New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-02
REOTJEU AND SWAN SONG.

-
Idaho. in the United States Senate are NUM-
bered. His views upon the tariff or free silver
or Cuba or any other current question will cease
TO have any importance in that body after l.
o'clock noon on Thursday of this week. II is
not certain that they will have much weight
after that point of time anywhere But so long
as he fingers on the Senate stage he Is at liberty
to promulgate his opinions upon any subject
whatever may be the question under discussion.
and have them printed in full in the official Rec
ord" In the exercise Of this privilege on Sat
urday last he embraced the opportunity offered
by motion for a Sunday session 10 administer
rebuke to the Senate for not having adopted
Il suggestion which he made during the last SEES
sion for the distribution Of the appropriation
bills to the various committees and incidental
~. 10 disburdpn himself Of some eytremel' dole
full representations concerning the future Of the
Republican party. Addressing the Republicans
in that body, he said. referring to the organiza-
ton Of the next Senate: You will have no
power to organize the Senate" And, as if this
were not sufficiently far-reaching in inspiring
terror, he continued: You cannot organize the
next Senate. You cannot organize any other
Senate. As was said at 81. Louis. the Repub-
''lican party as party has written its last law
ION the statute books Of this country On the
face Of it, this would seem to end IT, The Re-
publican party may as we'll wind up It's affairs
and go into bankruptcy. Fred Dubois has
sung its requiem and his own swan song in these
prophetic uterances.
And yet-and yet-isn't It barely possible that
Pred may have exaggerated the disastrous
consequences to the Republican party of the
detection from 1t Of himself and the other sill
yer Senators. The party has survived several
hard blows Of "A similar character during the
forty years and more Of its existence Andrew
JohnSon's dcSertion was one. He had quite n
following. But after they had all gone the party
was strong enough 10 90 right on eleciing Pres
idcnis and Congresses and making laws Cen
cral Benjamin +. Buffers withdrawal was an
other hard blow. but the party managed TO sur
vlve it. Very eminent leaders and statesmen
took part in the Liberal Republican secession of
1872. and many more Of National reputation be-
came Mugwumps in 1854 But the Republican
party held on iI what was for the most part
victorious career. Senator Dubois and his CO.
ad,uors. the silver Senators. practically with
drew from the party when in the last session of
Congress they held up measures the distinctive
Republican character of which was unoues-
toned and as n fractional balance OF power de.
manded an absolute surrender Of principle on
the part of the Republican majority as the price
Of much-needed legislation. They made their de-
lection official and formal when. upon the fail
ure of the same game in the National Conven-
ton. they rose up and departed But the party
+ went right on all the same and elected it's Presi-
dent
No, no: the party has not written It's last law
on the statute books of this country" Ii has
been writing laws on the statute books Of this
country nearly all the time for thrty-six years
Its wisdom and practical craftsmanship have
been shown in n united country, In vastly ex-
tended business enterprises in universal pros
perity enhanced credit and foremos, position
among the nations Of the earth and have been
acccntua;ed by the gigantic failure OF the OPP
POSING party within the last four years TO bring
ANYTHING but disturbance and distress 10 the
country. If the party hns made mlstakcs-as
all parties do and mustit has not, as other
narfles have persisted In them with hdebOund
obstinacy. Int has profted by experience. cor
rected them and moved forward TO meet with
better equipment and larger knowledge It's re-
>ponslbIlites and duties. The gentlemen who
have turned their backs upon 1t may be sincere