New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-01
RETTER PROSPECTS.

Yesterday the Democratic leaders confidently
expected to pass the so-called Funding
bill. Dispatches indicating great con-
fidence on their part were received
in this city during the day. But
the day passed not only without action in the
House, but without any evidence that the
prospects of the bill had really improved.
On the contrary, the Republicans were
voting together unitedly yesterday in OPP
position to motions designed to reach the
bill and place it before the House, and the
conduct of Mr.. Randall and other Democratic
leaders has gone far to array every Repub-
Ii can member in resolute hostility to the
measure. 1t is the opinion of well-informed
observers at Washington that the fate Of the
bill is already sealed, and that it will never
be sent to the President for his consideration,
unless the fifth section should be entirely
expunged.
Speaker Randall has once more attained
bad eminence by the reckless indecency OF his
rulings. 1t is many years since there has been
Speaker of either party whose conduct In
the chair deserved the censure which Mr.
Randall has often merited by his hagrant
violation of parliamentary law. But the Dem
ocratic members make his offence and his shame
their own by voting unitedly to sustain
his rulings Evidently he has set his heart
upon the passage of the Funding bill as a
trick of party tactics which he thinks will
Mace the Republicans in an embarrassing
position. To attain this end he wholly disre-
CARDS the public welfare, thrusts aside
the obligations which rest upon the
Sneaker of the House. and even urges
his friends to violate the pledges of
honor which gentlemen hold sacred.
II is believed that he has induced the majority
of the Committee to break its pledges to the
Republican members, and the conduct Of the
majority renders this probable. In that case,
there ought to be no doubt that every Repub-
lcan member will resist the bill at every
stage. and to the utmost. Dispatches state
that if the Republicans act together to-day, as
they did yesterday, the last chance Of the
passage of the bill will vanish.
II is fortunate for the country, in this
emergency, that the Republicans have recently
had conclusive proof that it pays to be faith
full to their public duty, regardless of appar-
ent partisan or personal interests. 1t is not
many years since there were Repub-
lican members of Congress who wished
to forget plighted faith to public creditors,
| anu 10 rcpeal Jno heSumpuOn AcI III OIuer 10
| make votes for their party and Themselves.
| The grand victory which to-day is sending
| Republican statesman from his farm at Mentor
| to the White House at Washington, and which
| again gives the direction Of public affairs to
the sturdiest and most faithful men of
the party which has never failed to uphold the
public honor, was not the result of trucking
or trimming. 1t was the reward of lofty and
| unfinching fidelity, at time when many
thought that the continued power and even
the existence of the Republican party de-
pended upon some concession to those who
resisted honest payment of debts. General
| Garfield, noted among Republican leaders for
his frmness and fidelity III every financial
struggle, takes his place as successor
of Washington because he was brave and true.
The Republicans may rest assured that In
this, as in every other struggle between the
| friends and the foes sof sound finance and
public faith, 1t is worse than folly to falter or
waver for the sake of counting hostile votes.
Let Mr.. Randall and his followers play
what small tricks of partisanshIp they
can; if the Republicans do what is
right, the country will uphold them. The
pending measure is unjust, unwise and
dangerous to the public welfare. Therefore,
every Republican ought to do his best tO de-