The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-07-21
A pretext for an unhoIy Act.

The Columbus Jo3Wndl has found
pretext for the Hubbell assessments.
At least it pretends 10 have found such
a preteXt but it can scarcely claim the
merit of novelty for its discovery. 1t Is
a pretext that has been doing duty for
several political campaigns. and which
has had its corners rounded of in an in
finite number of speeches by windy ora
tors OF the Burrows stamp. 1t is the
Worn and flimsy preteXt that there IS
danger and mischief in Democratic as
tendency.
When one considers the history of the
Republican party and its administra7
tions. especially since the entry of Grant
upon his second term, the amout OF
sheer impudence which a Republican
leader or speaker must possess in order
TO speak of the danger and mischief
In Democratic ascendency" is simply
incaleulable. During six years the De-
llaoess..s;s lssae practical ascendeaesfsof far
as to regulate, IN some degree, The Ma
tional expenditure. With the Executive
and other departments in Republican
control it was impossible 10 wholly
check extravaganza. The estimates rs
they came from the departments
We're framed. with the same reck-
1essness which characterized them
when a Republican Congress stood
ready to vote whatever was asked and
to iudOrse any scheme however wild.
But with all this opposition. and with
the departments willfully oyerrunning
the appropriations. the Democracy cut
down the expenditure the first year
from Sl64. 000. 600 to Sl4I, coo, 600, and
still further reduced the sum by -. .000,-
GOO IN the year following And with all
the efforts of the Administration to EN-
baTass the Democratic Congress in its
scheme Tor economy. by creating de-
iiciencies the last years expenditure
under Democratic appropriations, in
Guiding those for deficiencies. was less
than the average under the last three
years of Republican appropriations. As
for the prospective expenditure under
the appropriations of the present Con
gress IL rises so far above any figures
known since the war that comparison Is
impossible. Yet the Republican press
and the party leaders and orators have
the elfrontery to speak of the danger
and mischief of Democratic ascend
encv-"
More astonishing than the ''cheek''
Of these leaders, newspapers and orators
is the glliibilty OF The rank and file in
titH tfA4 ~ AtAt 4AltiAAAtat7 VI WHICH, lCEtifk
this bugbear rs veritable ghost 1t is
hardly worth while TO reason with men
who recognize in-the Republican party
and its Administration ut Washington
the efficient cause OF the favorable sea.
sons and abundant crops which made
times good two years ago; though il
would almost seem Is # they might be
Gin TO doubt { he party powers in that
regard. Yet il would be interesting to
know the exact shape and form which
the .'dauger and mischief of Democrat
ic ascenlencvN assume in their imagi-
nation DO they fancy that the De-
could possibly attract n bigger I
or more favenous lobby TO Washington
than the Republicans have sincg' they
secured a fresh lease of Congreg7 Tn
dt'r she democrats rhe :. tlli,se bonssesss' ssess +
entirely disappeared Isqfd mischief
apprehendet = dangsfl be kicked out9
that the lobby 1naythe Democracy viii
Is IL iearedsrse carnival of robbery
lhatl- III a5as~than tiat for which Robe
and l1lpTncc rcsposible and which he IS
on irving, with the aid of keifer and
'hanller, 10 reproduce? Or IS 1T an era
{ Star-route stealing that is dreaded. OF
ONE novel experiments in the art of po-
tical assessment on the voluntary
Ian? What is the . danger and the
mischief which makes the possible
V OF Democratic aseendency so terribleP
The bugbear viii not stand any such
nalysis rs that we have suggested. II
as done the Republican party good
ervice but we do not believe it can do
o much longer. II might have done so
mt for the strife between Stalwarts and
Ialf- f-breeds. who in the course of then
are exposing the party
niquities In a wav which opens the eyes
ven OF Republicans. 1t is a new Illus
ration of the first half of the old adage.
when rogues fall out, honest men get
heir rights;'' and we believe the day is
ot far distant when the latter half of
he adage VIII be verified Detroit Free
Press.