National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-05

After the usual holiday recess, for the tak-
ing of which they have been unnecessarily
and unreasonably scoldcd, the constituent
elements Of the forty.nnth Congress will
reassemblc at the capitol at high noon to-
day The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN welcomes
them back to their post Of duty, sincerely
hoping that neither their mental yigor nor
physical health has been impaired either by
the ample measure of abuse of which they
have been the recipients, or by any excess
of enjoyment during the fcstal season.
II is hoped, too, that they have come from
theirvarious constituencies deeply yimpressed
with the necessity of giving prompt and
faithful attention to the large amount OF
important work which awaits their action,
and that the reflections incident to the death
OF the old and the birth Of the new year
have stimulated their patriotism to such an
extent that they will try to serve their re-
spectlve parties by serving their common
country.
II would be an impeachment Of the in
tellgcnco Of the members Of the two houses
to assume that they do not each and all
know that not a single partisan measure,
Of any character, can possibly become a
law during the life Of the forty-ninth Con-
grcss.
The Republican majority in the Senate
and the Democratic majority in the House
Of Representatives each stands as an etfec-
tual bar to party legislation There can be
no bargain, no compromise, no agreement
or arrangement by which any bill intended
merely to carry out the pledge Of n cam
paign platform and manufacture political
capital can escape defeat. The most mex
pcrienced Of new members knows this as
well as the veteran member, and the coun-
try knows II so thoroughly well that there
will be no disposition to tolerate waste Of
time in attempting the impossible.
IL is sometimes stated in Democratic
ncwspapers-and similar remark has oc-
casionally been heard in a Democratic House
Of Representatives-tha II is not the busi-
ness Of one house to take cognizance Of the
political complexion Of the other, but to
80 on with such legislation as 1t deems eX-
pcdcnt, regardless Of what the other house
may or may not do in the premises 1t is
conceded that neither house is required to
make formal rccognitiOn-by bill or reso-
lution-of the political cast of the co.ordi-
nate body. But It is the plain duty Of each
member in his individual capacity to recog-
nize all facts that have direct bearing on
the work of the session. Such fact, and
fact of magnitude, is the political antag-
onism Of the Senate and House Of Repre-
sCntativcs.
For this good and sufficient reason the
tariff question and the civil service law
should be let alone. There can be no re-
vision Of the taTifr, nor can the civil service
law be repealed until the people shall have
so dccrccd in the election oS q Congress.
The tariff issue was deXterously lodged
and the civil service question was used to
cheat and bamboozle the people in the last
presidential campaign. The pretense that the
House has any mission at all as the result
Of questions decided in that campaign Is a
fraud, The only sensible course is to avoid
wasting time and disturbing the country by
agitation that can come to no practical re-
suit Let the tariff go to the people in the
| congressional elections of this year. Aud
| let the enemies of civil service reform meet
| its defenders in the same appeal to the
| country.
But there is another question more i'm
portant and far more exciting than either
of these which will be pressed on the atten-
tion Of Congress, but on which this lines
will be sectionally rather than politically
drawn. The proposal to repeal the act un
der which the standard silver dollar /,
coined has already excited q general and
intense interest. The NATIONAL REpUBLI.
CAN has demonstrated that no repeating
bill can possibly pass the House, and that
no repeating BILL as a distinct and indie
pendent proposition, can pass the Senate.
1t will be worse than folly, therefore, tc
waste the time that should be devoted tc
great measures Of general importance in al
utterly unavalling agitation of the silver
question. Let this, too, 20 to the people ii
the congressional campaign, and let the
decision be the guide Of the flftieth Con
gress in taking it up and making disposa
Of II.