Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-10-21
The Presidential Election The
Attitude of Congress.

The Presidential Election The |
Attitude Of Congress.
All the signs point TO a Democratic
walk.over In the Presidential election oil
next year. Just now our Republican
brethren Of the press, especially that
portion of IL which appertains to the
city Of New York, is very much us
Qusted at tho splendid harmony which
exists In the Democratic party In the
metropolitan city and in tho Empire
State of the country. There will be
very impressive lesson conveyed by the
November elections. They will go
Democratic with q sharpness Of accentu-
alton that will surprise the ordinary
housing politician. Thus, the Demo.
cratic House Of Represe natives. which
will convene month later, will meet
under circumstances OF encouragement
and inspiration to good and patriotic
work which have never been paralleled
before. The famous forty-fourth House
assembled dazed by single victory.
II really had no precursors, and its sig
niicance was, TO certain extent, con
fused. II astonished its beneiiciaries,
the Democratic party, even more than
its adversaries, for these latter had
really done the work. The Democratic
House responded admirably to the
popular initiative. The great and exi
gent demand then was for surcease Of
prohigate and unbridled national expen-
ditures, and this demand was ut least
measurably responded to. In the two
sessions OF this Democratic tidal wave
House Of Representative retrenchments
amounting to fully sixty millions OF dol
larswere made in the running expenses OF
the government. The people recognized
the good work thus done by giving
Mr.. Tilden popular majority of two
hundred and sixty-three thousand, and
large majority of the electoral colleges,if
the votes Of the States had been correctly
counted. The incoming Congress will
assemble with the eclat involved in two
successive Democratic tidal waves.
Now, as in 1874, the demand
Of the people is for puritica-
tion Of every ramifcation OF the public
service. From turret to foundation
stone they desire to see put in active
operation that new broom which is sup
posed to sweep clean.
Next to this demand is the popular
feeling that the tariff has been used to
cloak unutterable enormities of favorit.
ism to sections and class interests,
through which the revenue has suffered
rather than benefited. The great pre-
ponderance of American sentiment is in
favor of incidental protection to Ameri-
can industry. 1t is generally conceded
that the late Tariff Commission did its
work In very bungling way. 1t was,
at best, but a half-hearted performance.
While the more sagacious leaders of the
Democratic party realize that great re-
forms are needed in the existing tariff,
they also recognize the fact that, for
years to come, and as long as dollar of
the national debt remains, together with
great pension obligation, to be paid
off, it will be necessary to raise 4 large
revenue for the necessities OF the gov
ernment. Almost century of expert
ence has shown that the American peo-
pie prefer to pay the expenses of admin
istration in an indirect way. While they
would eountenance nothing that would
paralyze the industrial centers of the
country, they desire to see Topped oil
excessive duties which, while they really
decrease the revenues of the government
being Of the character of prohibitory
imposts-enrich inordinately favored
classes. The Ohio Democratic platform
struck the golden mean on this at pres
ent absorbing national issue, While it
declared for the protection of American
industries, it at the same time proclaimed
against that excess of imposts upon
goods imported from abroad whose only
effect is to foster the growth of monster
monopslies. We have high hopes that
the Democratic House of Representa-
tives will legislate in this spirit. Should
ID do so, and adhere to those Democratic
principles which are accepted by all
members of the party in all sections of
the country, great triumph in the
Presidential election OF next year is in
evitable. 1t will simply be question
Of majorities, both popular and electoral,
for the nominees of the Democratic
party.
There is one other issue, which is
both local and national, upon which we
think the position of the Democratic
party will be sound to the core. We
allude to the Silver question. 1t was
the Democratic party which restored to
the nation tho dollar of our fathers, and
Wall street will not have sufficient in.
terest with the next House to defect il
from the patriotic and sagacious policy
OF its Democratic predecessors, In the
future, as in the past, the House will
proclaim fer protection to our silver in.
terests, and the double standard of gold
and silver will be maintained Such nc.
tion will assure to the Democratic nomi.
nees next year the undivided vote of the
Pacific Coast States. California, Oregon,
Nevada and Colorado are fully alive to
the past services of the Democratic
party to their distinctive interests, SEN
ator Miller and his rhodomontade to the
contrary and notwithstanding.
IT turns ont that, with all the brag-