Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-16
Il Talk With K~ifer.

wv S010 oPOoASA w II OOIIC-
spondent, Il cam say that the result was is
altogether a surprise to me. There was
pretty general feeling that something o.
this sort would happen"
s.What effect will it nave on the party 3
sit will give it the presidency in 1884
1t will put an end to the factions in the
party, and it will remind the Republican:
of the danger of apathy and of taking the
result of an election for granted. A gooo
many Republicans in Ohio staid at home
some because they thought the party would
win anyway. and their votes would not
be needed, and some because they
thought the discussions in Pennsylvania
and New York would beat the party, any
| way, and their votes would do no good
These people are ashamed now that they
did not vote, and two years hence they'll
go. Another assurance of Republican sue
| cess two years hence is to be found in the
fact that the Democrats never had control
of the hous two years without making
such fools of themselves as to destroy Their
| prospects of success at a general election.
The Democrats would have had a fail
chance of carrying the country in 1880 but
for the blunders made by them in the reg.
| ular and extra sessions of the Forty-sixth
congress-
"What occurs to YOU as the reason for the
Republican defeats:'
There were old quarrels in the party
that had to break out, and they broke out
now. lam not surprised that they did. 1,
| had to come some time. In my own state
the break would have occurred last yea.
but for the freshness of the recollections
of President Garfield. In New York the
trouble was the old one of sta!wart and
half-b:eed, and dates back to two years
ago. In Pennsylvania Cameron's leader
ship had made a great many enemies
among the so-called reform element. In
Massachusetts the situation was Just re.
| versed. There were a lot of theorists whc
professed exalted principles and did moi
live upto them, and so the people who had
got tired Of them voted for Butler to beat
them"
"Was not the New York result a rebuke
to the administration as such?"
mo; the administration is Republican.
and the Republicans in New York got
beaten. OF course, that is a rebuke to the
administration in a certain general and
party sense. There was, however, in the
election no specific defeat of the admins.
~tration, and nothing lasting or serious in
the defeat of the party. The party is in.
tact, and it has a majority of votes, and
when it stops quarreling with itself i,
sweeps the country. The public have fu l
confidence in President Arthur, and the
election does not indicate anything to the
contrary. ALI this talk about Arthur's us
of his power of appointment and removal
is fiction. have no criticism to make on
President Garfield's administration. 1
believe it would nave been remarkably
successful had he lived. But the fact is
that Arthur has been president twice as
long as Gen. Garfield was, and has not
made one-fourth SO many removals"
Mr., Keifer said in conclusion that he
supposed the Democrats were certain of a
majority in the e house. He hadn't
the slightest idea who would be speaker.
The approaching session of congress-, be-
ing the short one, would not be productive
of much general legislation. It was i'm
portant that taxes should be reduced, and
he thought it would be done this winter,
though the flibustering of the Democrats
might prevent it.. He thought the internal
revenue bill which was hung up between
the two houses last season would become
a law this winter. There ought to be some
reductions in the tariff, but he was not
sure that any could be got through at this
session.