St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-15

country or the demands of the people. The
Republican argument will run along the line
OF the charge that this was
A ''Do-NoTHING CONGRESS-"
that the Democrats have failed to meet
public expectations on any issue, and that
the Democracy is incompetent to conduct
the affairs of the country. The particular
things that will be cited to sustain the i'll
indictment will be the failure to take any
action with reference new navy or sea-
coast defenseS, the failure to pass an inter-
state commerce bill, the failure of legisla-
ton with reference to the tariff or silver
coinage, the failure to enact legislation
against the Mormons. the failure to grapple
with the Pacific railroad questions. the re-
fusal to admit Dakota and other territories
that are knocking at the door of the Union,
and the general failure to inaugurate and
carry out any definite policy of administra-
ton. Mr.. Tilden's various letters upon the
sea- coast defenses will be pushed to the
front and strongly handled to make capital
against his party. There will probably
also be an attempt to use the presidents
dalliance with the civil service reform as an
argument. But
THE SHREWDER REPUBLICAN LEADERS
have already discovered that this is two
edged sword, and that they had better let it
alone. The course of the Republican party
has been to favor the line of policy which
Mr.. Cleveland has declared. Although they
have discovered that it is distaSteful to the
masses of the voters in both parties. they
cannot very well attack him without being
inconsistent 10 their party, and they Will
probably leave this attack to be made by
the Democrats who disagree with the presl-
dent. From Democrats like Randall, Scott.
SprggS and others, the democratic argu-
ment in answer is as certain to be the SIM
pie assertion that return to Democratic
methods has been good for the country;
that the Democratic party has shown itself
competent to handle the affairs of the gov
eminent without disturbing the business in
terests, which are beginning to revive and
become prosperous because of the
CONSERVATISM DISPLAYED IN CONGRESS
and the refusal of that body to rush head.
long into tariff and finance legislation with
out testing to the fullest extent the present
laws. Further answer to the Republican
attack will be that it was not to be ex-
pected that the Democratic party would do
in two years what the Republican party
failed to do for twenty years. and that as
the party has done nothing to destroy the
confidence reposed in it, it should be re-
tanned in power until fair test can be had
of its capacity and craftsmanship, for the
settlement of the questions that are now be-
fore the country. While it does not appear
that the Republicans are going to make any
great push, for the reason l have stated,
tbara will no fiaroa fila norrind on imam
another line. The protected industries of
the East have become very much alarmed
by the constant demands of the country for
revision of the tariff They are organiz-
ing to control the next congress. and will
spend more money in this falls con-
gressional elections than they have ever
spent before. A national
PROTECTIVE TARIFF ORGANIZATION
has been formed. with headquarters in New
York, which reaches out in every state,
with vice presidents and state secretaries.
and county secretaries, through which the
New England people expect to control a
great many elections. Their general plan
of action will be to help any man, Demo
crat or Republican, who Is in favor of a
protective tariff. The tariff reform move
ment will be pressed almost wholly inside
the Democratic ranks. Republicans seem
to have no sympathy with it. Speaker
Carlisle believes that the next house will
be strongly in favor OF the reduction of the
revenue. which. Of course, means reduc
ton of protective tariff. l had a talk the
other day with Edward Mcpherson, the
old clerk of the house, who is secretary of
the Republican congressional committee,
in which the political complexion of the
next house was discussed. The present
Democratic majority is fortyfve. There
were twenty-five districts in the various
states at the last congressional elections
where the successful DemSeratic candidate
received a majority of less than 1000 votes.
The average majority in the twenty-five
districts was only about 400. 1t is
IN THESE TWENTY-FIVE DISTRICTS
that the Republican effort will be put forth.
There, are however, as an offset to this,
twenty-eight districts represented by Re-
publicans in which the average majority
was less than 60O In these districts the
Democratic fight will be made for gains,
and the Republicans will be on the defen-
sive. 1t will thus be seen that the actual
fight will be confined to some fifty congress
sional districts out of the 1875. With such an
insight into the situation, l should say
that the outcome will be very close, and
that neither party at the present time has
any sure prospect of carrying the house.
The Democrats have the advantage in num-
berS to be overcome, while the Republic
cans have the advantage in the pendulum
like sentiment that runs through Ameri-
can politics and carries success first to one
side and then to the other with clock-like
regularity.