The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-08-19

The Columbus journal has found a
pretext for the Hubbell assessments.
At least it prctends to have found such
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 fiimsy pretext that there is
"danger and mischief in Democratic as
tendency"
When one considers the history of the
Republican party and its administra-
tons, especially since the entry of Grant
upon his second term, the amout of
sheer impudence which Republican
leader or speaker must possess in order
TO speak of the danger and mischief
in Democratic asoendency" is simply
incalculable. During six years the De-
mocracy had practical ascendency SO far
as to regulate, in some degree; the Ma
tional expenditure. With the Executive
and other departments in Republican
control it was impossible to wholly
check extravaganza. The estimates as
they came from the departments
were framed with the same reck-
lessness which characterized them
when a Republican Congress stood
ready to vote whatever was asked and
to indorse any scheme however wild.
But with all this opposition, and with
the departments willfully overrunning
the appropriations. the Democracy cut
down the expenditure the first year
from 1854, 900, 900 to $141, 900, 900, and
still further reduced the sum by 81. 000,-
600 in the year following. And with all
the efforts of the Administration to en-
barrass the Democratic Congress in its
scheme for economy, by creating de-
ficiencies, the last years expenditure
under Democratic appropriations, in
GLIDING 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 it 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 effrontery to speak of the "danger
and mischief of Democratic ascend
ency."
More astonishing than the 'scheek''
of these leaders. newspapers and orators
is the gullibility of the rank and file in
the party, the members of which accept
this bugbear as veritable ghost. 1t is
hardly worth while to reason with men
who recognize in the Republican party
and its Administration at Washington
the efficient cause Of the favorable sea-
sons and abundant crops which made
times good two years ago; though it
would almost seem as If they might be-
gin to doubt the party powers in that
regard. Yet it would be interesting to
know the exact shape and form which
the danger and mischief of Democrat
ic ascendency" assume in their imagi-
nation. Do they fancy that the De-
mocracy could possibly attract bigger
or more ravenous lobby to Washington
than the Republicans have since they
secured fresh lease of Congress? I'm
der the Democrats the "third house"
entirely disappeared. Is it part of the
apprehended "danger and mischief
that the lobby may again be kicked out?
Is it feared that the Democracy will
inaugurate worse carnival of robbery
and plumber than that for which Robe
son was once responsible and which he is
now trying, with the aid of Keifer and
Chandler, to reproduce? Or is it an era
of Star-route stealing that is dreaded, or
some novel experiments in the art of po-
litical assessment on the voluntary"
plant What is the danger" and the
mischief which makes the possibili-
ty of Democratic ascendency so terrible?
The bugbear will not stand any such
analysis as that we have suggested. 1t
has done the Republican party good
service but we do not believe it can do
SO much longer. 1t might have done SO
but for the strife between Stalwarts and
Half-breeds, who in the course of their
recriminations are exposing the party
iniquities in way which opens the eyes
even of Republicans. 1t is new illus
tration of the first half of the old adage.
"when rogues fall out, honest men get
their rights" and we believe the day is
not far distant when the latter half of
the adage will be verified. Detroit Free
Press