The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-01-03
No Blunder Yet.

When the Republicans attempted to
seek comfort for the thorough drub-
bling thew received year ago, they az
fected to find it in the supposed blum
derino infirmity of their victors. They
even fixed the time for the Democratic
mistake, and with q generosity that
was positively marvellous, offered to
assist them into committing 1t. In the
elections of last year the Democracy
had wrested the popular branch of Cod
gress-the real seat of power, in thu
as in every other free country-hod
their hands and sent them to the back
ground as party which had forfeited
the confidence of the people. The or
ganization of the new House-frequent-
" delicate and difficult task, when
the governing psrty's candidates for
Speaker represent different sides in 9
sharp issue-was set for the most op,
perfume occasion for it. If the elated
victors could be decoyed into making
an unfortunate choice for Speaker, this
would be the initial and irreparable
faulty from which an endless progeny
of blunders would inevitably follow;
and the Republicans made up their
Illdt tllS ou0 uCOCSSdAY
misstep should be taken. They re-
solved that one of the ablest and GER
tainly most distinguished Democratic
member of the House should be the
agent in it. They resolved that Mr..
Randall should be, a second time,
Speaker of the Democratic House il
they could bring it about. And it must
be conceded that their choice was wise
ly made. Mr.. Randall possesses many
merits to commend him to his par
ty. His experience and courage; his
habit of rapid and accurate de-
cisiOn; his familiarity with legislation,
and the hOnors he has heretofore won
for his party-all combine to give him
claims on his party which, at any other
time than the present, could not be set
aside in favor of another. And behind
all these was still another fact that
weighed heavily on his side; he was
representative from powerful North
ern State, while his chief opponent
came from a section which, it has been
assumed for over twenty years, could
not be safely admitted to the honor of a
position only two degrees removed from
the Presidency.
The Republicans executed their part
of their well-planned enterprise with
admirable skill and address. Their
press gave Mr.. Randall a unanimous
support Not one Republican newspaper
espOused the cause of Mr.. Carlisle. All
united in asserting and reasserting that
the distinguished Pennsylvania was
the man of all others whom the Demo
Gratis should make Speaker; and all
united in warning the Democrats that
to choose any one else would be an ir-
reparable blunder-the election of Mr..
Carlisle the worst of all, since it would
alarm the industrial interests of the
country and cause a revolt of public
feeling against Democratic methods.
But the scheme failed. 1t broke
down signally. The Democrats of the
House, with a composure which does
them infinite credit, and is full of future
promise, went past the distinguished
Democrat from Pennsylvania, and elect
ed Democrat from one of the so-called
Southern States--not because he was
from that section, but because he pre-
sents the indispensable condition Of
Democratic success in 1884. The DEM
ocratic House, therefore, has not only
not committed the mistake fondly pre-
dicted and prepared for it by its OPP
ponents, but it has, in the election Of
Carlisle, man warmly supported by
that wise and cool-headed counselor,
Morrison, of Illinois, gained fresh
claim on the confidence of the country
and that, too, without in the slightest
degree giving uneasiness to the indus
trial interests which his distinguished
competitor from Pennsylvania was sup
posed to represent.-St. Louis Repatb-
lean.