The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-05-02
DEMOCRATIC GAINS AND
LOSSES.
How the Party Lost With RAN
dali and Won With
Carlisle.

many years with it's revenue reform
policy, and who has enjoyed long ex
perience in the House of Representa-
tlves, furnished the Republic with
the following most interesting and
valuable review of the party's losses
and gains since the war on the Tar
if Reform issue
The New York Sun and its satel
lites are busily engaged In the en-
deavor to belit.le the men that have
for several years been foremost in
the Democratic party, that have
shaped its policies and fought its
battles. Ever since the organization
of the Forty eighth Congress the
friends OF revenue reform, who con
trolled that organization, have had
within their party strong, persist
ent, aggressive and not at all times
over scrupulous opposition Ian op.
position formidable at first, but rap
idly and steadily decreasing in mum.
bers and in the power for the prose
cution o. that peculiar sort of war
fare that has characterized its tao
tics, until in the Congress just closed
it was able to marshal fewer than
nalf dozen to obstruct with their
votes the execution of policy to
which the Democratic party has in.
variably pledged itself when 1t has
had occasion to announce its purpose
in regard to tariff taxation. The
Mills bill consequently paased the
House.
Failing in their efforts to defeat
that measure, but remembering the
success which they joined the Re
publican force upon two previous oc.
casions to oppose the passage of tar
if reduction bills reported to the
House by Democratic committees on
ways and means, they were some
what cast down, but not entirely dis.
couraged. The defeat of the party
last November was in the nature OF
a god send to them, and they hailed
1t with delight, as affording them the
color of an excuse for making an at
tack all along the line on the party
leaders. So ever since the election,
and especially during the last few
weeks, the newspapers in the Demo
cratic party that support the protect
i've system have devoted considera
BILE space to attempts to discredit the
political management of those whom
they and their protective friends in
House are no longer able to betray
1t is the avowed purpose of the high
tariff advocates to retire the leaders
of tariff reform and install Mr.. Ran
dali in the leadership OF the Demo
cratic party.
When they had about one fifth oil
the Democratic membership of the
House they sufficiently respect
able or powerful by reason of mum
bers alone to demand at least some
consideration and some voice In the
councils of the party, but now that
their representation has been reduc.
ed to such an Insignificant proper
ton of the whole, modesty would be
to them a most becoming virtue;
and their assumption to control the
Democratic party and dictate its
policy is piece of brazen political
effrontery that is nothing short OF
ridiculous. Five men connot lead
164 to desert q cause of which they
are in favor, and to which they are
opposed by reason of conviction and
their party's declarations of centu'
ry.
But the grounds of the assumption
are fimsy as the assumption is AFRO
CANT; yet they are heralded with a
great flourish of trumpets. The Sun
on the 18th of March IN a double
loaded editorial states the whole
complaint against the recent manag
ers-and as this is the great lumina.
ny from which all others draw their
light, it may be tahen for granted
that they are willing to depend upon
that indictment.
The allegations are "that when
Mr.. Carlyle was elected Speaker we
had a majority of 70 in the popular
branch of Congress; than at the next
election that majority was reduced
to 40; that at the election following
that it was reduced to Is; and
that at the last election it not only
disappeared altogether, but that the
Republicans secured working pre-
ponderance in the House and elected
Mr.. Harrison President" 1t might
properly have added, by and with
the advice and consent of the con-
sent of the New York Sun.
1t is said, further, that the low
tariff men formulated the issues and
framed the last National platform.
Then, Republican success is attribut
ed to this dominating influence, and
1T is claimed that had Mr.. Randall
occupied the position held by Mr..
Carlisle, and had his, instead of the
low tariff influence, shaped affairs,
the party would nave been success
full.
The exact truth in regard to the
majorities that have been in the
House in the last three Congresses
is that in the FortY-eighth the ma
jority was II; in the Forty ninth it
was As, and in the Fiftieth it was II,
while the Republican working pre-
in the next House con
sists of three Representatives in a
membership of 1926.
All the reasons of political failure
or success are seldom known, but 1t
is known that the Democratic party
has succeeded In holding the House
for six years with the low tariff men
in charge, whereas II held it but five
years after Mr.. Randall succeeded
10 the speakership upon the death of