The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-08-11

test IN all the congressional elections
this fall against the frightful lncompe-
tency and recklessness of the Democratic
regime in Washington. Except in one or
two States which hold Congressional
elections in Septem Der, the members of
the Fifty-fourth Congress will be elect
ed next Novem Der. But they will not
in the ordinary course take their seats
and organize by choice of Speaker and
other officers, until IL year from the
| coming December The present Congress
has one more session, which will begin
| the first week of next December and
last until March 4, 1898, when it Will ex-
pire by law. 1t would be possible, how
ever. for the President to call the Fifty
fourth, Congress together in spe cial
session Immediately after the present
one expires next March. In such case
the new house would of course, organ
ize at once. The present Congress was
called in special session in August, 1898.
But in ordinary times it is over year
the time it organizes.
1t is apparent, therefore, that it will
require time for the rousing Republican
victory, which Republicans are working
for this fall, TO have practical effect in
checking Democratic Encouragement.
This Congress will have three months
of life more, in spite of all that can be
done in November. But great Repub-
lican victory will have an indirect in
f1nence that will be very important.
The Democrat will he much less per-
sistent in their courses if they find that
the country IS against them.
The first gun of the Democratic CAM
paign in New York State will probably
be fired by Governor Flower today at
the old Dutch town of Undertook. No
more appropriate place could be found.
The somniferous genius of an old Dutch
town is just the opiate needed for the
present feverish and distracted state of
Democratic prospects. Then, too, the
associations of Undertook are pre-emi-
nently appropriate in tae present con-
dition of the Democratic party. Kinder
hook was the horne of Martin Van
Buren,, who was called the fox of Kin
derhook." In this day most of the
Democratic leaders are foxes, especially
those from New York State; and Kinder
hook should be their Mecca. Yet it
would be almost impossible to draw par
allel between Van Ruren and any Dem
ocratic leader of prominence at the pres
ent time. A great leader Van Buren, I'M
doubtedly was in several respects, and he
deserves to rank in the very short list of
great Democratic leaders that this coun-
try has seen. He was rightly called
fox, and he performed in an elegant and
artistic way the same acts of mischief
in his party that present Democratic
leaders are performing with club. In
Jackson's administration Van Buren,
neatly destroyed the friendship between
Jackson and Vice President Calhoun,
and made himself instead of Calhoun
Jackson's political heir and the next
President. Van Buren's defeat by Har-
rison in 1910 did not shake him seriously
in the estimation of the Democratic
masses, and he might have been nomi-
mated again in 1874 had not Calhoun,
assisted by Cass and by the two-thirds
rule, forced the nomination of Polk, all
though majority of the convention were
for Van Buren,. Calhoun had his re-
venge and Van Buren, now awaited his
turn. In 1S48 the Democrats nominated
Cass for President Van Buren, found
his opportunity in the slavery question;
and coming out as Free-soil candidate
drew off majority of his party in New
York State, permitting the triumph of
Taylor. No Democratic leader of the
present time gives evidence of so success
full a career of mischief, unless it be Hill,
who has that firm grip on the New York
Democracy that was such a tower of
strength to Van Buren,. But most of them
are bent upon mischief; and the town
of Kinderhook is an appropriate Mecca
for them.