Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-11-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom Our Special Correspondent

As~PobAANohp tehO IL VI
Washington, who have always been
Democrats, have not hesitated to pub
licly say that they are glad to see the
Democratic party so signally defeated,
because they had become satisfied that
in no other way could the prosperity of
the country, which a realization of
what Democratic control of the Ma
tional Government had withered as
quickly as a killing frost would the
flowers of midsummer, be restored.
And there is reason for the belief that
Mr.. Cleveland also shares in the pre-
vailing joy. He has never withdrawn
the statement made over his WI sigma
ture, that the Democracy was downcast
under the assertion that their party
had failed in ability to manage the
Government.
Chairman Babcock, of the Republi-
can Congressional Campaign Commit
tee, is the hero of the hour. Other Re-
publicans had occasional doubts of
the ability of the party to win enough
districts to overcome the enormous
Democratic majority in the present
House, but he has never from the day
he assumed the craftsmanship of the
committee had a doubt of victory, and
he today has the proud satisfaction,
which few men in his position have en-
joyed, not only of seeing every claim
he made substantiated by votes, but of
seeing his claims exceeded in every di.
rection. He is receiving praise from all
quarters, and he deserves it all, for the
intelligent work he has done. A bar
rel would not hold the congratulations
which haye come to him by mail and
by wire from the prominent Republi-
car of the country, but they have not
swelled his head even q little bit. He
gives the credit for the great victory to
the people, and agrees with Gen. Har-
rison, that ''the workingmen voted
their preJudices in 1892; this year they
voted their patriotism and their love of
home" and is confident that the Re-
publican party has taken the first step
towards a return to another generation
of power, during which it will, by in
telligent legislation, make this country
again the most prosperous in the world.
He does not regard it as probable that
the present generation will again trust
the Democratic party with the manage
ment of the Government. Once is
enough for n generation.
1t is a source of much satisfaction
that the voters did not neglect, while
%depriving the Democrats of the control
of both branches of Congress, to give
the Populists whacks enough to make
it clear that there is no room in this
country for such an alleged party. The
news of the redemption of Colorado
and Kansas by the Republicans was
received with as much pleasure in
Washington as was the defeat of Will
SOB and Tom johnson, the high priests
of Free Trade in the House. No think
ing man can doubt that the Populists
have done in%calculable injury to the
interests of those States which have
had the misfortune to be even tempo
rarily controlled by them. Like the
Democrats, the Populists are incapable
of wisely governing.
What the Democrats think of the
election would not be printed in a fam.
lily newspaper, even if they would talk
for publication, which few of them will
do. They are divided into two classes,
one of which considers Mr.. Cleveland a
scapegoat, while the other insists that
the trouble has all come upon the party
because it would not allow Mr.. Cleve,
land to say just whatlegislation should
be passed, and does not hesitate to say
that Mr.. Cleveland is the only future
hope of the party. 1t is probable that
both classes will be publicly heard from
during the coming session of Congress.
What the Democratic chiefs of divis.
ions and bureaus in the Government de-
partments think of their chances for
remaining in Office after the fourth of
March, 1897, may be judged by the
frantic efforts they are making to bring
additional influence to bear upon Mr..
Cleveland for the purpose of getting
him to extend the Civil Service rules so
that the aforesaid chiefs may be en-
braced in the classified service. What
ever might have been thought of such
an extension in the early days of the
present administration, if done now by
Mr.. Cleveland it will certainly not be
considered a reform. On the contrary,
it will be considered an act of rank
craftsmanship, intended to keep the
Democratic chiefs in Office under the
coming Republican administration. I
should like to make one suggestion, if
Mr.. Cleveland really intends to put the
chiefs in the classified service. That
is, that they be required to pass the
same Civil Service examination that
applicants for $1,s 800 clerkships are be-
fore entering the classified service. 1t
is a notorious fact that a very large
percentage of the Democrats who now
draw $4,000 a year as chiefs could not
pass the examination given the appli-
cants for the lowest grade of clerkships.
THERE is no use in trying to enthuse
an army under the leadership of a gen.