Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1880-04-27

From our regular Correspondent ]
WAsHrNGToS. April IS. 1Ss,

mind again during the last week, and
the House has pretty mucl, given it.
self up to one-sided discussion Of IT..
The Army appropriation bill has final
| " passed, however, with the rider
prohibiting the use Of troops to intimi-
date voters at the polls. This provis-
ion is the same one agreed to at the
extra session, for last year, voted for
by over twenty Republicans. and ap-
proved by the active president, Mr..
Hayes. But for the purpose Of get
ting up political discussion out of
which they hoped in some way to de-
rive party advantage. the Republic
ans made fight against this restric-
ton now. basing their opposition chief
" on the ground Of antagouism to
riders The debate has been all on
one side because the Democrats de-
clined to be drawn into foolish dis
cussion which would, at best, be go
ing over ground thoroughly developed
several months ago. So they let the
Radicals do all the talking to empty
benches, while they took to the cloak
rooms. This policy worked well.
Such debate as that is not very ex-
citing and cannot last very long, and
after all the mouths on the other side
had been fired off the Democrats put
forward Gen. Ewing to answer them
in a single speech and then passed
the bill.
1t is really pity about this Repub
llcan antipathy to "riders," as they
call them. There were only 3S7 ri
ders put on appropriation bills by that
party when they controlled both houses
of Congress, and among them were
some huge jobs and robberies and
many outrages on the constitution.
Democratic "riders," without excep-
tion, have been in the direction oil
economy and constitutional govern
ment There is no issue on which the
Democratic party can better afford an
appeal to the people than the "riderr
question. The Democratic record inI
this regard will, in all time to come.
be cited as conclusive proof of the
party's devotion to those great priuci-
pies which are the basis of free gov
ernment The contrast between the
Republican and Democratic records in
this matter is high tribute to that
calm, moderate, but determined spirit
OF resistance to wrong which has char
acterized the conduct of the party
since it became responsible for the acts
Of the peoples branch Of Congress.
The Army bill as passed, contains the
restriction against the use Of troops at
the polls, and also Mr.. Hurd's proviso
that nothing in the bill shall be held
to prevent the use of the military by
the President under the Constitution
to suppress domestic violence when
called upon by the Governors OF
States or by the Legislatures when in
session. 1t is so fair and right that
the fraudulent President can hot re-
fuse TO sign it.
The President of the Panama Rail
road Company has lately been before
the House Post Office Committee ar
guing on the impossibility of Americ-
an steamship lines entering into com
petition with English lines for the
trade Of South America. Mr.. Park
says that were the Panama Railroad
Company to build feet of eight
steamships to do their carrying trade
with the west coast, the first cost of
these vessels would lie $1,000, 900
greater than if built in England, while
the enhanced cost of insurance, man