The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-12-11
Questions of the Future.

1t Is perhaps well enough, in the
dearth of topics of immediate poIiti-
cal interest which follows the close
OF the Presidential canvass, for dis.
tinguished statesmen like Mr.. Jav
and Mr.. Boutwell, to map out future
policy for the Republican party, or
to speculate on the course of the in.
coming Administration toward the
South. But the views they express
in magazine articles. however sug.
gestlve and interesting they may be,
are only the individual opinions of
the writer's. The questions they
handle are still long way ahead
and the country is in no hurry to an
tlclpate the time for dealing with
them in practical way. 1t is more
than three months before the newly-
elected President will be called upon
to give public expression of his
policy, and it is more than a year
before the time fixed for the meeting
ef the new Congress, upon which he
must depend for aid to carry out that
policy in case it involves more than
the faithful execution of the laws now
upon the statute, books.
Happily, the South will have a
chance to show the country what il
is going to do with itself before the
new Republican President or the
new Congress will be faced by ques-
tions growing out of its political con-
dition. There are many hopeful
indications of break in the intoler-
ant public sentiment of that section.
The debates during the coming ses-
sion of Congress ought to show
whether these Indications are mere
ebullitions of disappointment at the
overthrow of the ambitious scheme
of Southern domination, or are gen.
uine signs Of determination ON the
part of considerable portion of the
population that there shall be honest
elections in the future, and that the
political rights of the blacks shall be
maintained. If the cracks in the
Solid South 60 deeper than the sur
face, they will be sure to widen dur-
ing the ensuing year. Elections will
be held in many of the Southern
States before the meeting of the new
Congress in December, 1881. The
manner in which they are conducted
will afford valuable indications to
the President and Congress as to
whether the South is going on in the
same old rut, or is resolved at last to
overthrow the gigantic injustice and
oppression of the one party systel1.
The first elections at which there can
be any application of the Federal
election laws will occur in 1882, when
members of Congress will he chosen.
During the long session of 1922
there will beample time for Congress
to act with deliberation and wisdom,
and on the basis of the situation as it
may then exist, in regard to the ques-
tiop of amending those laws.
At present the tendency of the
public mind is unquestionably to-
ward such an extension of Federal
statutes as will make them applicable
to all elections National in their
character, and will secure their more
efficient enforcement. There is no
occasion, however, for an immediate
agitation Of the subject beyond what
may grow out of a fuller knowledge
of the performances in certain South
ern districts at the recent election.
The country is cheerful and busy,
and very hopeful about the future.
1t is not inclined to borrow trouble,
and feels happy confidence that it
will be able to settle the problems of
next year when next year comes.
without bathering about them in ad.
yance.-N ], Tribune.