The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-11-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
THE TIDAL WAVE HAS PARALYZED THE
DEMOCRATS WITH JOY, THE RE-
PUBLICANS WITH AMAZE
MENT.
The Southern and Northern Democrats
Equally Divided SectiOnally in
the Next House.
from Our Regular Correspondent.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 1890.
If it wasn't a tidal wave what was
it? The Republican defeat has been
so sweeping that the representatives
of the administration and Republi-
cans generally have nothing to say.
The fact is they don't know what to
say. The Democrats simply look
happy. They are speechless with joy.
They regard the result as repudia-
ton by the people of the Mckinley
tariff bill, that being the chief issue
OF the Lodge federal election bill and
of the conduct of the majority in this
congress generally. The Democrats
expected that vi.tory for them
would mean a call for an extra ses
sion, but now they believe that the
proportion of that victory will dis
courage any attempt to pass the
federal election bill, and they are
ready for fight il the attempt is
made. In fact, there is now very
good authority for the declaration
that the call will not be issued.
McKinleyism and Reedism are con-
demned. The man from Maine will
not have the satisfaction of welding
the gavel in the next house, but will
be compelled to take his seat with the
minority whose rights he was wont to
defend until power made him insOlent
Also, the lesson conveyed by the cleo
ton in Pennsylvania cannot be mis-
understood. 1t means that the boss
ism, of the sort which has so long
denominated the state, and become
at last so fragrant and intolerable as
to invoke the righteous wrath Of the
people. 1t means that bossism of the
same brand, wherever it may exist, is
sooner or later certain to be visited
with similar retribution. 1t is the
most severe and impressive lesson of
the kind that was ever administered
by the people at the polls to alleged
! betrayers of public trust and detiers
of public opinion.
In the opinion of some the large
majority of the Democrats in the
house is disadvantage, because it is
difficult to manage and make the Or
ganization subject to factional divis-
ION. However, in this case, where n
ictory at the polls becomes so pro-
bounced as to give an overwhelming
majority as the Democrats now have,
it is regarded as an indication of popu
lar approval and gives to the majority
a power which is not dependent upon
party organization and discipline, and
not necessarily confined to party lines.
An effective majority is small one or
one of extraordinary proportions.
The gains made by the Demo-
Gratis are nearly as important
10 them as their victory in
the house. They had no chance in
that body of getting a majority at
this time, and the situation was gen
orally regarded as such that they
could not hope for control there for a
number of years. The gains they
have made at this election, however,
give them some hopes that if they
elect the president in 1892 they may
at the same time gain the senate AMI
get control of the government.
The most sanguine member of the
Democratic party could not have ex-
pected such wide spread victory.
That most of the chief strongholds of
the Republicans should have been
wrested from them and Democratic
majority in the popular house of
more than 100 should have been re-
turned is result so sweeping
that it cannot be fully grasped. II
requires a great mental effort to con-
ceive the loss to the Republican party
of such states as Massachusetts,,
Michigan, Kansas, Wisconsin, not to
speak of the great state of Pennsyl-
vania, whose course is more easily
understood than that of some of the
others. Nothing short of popular
upheavel could have taken them from
the Republican columns where they
have been so long the chief reliance.
The contest for the speakership of
the next house was subject much
discussed in advance of the election
when it WAS understood that the
Democrats would almost certainly pre-.
vail. At that stage there was
consid 9rable speculation as to the
control the Farmers Alliance
would have in the organization OF
the house on the supposition that the
Democratic majority would range