San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-10
REPUBLICAN PROSPECTS.


republican party is concerned. The
democratic prognosties of defeat are
in no immediate danger of being re-
allied. The work done in congress
has differed, it is true, from much of
the work done in former years, but
this is by no means a disadvantage
to the party. There has been more
real independence of action on
the part of individual mem.
bers OF congress than has been usual,
but this independence has not been
pushed TO the extent OF disrupting
party action. The bold course pur-
sued by speaker Reed, return to the
usages of former days. has been in
tensely criticised by the democracy.
but it has met with universal ap-
proval among his own party and
even among some members of the
The differences of senti-
ment among eastern and western
republicans in the tariff have
been quite marked at times, but out
of the discussions thus arising will
result tariff bill more acceptable to
the whole country than would have
been possible had there been no such
antagonisms of view. The same is
measurably true of the silver bill,
which while not going to the full ex-
treme of the gold bugs or the free
coiners has every promise of
being found wise and safe
measure. Under its operations,
limited as has been the period, the
price of silver has materially ad-
vanced and the circulating medium
has been visibly increased. Congress
has been.wise and very temperate in
considering the federal elections bill,
unmoved by any feeling of irritation
naturally arising under the sense of
injustice to the party through the
fraudulent ballot practices of the
South. The Pan-American con-
ference has opened the eyes
of the country to the advantages
of the South American, Central Amer
lean and Mexican trade as they were
never opened before, and decided
impetus given to larger commercial
in that direction. Reel
procity, heretofore vaguely dreamed
of, is seriously considered, aud the
attention of congress and the admin
istration challenged in way
that cannot be disregarded
There has been no disregard of
the interests of the old SOL
diers; the necessity of steamship sub
sidy has been forced upon the coun-
try; the creation of navy has Eeen
vigorously pressed; railway commune
cation between the con tinents has
been favorably considered internal
improvements have not been neglect
ed; the public service has been free
from scandals of all kinds; the coun-
try itself is prosperous, and there
is no good ground for attack upon the
administrative or legislative branch
of the public service. The elections
held indicate no material change.
Ordinarily an off year politically sees
the interest decreased and lower
majorities returned. The election
just held in Maine reverses this order,
the republican majorities in that
state being larger than in any off year
since 1866, when the union soldiers
had just returned from the field, and
the democratic party had hardly Or
ganized It's opposition. All these
things indicate healthy condition of
affairs in the party. The Alliance
movement in some of the northwest
ern states threatens the capture of
some congressional seats, but the dan
ger is not so great there as that to
which the democracy is exposed in
many states in the solid south. Even
the solid south is being honeycombed
with republican capital and i'm
pregnated with republican ideas.
Before very long the drift of the
public sentiment will be opposed to
dishonest practices in general cleo
tions, and free ballot and q fair
count in congressional elections will
be the rule and not the exception.
Everything points to quiet republic