The Evening critic., 1884-08-12
whas Have They Done in That
Timer


In !s7i, owing to the hard times caused
by the panic Of 1873, the Democrats for the
first time in many years secured a major
ity in the popular branch OF tho Congress
OF the United States. With tho exception Of
the Forty-seventh Congress, they have re-
tained that ascondancy in the House, and
during that ascendancy they also had
working majority in the Senate of the
United States, so that they had full control
Of the legislative department of the
Government for fully two years.
During those years the country was not at
stand, but was full Of life and energy.
Some very important legislation might with
propriety have been enacted. Measures to
heal the wounds made by the panic might
well have been adopted. Laws might have
been passed that would have revived the
dead body Of our foreign commerce., so that
our sails might have again whitened every
sea, as they did before the rebellion, and
many other items Of legislation tending to
build up our country might have been Gu
acted.
But the question now is, not what might
have been DONE but what Was done. What
docs the record say2 Who can point to one
single measure that was enacted by the
Democrats during those years that had
vivifying effect upon our prosperity or upon
our stagnated business. Where can bc found
one measure enacted or even attempted to
be enacted for the benefit of our laboring
and toiling millionsP What Democrat in
troduced measure to build up again our
once prosperous commerce? Where can be
found any law they passed to restore con-
fdence in our business circles again-to set
rapid motion once more our clogged
domestic exchanges and cause the hum of
the spindles Of manufacture to respond to
the rush of the plough and the clatter of the
reapers and the whirr of tho threshers on
our productive farms? The Republicans
can point with pride and exultation to a
long list Of benefcent measures they had
placed on the statute book, some of them
the proudest monuments of wise statesman
ship that the history Of any nation-ancient
or modern-records. The National Bank
ing law, the Resumption law, the Refund
ing law-what party ever formulated and
enacted into laws such a series of measures
as these, which form but part of the
whole? Where shall we look for such
| glorious witnesses to tho wisdom and the
| patriotism of the Democratic party? In
their smelling committees? In their worth
less investigations? In their crippling ap-
propriations? In their foolish economy,
which saved drop at the spigot and
wasted barrel at the bung-hole2 In their
bold attempts to satisfy the Protectionists
at one end of tariff bill and tho Free
Traders at the other? Where shall we find
one single measure that is worthy of popu-
| lar commendation? Who can show us one
| law that is conserved for the public veal
Can any man point us to one single measure
that is worthy of popular appreciation,
| either in its intent or in its result?
| And yet, this same Democratic party, with
its barren recofd, its futile and abortive at
tempts to do something, has the hardihood
to demand that the people of this country
shall eject from power the party that has
served them SO well, and place the country in
the control of the party that never has done,
and never will, and never can do even the
least thing that will rebound to the glory
ofour common country or the welfare of the
people of this great Government, with all
its immense interests, and fraught as it is
with we'll being of fifty million of intelli-
gent Christian people And they not only
demand this, but they insist and persist,
with the peftinacity that borders on the
effrontery of a begging, professional tramp.
What answer shall be given to the party
which makes such preposterous demand
Will the demand be complied with, or will
the people continue to entrust the the ad-
ministration of their affairs to the guild
ance Of party that has shown itself to be
wise in conceiving and firm in carrying out
measures that secure the safety of the Gov.
ernment and the prosperity OF the people