The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-03-12
CONGRESSIONAL SOOTHING.SIRUP.
The Democratic Policy of Deception.
from the Chicago rribune.l


Congress has never been SO inactive
aud stupid as during the present win
ter. The stupidity is ingram in the
Democratic majority: the inactivity is
assiduously cultivated by order of tie
caucus. 1t is the policy of the Demo
cratic leaders to do nothing-for the
present. They assume virtue. though
they have it not. 1t is the virtue of
self-restraint. They simulate conserva
tism for campaign purposes. The Brig
adiers are securely muzzled, and the
dough. faces arc chained up. MIR.
Winslow's soothing-sirup is as regular
a diet in Congress as treacle was IL
Dotheboys Hall, but it is administered
in more liberal doses. The prevailing
stupor Is similar to that which follows
the opium habit. Every restless fellow
on the Democratic side has relays OF
keepers assigned, who take turns III
holding him down and keeping him
quiet. The other day one impulsive
member showed signs of speaking out
in school, and the entire Democratic
cabal put their fingers to their lips and
hushed him ~. He fastened to assure
his friends that he would not break the
compact of silence which had been Sc
cretly and sacredly agreed upon i'll eau.
Gus, and he was permitted to proceed.
The meaning of this unaccustomed
restraint is so clear that he who runs
may read. 1t is the Democratic policy
to efiace, if possible, the recollection OF
the extra session, and to allay the pop
ular apprehension which the reaction
lists then excited. A President is to be
elected in few months. The South is
solid SO fal as 1t goes, but it Is not big
enough to elect President by itself
Fraud and violence have established
the minority rule in every Southern
! community where the ex-Confederates
are not actually in the majority. But
the South must have Northern allies to
acquire ma ional control. Large num-
bers of voters in New York, Connect
cut, New Jersey and Indiana must he
placated. Deception must be pract.ced
long enough to iull the suspicion of the
doubtful voters who hold the balance
of power in certain Northern States
The Democrats count upon the short
memory of the public at a time when
the succession of events is SO rapid,
and believe that few months of mae.
ton will wipe out the general distrust
which the revolutionary threats of the
extra session created. Hence the gas
rule adopted in caucus; hence the ano'
dynes, the muzZles, the chains, the
guardians and the other expedients for
enforcing the policy of silence.
Whether or not the Democratic eau.
Gus shall be able to control the blatant
Bourbons throughout the session, re-
mains to be seen. 1t will be death to
some of their number. During nearly
three months this unnatural restraint
has been effective, but it must be main
tanned three months longer, and it is
growing more irksome and irritating
every day. 1t will not be very surp.is-
ing if some of the fretful ANIMALS break
their CHAINS before long, and make as
mrch havoc as a bull III china shop
Greed and selfishness in dividing up
the appropriations and the spirit of fac-
ton in the effort to agree upon Presi-
Dental candidate may betray the rash
partisans into excuses that will be all
the more glaring because of the long
self-denial that has been practiceu.
But, even if the gag can be kept firmly
upon the extremists, the Democratic
managers are leading forlorn hope in
the effort to conci' late the conservatives
by deception. Their present attitude is
ridiculous. Everybody understands
it. The cloven foot has been shown so
often that no person in his senses can
doubt that it is merely hidden for the
time being. The Democrats in repose
are as dangerous as tame bear in a
household. They are only waiting to
spring upon the spoils and devour
them. Give them the President and
the patronage. the army and the treas
ury, the sword and The purse, and they
will make Rome howl. They will then
jeer at the very suggestion of purity in
elections; they will laugh down civil
service reform; they will plumber the
North to make good to the South the
losses incident to the folly and wicked
ness of rebellion. All the menaces of
the extra session will come into resliza-
ton, and the Democratic leaders will
gloat over the success of this winters
deception. This is the programme.
Its vital defect is the depreciation of
American ntelligence by assuming that
the American people cannot see through
the thin gauze of hypocrisy which the
caucus has thrown over the present
sessiOn