Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
DIANE ana Logan Ratification Meeting. - The
Democrats and the TsriF-Senator
Callom's Pension Bill.
From our regular correspondent

WASHINGTON, ID. c., June %. 1884
The feeling of opposition to Blaine
and Logan has evidently not reached
Washington, for the ratification meeting
on Thursday evening was one of the
grandest gatherings and one of the
most enthusiastic political meetings
that the Capital ever saw. The speeches
on the occasion were delivered by the
most earnest Republicans in the eoun-
try, who sounded the tocsin of alarm
at the Indifference displayed by many
OF the Republicans of New England at
the possibility of having a Democratic
administration of the Government.
One of the speakers paid his respects
particularly to George William Curtis,
who, having been disappointed in Sc
curing some big Office from the Repub-
licans, goes over to the Democrats to
try his fortunes with them. 1t is known
that Curtis wanted drea dfully to be
Minister to England when Lowell was
fixed upon, and ever since his disap-
pointment he has had the gangrene.
What is true of Curtis is more or less
true of the leaders in the Massachusetts
revolt who were morally sure of a good
thing had Edmunds got the nomination
and election. There was Goldman, who
has been astanding candidate for Cover
nor before every Republican State con-
vention in the last ten years, and there is
Lyman and host of others who are
raising such splutter over the nomi-
nations OF party with which they have
not affiliated for years. No; if you scratch
nine out of ten of these so-called Repub-
licans, you will find man whose transit
ton to Democracy is as easy as falling
off log. If the Republican party
could be well rid of these fellows, as it
got rid of such incubi as Trumbull,
Doolittle and Palmer, there would be
fairer sailing for this campaign than
we have had for a score of years.
Another of the election contest out
RACES occurred in the House on Friday
when the Democrats seated Mr.. Camp
bell in place of Mr.. Morey, of Ohio.
The question of majority in this case
hinged on the student vote coming
from one of the educational institutions
OF Ohio, which of course was largely if
not wholly Republican. The Elections
Committee in this case ignored this vote
on various himsy grounds, and declare
the contestant elected by a majority of
forty-four votes. Thus have the Dem
ocratic majority SO far, in eight cases
out of ten, ousted Republicans from
their seats i'll the face of overwhelming
evidence and in flat contravention of
every principle of law, justice decency
and common sense. But they evident
ly are aware that this is their last grip
upon that branch of Con gress, and de-
sire therefore to make tho most of it.
The prospect for walk over for the
Democracy this year does nt'seem to be
cheering enough to add materially to
the list of candidates who would like to
try titles with Mr. Blaine. Flower
seems to have been knocked out before
the first round, and now Cleveland
stands up before John Kelley to receive
his punishment 1t is upon the Tariff
question, coupled with that of availbi-
ity, that the Democracy is now kicking
itself all over the country. The West
ern fellows will not touch Cleveland
with ten-foot pole, SO long as they can
remember that Hancock got his mortal
stab by being everything by turns and
nothing long on the great question of
the Tariff The fact is the great West
wants free trade, pure and simple, if 1t
has to swallow Democracy, while it is
willing to take RepublicaDism with what
free trade it can get.
Senator Cullom's amendment to the
Mexican War pension bill, which is
now under debate in the Senate, is
meeting with no little opposition, which
comes from Senators on both sides of
the chamber. The amount that will be
taken from the Treasury by the adop-
ton of the amendment, as estimated by
Commissioner Dudley, is S246, 100000,
an estimate based upon nobody knows
what and entirely a matter of the wild
est conjecture. Mr.. Dudley's estimates
hitherto have been anything but accur-
ately successful, and in discussing this
particular vagary of the Commissioner
he has received some unmerciful exec
rating. However, the bill with the
amendment will eventually pass the
Senate. but whether it can weather the
storm of opporition in the House re-
mains to be seen.