The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-09-26
REVIEW OF
GENERAL DAWES INTERVIEW.

{ A prepared review of the work of the
late session OF Congress appears in the
several Republican papers OF this Dis.
trict, under the guise OF an "Interview"
assumed to have been held BY represen-
tstives OF these various papers With Gen.
Dawes.
Jefferson said that error might safely
be allowed to run It's course II truth were
left free to combat it
In this spirit propose to review the
so-called interview of Gen. Dawes:
First, 1t is admitted In the interview
that the Republicans bad "complete con-
troll over legislation" and Of course were
responsible therefor.
Second, Gen. Dawes. tells what the
46th, and previous Democratic Congress
ses did not do. Let me say however, in
this connection, that the merits OF Con.
gress are not to be judged alone by the
number OF the bills it passes, nor alto
gether by the amount of money it sp.
propriates.,
Gen. Dawes says Democratic Con-
crosses failed to consider the tariff-"to
provide for reduction or modification o,
the internal revenue system" pass an
superintendent bill, or to "provide Tor
.he extension OF the National banking
system" He says too, the Democratic
funding bill was vetoed with the approval
OF the country. In reply it might be
enough to quote the following from q
Republican journal as to the present
Congress:
"Congress has again adjourned with.
out passing law providing for counting
the Presidential vote;
"Or law to provide for the Presi
Dental succession; 80,
"Qr law declaring when and how the
inability OF the President is to be as.
certained and declared 80
"Or a General Bankrupt Law;
"Or law to reduce internal revenue
taxation; asas4
"Or a Law to return to Japan the
money that has been so long withheld
"Or hlI-but why rot stop here p
-Cktc090 J0tTndS
To this the Cincinnati Commercial an.
swers: a,
because you don't tell what it did
pass. 1t passed the hundred million
Pension Grab and ihesHarbor and River
Haul, and nearly every other grab pro.
posed on the Treasury. and so increased
expenditures for the year by seventy
millions OF dollars. II was rot organized
TO pass laws regulating the Presidential
succession, or TO reduce the internal
revenue, OF to provide for bankruptcy
1t was organized as a Great Grab Con.
gress, and fulfilled its mission largely
But let US examine the charges con.
tanned in the interview more closely ,snd
passing by for the moment the tariff and
revenue questions, let US take up the
question OF apportionment. 1t was mol
until the middle of the short session o
the last Congress that the necessary dats
upon which TO base an apportionmen
bill was applied from census returns, ,and
there could be no apportionment till tht
census reports we're completed. A bill
however, did pass the House late in thu
session differing but little from the bill
Of the late session,-one fixing 3l9 anG
the other 325 as the number for the mex
House. There was however no specia
demand for hasty action on this .ques
ton An equitable and fair districtine
Of the States under any bill was not ex
pected. And the claim that the district
ing OF this State by the Republican Leg
islature ls fair and equal, sounds strange
ly in view of the fast that II was made
to secure 16 out of 81 districts, wher
the vote in the State in 1880 entitled th,
Republicans to not more than eleven.
NATIONAL BANK CHARTERS.
No, the Democrats did not provide fo
extending National Bank charters. II