The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-11-26
lseeapithInlion and survey.

AUS tiuai waves OF 1874 and 1892
were mere ripples on the surface
compared to that of 1890. In the
Forty-fourth Congress, elected in
1874, the House was Democratic for
the first time since the war. the
country having been carried mainly
on the issue of the scandals of
Grants second term. The Demo
cratic majority then was Ga. The
Democrats retained control of the
House during the Forty-ffth and
Forty-sixth Congresses. The Re-
Publicans recovered it by the cam
paign of corruption of 1880. The
Forty seventh Congress, with Keif-
fer as Speaker, began its work in
December, 1881, and one year of un-
restricted Republican control of the
G -vernment brought another and
bigger tidal wave. In the Forty
eighth Congress, :. elected in 1882.
the Democrats had ~ majority.
The Democrats also carried the
Forty-ninth aud Fiftieth Congress-
es, in 1884 and 1886. In 1888.
when the Republican corruption
fund was far larger than had ever
been known before, the Republicans
managed to secure control of the
House by three majority. This was
the Fifty first Congress, which as
sembled in December, 1889, elected
Tom Reed Speaker, changed the
rules so as to deprive the minority
of its rights, increased it's majority
majority to twenty-four by unseat-
ing lawfully elected Democratic
mombers and admitting rotten bor-
ough States, passed q Force bill to
take the control of Congressional
elections away from the States and
put it.in the hands of Republican
managers at Washington, passed a
Silver bill, and, finally, passed the
Mckinley Tariff bill.
Now we have another tidal wave
of popular revolt against the abuses
of Republican rule. and it ecIipses
not only the waves of 1874 and 1882,
but anything ever known since the
government was formed. Such an
inter and unqualified reputation of
a political party by the people was
never known in any country-cer-
tainly never in this country.
The Republicans, who have in the
present House (stoIen seats fnciud.
ed) I7s members, will have in the
next House SO members all told be-
ing a loss OF SIS. The Democrats
who now hold 154 seats. will then
hold 23S. The Democratic maiori-
ty will be 1855, or nearly double
the whole Republican membership.
In the Senate the tidal wave. has
created a similar revolution.
The old States elected to the Sen.
ate of the Fifty-first Congress 81
Democrats and 80 Republicans
The new States of South Dakota,
North Dakota, and Washington
elected six more Republican Sena-
tors, making As. The new State of
Montana elected two Democratic
but the Republican ma
jOrity in the Senate rejected them
and seated two Republicans in their
stead, making AZ. Then two rot
ton- borough States-Wyoming with
60, 900 inhabitants, and Idaho with
80, 000-were created for the sole
purpose Of sending four more Re-
publican Senator. making 81 to the
Democratic 81. majority of IA.
This did seem good for ten years,
rs was promised, and the fat-fryers
for whose benefit it was done felt
very safe.
But now look at the result. The
terms of % senator's will expire
March A, 1891. Of these IL are
Democrats.
Every one of these will be re.
elected or will have u Democratic
successor. OF the 16 Republicans
who go out, 5-namely. Farwcll, of
Illinois; Ingalls,, of Kansas; Evarts,
of New York; Moody, of South Da-
kotai and spOoner, of Wisconsin
willtcertainly be snceeeded by Dem
Ocrats. Take 5 from the RepubIi-
can 81, and 46 are left. Add 5 10
the Democratic 81 and we have ~.
Already the ten-year barrier IL
strong has dwindled to four, and
among the forty-six who must be
counted 60 make mp even this almost
invisible majority are Plumb, of
Kansas; Paddock, of Nebraska. and
Pettigree, of South Dakota, who
voted against the Mckinley bill. In
the forty.six are also Wilson, of
Iowa; Davis and Washburn, of Min
nesota; Henderson. OF Nebraska;