible,
that they may early reach conclusion.
But the customary contest will arise on
the appropriation bills. Here Democratic
partisanship will make its boldest stand and
ses involved in the enforcement of the elec-
ton laws. Here they have public opinion
emphatically expressed against them; and
any attempt to cut off the appropriations fol
this purpose would be met by the President
and the Republican members no less reso-
lutely than like attempt was met last Win
ter.
Should the Democratic party in Congress
therefore, use the brief season of power
they possess in opposing wise and whole
some legislation so urgently demanded, the
country has one remedy-an extra session
and that will be called Immediately ON the
expiration of the present Congress. The
composition of that body is effectively Re
publican. The responsibility for the ex.
pense and delay of an extra session will rest
with the Democrats. They can gain nc
strength by temporarily opposing the ex.