New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-12-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. G. Dec, s. 1883.

WASHINGTON, D. G.. Dec, 8. 1883.
The election Of John G.. Carlisle
Of Kentucky as Speaker of the
House Of Representatives closed
political struggle which will pro-
badly be memorable in the Demo.
cratic party. The delay and hesita-
ton on the part of the new Speaker
in making up the Committees; es-
pecially in the election of the Chair.
men Of the same, is an indication of
the embarrassment which his per-
sona' triumph has brought upon
the Democratic party, Now that
Mr.. Carlisle has been selected, said
a we'll known and, observant poll
tician, the Democratic party will
put on sack.cloth and ashes and re-
pent. He was carried to an election
by the hot blooded Southern men,
self willed in the first place, and
stung to provocation by the taunts
Of the friends of the rival candi-
dates that cuisines interests re-
quired Randalls election, and Grace
prjudices" demanded Carlisle as
sacrifice. These things were like
waving the typical red rag before
the exasperated bull; the Southern
men shut their eyes and rushed at
it. and now that they have got 1t,
they don't know what to do about
it. But no doubt some sort of an
apology for order will come out of
the chaotic political condition. But
the Democratic. Ship of State to use
a figure of speech has all her canvas
up and is running before the wind
| with the gale rising and precious lit.
tie ballast, possibly she may make
a safe harbor, but the old salts
aboard anticipate maelstrom.
When Randall and Keifer pre-
formed the post mortem ceremony
OF offering up their personal ambi-
tons by escorting their successor to
the chair, your correspondent was
an interested observer from a perch
in the gallery. Mr., Keifer looked
embarrassed; Mr.. Randall impas.
sive. | think the latter may have
been rejecting that his secret aspir-
atoms for presidential nomination
were unfairly slaughtered. He
must have felt chagrined at the
suddenness Of his taking off, and
at what he conceived to be the
stupidity of his own party in max
ing political mistake in choosing
any one else. But out Of this
strange conflict the full history Of
which would disclose the vices Of
politics, but which will never be
written, for people wont read an
Gent history, there have been one
or two results worth noticing: To
the credit Of the Democratic party
let it be said, that the Speaker was
not elected as the result Of trading
Offices for votes. He was elected by
the solid Southern vote. It is
food for thought that there can be
a solid South, but that the North
ern wing Of the Democracy is divid-
ed. It shows at a glance that
Southern interests are iden tical, and
harmonious, but Northern are
diverse and variable. These inter-
ests are going to clash.
In looking over the new House
there are some notable differences
to be observed. Considered as an
entirety the body has become lop
sided. The left wing, which is the
Democratic side, has swelled to
abnormal proportions while the
right section, the Republican side,
has shrunk ridiculously. Then,
where there used to be fringe OF
colored faces on the outer Republi.
can circle, there are none left to
show how the African can act as a
legislator. But the most notable
deficiency is in the absence of we'll
known faces, the figure of active
politicians, retired from the service,
and the presence ofso many strange
persons in their places. Possibly |
am preJudlced. A photograph of a
person may impress one unfavora-
bly,, after acquaintance reveals lines
of beauty. The new House impress
ses me so. It does not look intel
lectual. It is not very we'll dressed.
It has not the air Of being up with
the times, SO to speak. It looks
rather hungry and lean. Perhaps
my mind is swayed somewhat by
seeing so many seedy "Majahs' and
'Jedges'' hanging around the door
| ways. Are those gentlemen to be-
come our rulers? ] say to myself.
God forbid! tits like turning the
hands back to the days ''befo the
wah" when these men were the rul-
ers Of petty kingdoms, with the
blacks for slaves and no man or law
as ruler.