Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-12-03
Congress and Its Work.

gulne expectation lEOm the Oou-
gress which meets on Monday
next. 1t is unfortunate for. the
administration and the ruling par
ty that the peculiar methods so
long existing in the conduct of the
nominations has eliminated this
year in giving the country such
body of mediocrities or incapables
as have rarely been called on to
legislate. This is all the more to
be lamented just now, for the
problems demanding prompt So
luton are among the gravest that
have fallen to the lawmakers
since the civil war. Having ma
iorities in both Houses and the
President to agree with them. the
Republicans can now take up the
vital question of the method of as
certaining and declaring the result
OF Presidential elections-to ferev-
er avert q repetition of the mon
strous wrong Of 1876. Next to
this in Importance is the regula-
ton for the succession in the case
OF vacancy in the Presidency and
Vice-Presidency. Upon the sa-
CACTUS and statesmanlike settle
ment of these two contingencies
depends the tranquility of future
elections. Fortunately for the
country, both parties arc SO nearly
matched in numbers in both House
aud Senate that the natural ten
denotes of partisanship will be ne
cessarily held in check. No prop
osition looking to ignoble party
advantages will stand much show
OF becoming a law, for the minori-
ty has an unfailing expedient for
holding this sort of legislation in
check. Hardly less important than
these two coguate subjects will be
the regulation of the civil service,
the necessity of which even the
most determined machinists have
been brought to see in the murder
of Garfield. This will test the
best minds in the House and the
Senate, and test them to the very
utmost, though the Pendleton bill
has broken the ground and will be
an excellent point of departure for
the discussion of the question in
principle. The elaboration and
application of system of genuine
civil service which shall put the
administration of the affairs of the
government upon the same practi-
cal footing as other business is
carried on, will be proof both of
the honesty and capacity of the
two ruling parties of the country.
1t is not too much to say that the
people of all parties, who take an
interest in the publication and
good conduct of the government,
will watch closely and pursue in-
fiexibly the man or men who play
double in this urgent reform. 9th
er subjects hardly less important
and even more urgent must be
taken up; the simplification and
revision of the revenues; the settle
ment of the apportionment under
the new census, wantonly defeated
last year through the cynical OPP
position of the present majority, dis
regard for which they cannot escape
the responsibility when, this year, they
shall have passed substantially the same
measure presented by Mr.. Cox last
winter, for that apportionment was
singularly just. Any less thorough the
Democrats will be just as stubborn IN
resisting as the Republicans were last
year. These are the overshadowing
laws that demand instant consideration.
1t is the long term and there will be
abundant latitude for discussion, even
with the tendency of new members TO
waste time and talk. In everything
but numbers the Democrats will have
marked advantage over the majority.
They will have the benefit of the ex-
Speakers familiarity with parliamentary
procedure, Hewitt's diversified infor
nation on economics and law, Spring
er's long training in tactics, Holman's
exhaustive experience in fiscal subjects
and appropriations, while S. S. Cox,
Randolph Tucker, John G. Carlisle
and Morrison will bring the practiced
io,,iadoa of yeteran LEGISLATORS IN the