New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-21
CURISTHAS DINNERS.

Tn some schools it has been discovered that
there are scholars, sO-called whose intellects
can be reached only through that part OF the
body which is best adapted to education by
means of a stick or slipper. There are not a
few politicians and party leaders whose intel
lects can be reached only in the same way-by
awhipping.
The Democratic leaders and politicians can
not be put in that list. II whipplngs couid
educate them, they would be wiser by this time
than Scion or Plato Vainly have the Amerl-
can peope tried for twenty years or more 10
reach the Democratic intellect by thrashlng.
The Marty knows mo more than it did when it
was beaten in 1860. The persons whose
minds seem to be most accessible TO influences
with a stick are mainly Republicans. Natu-
rally they make believe that the rod does not
bnrt. Some of them have made interesting re-
marks after they had been thrashed not wholly
complimentary to public opinion or to the press.
The boys who love the rod are few But the
majority of Republican leaders, whether they
profess calous indifference or not, have saw
inc sense of the virtue Of the rod. They have
come together this winter with lively appre-
citation Of public disapprOval such sense as a
well-nurtured schOOlbOy has when 1t smarts.
These smarting persons resolved that they
did not want any Christmas pudding. Indeed,
upon motion of one who seen especially sore,
they ordered that no fellow should eat Christ
mas pudding without paying thirty dollars
daily for the encouragement Of the other fa-
lows who should sustain the dignity of the
school by refusing. Inasmuch as the smarting
member aforesaid could get home to eat his
pudd;u though he should leave in the morn
ing, while other hapless fellows would suffer
more because they would have to travel further,
the arrangement does not seem to be strictly
fair. But does any boy in the Congressional
school imagine that the public really cares
whether he eats his dinner at home or not
There has been a whipping; yes. But 1t was
not for eating Christmas dinners.
Can an idea be impaired to member of
Congress, even by whipping OF after it 2 We
are curious. If SO, 1t may be said to some of
them that the country does not worry itself
about one dinner more or less. Neither. does
it feel at ali anxious to have Congress in ses-
sion, unless it can do more decent work than it
has done so'far this winter. Congress has made
and listened to some windy speeches. But it
has been in session, more OF less, since Deem
Der Il, anu Has uODt uOtnlng he literature
of the world has not been enriched by its elo-
quence. Neither have the laws of this land
been improved by its wisdom. If the best
that this Congress can do is to listen, rs it has
listened. to the meanings of the smarting mem.
bers the country will not object if it takes
two months vacation. There are some things
which the people want done. member who
considers only what he personally wants done.
will not learn much, even though Congress
sional life should be thrashed out Of HIM. The
people, we judge, do not care how many hours
Congress sits. They do care whether Con-
gress manages to do anything. Shooting off
windy speeches is not doing anything. 1t this
Congress can contriye to pass the COMMISSIONS
Tariff bill, without needless delay; il it can
cut down the internal revenue, and If it can
limit the power of patronage, nobody will
complain il it ests Christmas pudding every