The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-16
WITHOUT A POLICY.
The Decaylns. and Crumbling CondltIo
of the Republican Party.

of the Republican Party.
Time was when Republican party
ism stood for something. But since
the election of President Cleveland it
has become political negation. For
three years the Republicans in Con-
gress have proved the merest obstruc-
tiOnists. They have acclaimed in their
platform and from the stump against
the accumulation of the surplus and
the continuance of oppressive taxation,
but i'll Congress they have contented
themselves with opposing the consid-
Grafton of bills brought forward by the
Democrats for the abolition of reduc-
ton of unnecessary taxes. On the
great economical question of the time
they have not attempted to formulate
any positive policy.
When the President was confronted
with a vacancy on the bench of the
United States Supreme Court and I'M
dertook to fill it by an appointment
from the circuit in which the vacancy
existed, they pursued their modern
tactics of obstruction. Thes raised
the groundlesS and ridiculous objection
to the appointment of Judge Lamar
that his sympathies are Southern. In
fact, they made a sectional plea for his
rejection by the Senate when the ap-
pointment was necessarily sectional.
rs all appointments to the Supreme
Bench must inevitably be. on account
of the sectional division of the coun-
try into judicial circuits. After OBJ
structing the action of the Pr, sident
as long as they were able a halt was
called upon their absurd folly by three
Senators of their own party.
In the Carlisle-Thoebe contested cleo
ton case the obstructive idea took pos
session of the minds of the Republican
leaders in Congress. Although two of
the most prominent Republican men,
bers of the Committee on Elections
had joined the Democratic members OF
the committee in reporting to the
House that Mr.. Thoebe had not made
out case, that Mr.. Carlisle was clear
'
was no ground for reopening of the
case. and although these Republican
members of the committee addressed
the House in speeches unequivocally
and emphatically in favor OF confirm
ing Mr.. Carlisle in his seat the petty
trick of obstructing the adoption of the
report of the committee was resorted
to by the Republican side of the House.
Some thirty members were paired
and absent and the Republican
leaders of the House. with n
breadth of craftsmanship that would do
honor to moot congress of ten-year-old
school-boys, seized the opportunity to
leave the House without a quorum by
sitting silent in their seats when the
vote on the contested election case
was taken. When brought to book
they based their obstructive action on
the false ground that the case ought to
be reOpened in order to enable Thoebe
to take further testimony! A most
transparent subterfuge. but sufficient
in the Judgment of such eminent states
men as Tom Reed and Tom Browne to
cover their deceit. Mr. Thoebe has
had more than year to take his testi-
mony. As was proved before the COM
mlttee, his attorney had plenty Of
money to rake over the district for evil
dence. But he utterly failed in his at
tempted assault on the election re-
turns which gave Mr.. Carlisle the seat,
and two honest Republican members Of
the Committee on Elections declared
that Mr.. Thoebe had not laid any
ground for a reopening of the case.
But the party of obstruction, tho
moribund. decayed and crumbling Re-
publican party, played its pantomime
to the Harrisburg (Po.y Patriot.