The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-11-20
From Washln gton.

WA.uISGToN d c., Nov 9ih. 1886
The recent electo have caused great
surprise in political circles in "a-hng'o"
Il will be necessary to go tack to he year
1874 to find any Thing comparabl" u interest
10 the upheaval in congressional districts w.
many of the states this year The con'r
of the 6fiieth congress should haze been So
cured by the party opposed 10 The admins
tra,ion, according to the law of po'''ic'l
forces, and following the almost nnhrokrn
line OF precedent in our political history
Bat the fact is that Inc Democrats, N spite
Of lcVss sufficient to have given The Rrpuo
hcans the majority, have yet made gains in
such unlocked for places rs TO re'"ih control
OF the House.
The orderly and peaceful manner. too, in
which the elections were conducted in the
Southern States, with here and there Repub-
Mean gains in congressman in that sec'ion,
ought to bury forever the las, tat'ered rem
nant of the bloody shirt Not single com
plant Of intimidation or violence has come
from any district, and Messrs, Blaines and
Sherman occupation is utterly gone,
Politicians here are still talking about the
result OF the elections, and it is interesting
TO hear their various comments, They all
agree that politics are uncertain. Some at
tribute Democratic lo5o,o TO the fact that
Democrats have not enough Offices under the
administration, while others hold that If they
had gotten fewer Offices they would have
elected more congressman. This last idea is
upon the ground that il is impossible to dis.
pense patronage to the satisfaction of every
body. The only way to be without enemies
is TO be without power. The man who has
no favors to give makes no enemies, but he
cannot besow patronage on the few without
making enemies of the many WHO expect and
are disappointed
Another common explanation Of the apathy
among Democratic voters il that they thought
they had 10 sure a thing Of it that they alb
stained from voting The latter is Speak err
Carlisle's opinion with regard to his own
CASE He says he has frequently warned
his constituents that they would waken up
ONE fine morning and find some one else
elected TO congress in his place, all on &C
count OF their staying away from the polls
"They seem to think, " he added, ",hat am
sure TO be elected whether anyho'v votes for
me or not" 1t NUT be gratifying to the
Speaker to know of the sentiments expressed
by Republicans a. well AZ Democrats when
Even ultra Republicans here acknowledged
that his loss to congress would be II national
calamity lie is such IA broad, high minded
Statesman tina, his political enemies cannot
fail to respect and revere him Ms an exem-
plar. While he is u straight-out, consistent
marty man, he deals honestly and fairly with
his opponents, and all they have even dared
10 charge against him was the crime Of being
q Democrat.
Although speaker for the fftleth con-
yress will not be chosen for more than a
year, the canvass for 1t will actively begin
at the approaching session, and consequent
by il is a subject OF immediate interest. AS
the Democrats will have safe working ma
jority in that congress, it is certain Tom
Reed, the Republican leader from Maine,
will not name its committees, as was pre-
dicted before the official count came in.
Amid their losses the friends Of Free
Trade" take some consolation from the fact
that one of the most eminent of all the rev
enue reformers has received an endorsement
at the hands Of the people Of New York Of
which any man has reason to feel proud II
is 10 be regretted that such a man as Abram
s. Hewitt should be lost to the House Of
Representatives. He was especially disun.
guished for his clear and practical yi"vs,
and for his readiness to accept reasonable
concessions from opponents.
Mr.. Hewitt will not resign his sea, in DON
gress until some time in January. and he
hopes even before that time to accomplish
something towards much needed legislation.
The result Of the election in New York, be
says. imposes upon the Democratic party TO
talk up the subject Of labor grievances and
inaueurate such reforms as will relieve the
working people Of the unjust burdens that