Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-09-16
What Five Years Have Wrought

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What Five Years Have Wrought
The Republican party met with the
first blow at it's authority in 1874, after
an uninterrupted rule of thirteen years.
In that year, Grant being President, the
elections for members of Congress result:
ed in Democratic majority in the House.
This was the Forty-fourth Congress, and
when it met M. G. Kerr of Indiana, was
chosen Speaker of the House to succeed
Speaker Blaine, of Maine, who had pre-
sided over it's deliberations during the
larger part of the previous Republican
regime. Two years later the Democrats
maintained their advantage, and the
House of the Forty-fifth Congress was
Democratic also, Sam. j. Randall, of
Pennsylvania, being Speaker. Again,
two years later, the Congressional cleo
tions yielded a Democratic majority.
and Sam. j. Randall was reelected
Speaker of the House of the Fortv-sixth
Congress. now in existence. For nearly
six years, therefore, the House has been
in control of the Democrats. But their
authority has been limited all this time:
first, by the presence of a Republican
ma ority in the Senate down to the be-
ginning of the present Congress. and
next, by the presence of Republican
Executive in the White House; and they
have had an opportunity to exhibit only
a promise OF what they would do if in
full authority. Still, they have exerted
some influence upon the policy of the
Government in the last five years, and
it will not be amiss to observe in what
manner that influence has been directed.
What have the Democrats done in the
last five years? What changes have
they brought about? What evils have
they arrested? What notable public
good have they effected?
FSrst-They have brought about a
conspicuous reduction in the public ex-
penditures. In 1874, the last year the
Republicans had control of the House
and of the appropriations Mr.. Gar
field himself being then Chairman OF
the House Committee on Appropria-
tions-the net ordinary expenditures,
excluding interest and other payments
on the public debt, were 1874. lis, 900.
In 1879, the latest year the Democrats
have had control of the House and of
the appropriations, the net ordinary ex-
penditures were $161, 100000. Here,
then, is saving of S32,99S.O00 which
the country owes to the Democratic
majority in the House-and that, too,
although the expenditures for 1879 in
Guide S., 800, 900 paid to Great Britain
under the Fishery treaty, and S., 373, 900
paid for arrears of pensions ex-
traordinary items. The actual reduc-
ton in the regular ordinary expendi-
lures effected BY the Democrats in the
House is S43,971 900.
Second-They have reduced the con-
dition of the South from disorder, strife
and discomfort to tranquility, order and
cheerfulness. Down to the close of the
Grant Administration the Southern
States were governed by the bayonet,
and we had repeated outbreaks and
conflicts between the whites and blacks,
the shameless rule of carpet baggers.
violent dispersions of Legislatures by
Federal troops, and resentful in-
we have contented industry, pros
porous enterprise, more cor
dial feeling between the whites and
blacks, and the absolute elimination of
the Louisiana question, the South Car
DINA question and the Mississippi ques-
ton from National politics. These be-
nefcent changes are sometimes credited
to Mr. Hayes; but it must be remem-
bered that Mr.. Hayes effected them
through Democratic policy forced
upon him by a Democratic majority in
the House in spite of the stubborn OPP
position of the Republican leaders.
They are, indeed, and in truth, the
fruits of Democratic influence in the
House.
1Hird-They have put an end to the
brazen reign of bribery, corruption,
favoritism and official plundering of the
revenues that prevailed down to 1876
an era of immortality in which brides
were openly offered to and accepted by
members of Congress and members of
the Cabinet, and in which scores of
prominent Republicans, including Mr..
Garfield himself, compromised them
selves in ways which they have never
been able wholly to defend.
These are some of the changes
brought about by five years of partial
influence on public affairs by a Demo-
cratic House. Has the country any
reason to regret them?--t. Louis Re-
Dalblican.
Now that Garfield has recovered
from the effects of his swing around the
circle, it is suggested that he might
take a trip through his Congressional
district. There are a great many Re-
publican voters there who have not yet
had it made plain to them that Gar
fields conduct in connection with the
Credit Mobilier affair, the salary grab
and +. the De Golyer $1,000 fee was
creditable to them. Perhaps Truthful
James can now make an explanation
which win go down.
1t is announced that Conklin
has emerged from his cave of gloom
and will initiate his torso for CARTEL
and Arthur. OF course the meaning
this is that Merritt must go, and e<