Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-05-25
The Lethargy of Death.
That is the .Ailment of the
Grand Old Party as Diag-
nosed at Washington.
Architect Hills Case-The Star Route
Trial and Other Chronic
Topics
The National and Other Banks
Let off From Quite an
Amount of Taxes.
Another Officer in Disgrace.
Political Apathy.

WASHINGTON, May 22-Nevel in po-
litical history has Wsshin2ton been SO
dull and apathetic. In this focus Of
political action all is as quiet as if every
one had retired from public life. 1t is
a common remark that POLITICIANS are
bewildered, aud look to the laymen for
direction and watch the symptoms of
popular sentiment for soma hint to &C!
upon. How different from four years
ago when all the force and patronage of
hypocritical administration were used
to bolster up and advance the boom of
presidential candidate. Never was
patronage worked" TO political end
with more skill and care than was
Sherman's manipulation for presi-
Dental nomination, of The patronage
of the government. When the fact is
recalled that this was done under
4n administration whose boast and
profession was that it would use no in
duence 10 dictate its successor,
the hypocrisy of t1at admins
tration is apparent. Such was
the administration whose profess
siops were the highest Of any that ever
posed in the role of political saintship.
The contrast Of the present admins
tratiou, which is doing nothing towards
the naming OF successor is very
marked.
Although Within month, Onio, one
of the pivotal states, is to have repub-
lican and democratic conventions, but
little is said about it here. The lead
ing republicans are not only apathetic,
but demoralized The longer-headed
ones know that without a genuine re-
Cancellation of the factions there can
be no further victories. Such result
is furthur off now tnan when the breach
begun; aud the old stand-bys who have
borne the brunt of the fight in the
front are sulking in the rear, inwardly
hoping that the democrats may gam
national power.
Time was when q political boom,
we'll started by public men from this
latitude, could make itself felt This
has, however, been Overdone, and the
people have tumbled to it. For years
there has existed senatorial ring,
with headquarters in the clock rooms
Of the senate. This is the nature OF q
mutual admiratioM society. If a presi-
dent was 10 be nominated the ring
would fix upon a creditable candidate
best suited for their own purposes,
amt, of course, of their own number,
or one who had been. Ia this way
two small presidential booms have
been waited to the breeze, one for
Mcdonald and q smaller one for Bay
ard.
THE SPEAKERSHIP.
The idea here! s that Randall is,forging
ahead in the race for the speakerahip
gains ground. The action OF Kentucky
III refusing to take strong ground for
revenue reform is thought to be send
=, fl for the democratic protec,ionist.
But few day? or few Developments
may change all this, and give new
phase to the prospects.
DON CAMERON
is trying to sell his palatial residence
here, and has leased it for two years.
This has been interpreted by wise heads
to signify his expectation of retirement
| from public life. As senator he is
nothing il not spokesman; and with
little hope Of an administration here
after from which he could make his
requistion for spoils, senatorial life with
him would be as insipid as attendance
on temperance Meeting conducted in
| a foreign language.