The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-05-20
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

The National political situation has
undergone a marked change since last
November. Six months ago the Demo-
cratic party was united and jubilant. 1t
had carried New York, the pivotal State
by great majority for its candidate for
Governor. 1t had welded together as a
vast power for evil the Hill machine and
the Tammany organization in this State.
Its leaders rejoiced in the conscious
ness that they possessed an Overwbelm-
ing majority in the House of Repre-
sentatives. Democratic organs every
where predicted a session of Congress
in which the House would make a
record for tariff reform" and economy
in government expenditures. On the
record thus made the Democracy con-
fidently expected to win in the Presi-
dental election of 1892.
The first session of the Fifty-second
House is not vet ended; but the record
of that body is made beyond recall. 1t
is a record so disgraceful that every
decent Democrat in the country is
ashamed of it; record from which
patriotism, common sense and common
honesty are conspicously lacking. In
the way of legislation the House has ac-
cOmplshed very little. No general
assault upon the Mckinley law had been
inaugurated; but bills have been passed
to destroy the wool growing and wooden
manufacturing interests of the United
States and to transfer the manufacture
of binding twine back to Great Britain.
The Democratic majority have com
mitted themselves hopelessly to the in
flation and degradation of the currency
by their support Of the demagogic Bland
h,n Tbn,, ronlylncC1ty inf Hnmn
nearly every important appropriation
for carrying on the necessary work of
the government. They have pronounced
against the navy, against harbor de-
fenses, against the development of
American commerce under the patriotic
laws enacted by the Republican Fifty
first Congress. While they have been
niggardly at one extfeme they have
been prodigal at the other. Elected on
platforms denouncing the liberal ex-
penditures of the Ffty-first Congress
they have passed 50,000,000 River and
HarbOr bill, and the total amount of
their appropriations is certain to exceed,
by many millions, the appropriations of
the preceding Republican Congress.
The imbecile, unpatriOtic and dis
honest record of the House furnishes to
the Republicans an issue which will be
used with telling effect. The Democracy
has once more demonstrated that it has
neither brains nor conscience enough to
govern. Feuds originating in the un-
wieldly majority in the House and aris-
ing from the rivalry between Hill and
Cleveland have divided the party. 1t
is far less formidable than it was year
ago.
AS Democracy has grown weaker Re-
publicanism has grown stronger. The
magnificent victory for protection and
honest money in Ohio last November
showed wherein the strength of the
party lay. Rhode Islands emphatic
verdict on the same issues this spring is
another indication that points to Repub-
lican triumph in the national contest.
The Mckinley law after year and a
half of trial has proven the most potent
and popular measure for developing
American industry ever passed by an
American Congress. In forty State con-
ventions the Republican party has given
the law it's unqualified Endorsement and
promised to support it faithfully. What
ever divisions may have existed within
the party eighteen months ago in regard
to the Mckinley tariff and reciprocity
have disappeared. The Republican
party will fight as unit for both.
In New York State Democratic theft
the outrageous conduct of the fraudu-
lent majority in the Legislature and the
bitter faction fight between Cleveland
and Hill have made Republican success
a certainty. The township elections in
the spring were ali earnest of what the
Demo cratic bosses may look for when
the State has chance to vote as a
whole. Throughout the country the Re-
publican forces are united and energetic.
The candidate named at Minneapolis
will have the whole party behind him !;
and the platform framed by the national
convention will command the enthusias-
tic adherence of every Republican voter.
The next President will be Republican.
N. Y. Sunday Express.