New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-07


The National Nuisance has nearly nbntud It
self. After seven months shnmclcsaly wasted,
the Democrats In Congress find it necessary to
so home in haste, in order 10 combat rs best
they can the rising tide that sweeps the R'pub-
lican ticket steadily forward For seven months
the public money has been spent in trying to
get ready for the Presidential contest, and yet
the second week of July finds the Democratic
party all uurcady.
In insOlcnt and cOntcmptuOus disregard OF
public interests, this Congress SURPRISES all
that have preceded it. The urgent needs of
the banking system we're deliberately thrust
aside in spite because Mr.. Morrison had been
! beaten. Not at hour OF thought was gwen TO
the peril arising from silver coinage. Inc
PRAYERS of the people for better Navy for sea-
coast defcnces for more efficient consular ana
diplomatic service, for correction OF defects III
the tariff, and for many other much-necded
| improvements, were treated with contempt.
| CongIess refused to act upon other practical
measures which many urged, and which ought
| not to be left hanging over large business inter-
| ests a constant menace 1t failed to act on
Inter state Commerce" or on many schemes
! Of internal improvement. 40 DO-Notlin2
! Congress-. its success has been uncXamplcd. In
| short, it spent nearly seven months in partisan
! tuckcry and about two weeks in voting salaries
/ TO itself and tie officials and employees of the
| Government, and had 10 time left to attend to
! public needs.
! Nearly all the time spent in partisan trickor
! ended in di~graccful defeat. II did not take
much time 20 steal three seats from the men
who were elected by the people; whether
l .l,1, l,,,t. gyf a
must answer. The great waste Of time in the
/ Porter business, and the excitement which
found vent in rebel ycils last week, were mainly
ddc TO the sympathcs of men who fought to
destroy the Union, and to the notion uial
Democratic votes could be gained in one or two
states bv cspousing The cause OF Porter. II the
Union soldiers have any strong opinion GA The
subject. that also viii appear next fall.
Directly and indirectly, months Of the session
were wasted in a struggle to break down the
protective tliG. The measure proposed Wa
about the most indecent piece oi partisan trick
cry ever exposed to the daylight; II was
adoutcd hy caucus i'm deliberate violation OF
PLEDGES bv means of which the Democratic
party had gained success in OHIO and other
States and 1t was an insult. in an economic
point oi view. ia every competent student Oh
the subject Vet iour.ilths OF the Democrats
voted and worked for it. and made all other
interest, subordinate ~ il, and strangIcd other
measures or the utmost importance in their
spite because Che Morrison bill was defeated
II ia Characteristic Of incompetent men thal
they spend most of their time and vital force in
Getting beaten. ~ usual, the most important
effort, of Che Democratic majority came IN con
tact with mprcgnablc obstacles The Porter
bin WAS bcatcn by the Constitution, and the
Tariff hill by public opinion \ party in any
way ht to govern the country would have
known that the Constitution could not be set
aside hy act of Congress. 80 long rs President
Arthur had the power to defend his own Con-
stitutional prcrogativcs. II would have known
that n free trade war on American industries
could not succeed at n time when those indus
tries were peculiarly depressed. From the iirst'
the Morrison hill was certain to be beaten by
the compact Republican force, and by the selfish
interest of Democratic members who would
have opened their own political graves if they
had failed to kill it.
The little that this Congress did can he con
sdcrcd hereafter Nearly all its time was spent
i'm threatening mischief and doing nothing.
Doubtless, if the dominant party i'll the House
had been IA little less stupid it might have done
more harm. But malicious purpose and blum
dcring incompetence ran a race, and incOmpe-
tcncc won.