Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-04
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
apital share in organising the republican
XI-The Era Of Reconstruction.
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

capital share in organizing the republican
party.
In 1872 the republicans renominated Gen.
Grant and the liberal wing held, a ma
tional convention at Cincinnati. Charles
Francis Adams was the prime favorite
for the presidential nomination before
the convention met and Lyman Trumbuli,
B. Gratz Brown, Andrew G. Curtin and
other prominent republican workers of
the Lincoln era were in the balloting.
Greeley was nominated. He was as LAM
entable failure as a candidate as he
had been a monumental success as a
journalist. He was overwhelmingly de-
feated and died Of grief within q few
days/after the election.
The liberal republican organization new
er recovered from the crushing blow of
1872. At the time 1t seemed also that
the democrats had forfeited every hope
by their Endorsement Of the Greeley tick.
ct. But many Of the leading liberal re-
publicans went over to the democratic or
ganization, the minority in both houses
OF Congress took heart, the passions of
war were beginning to cool and the DOM
lnant party was about to suffer a rebuke.
In the congressional elections of 1872 the
cratic congressional tickets. and the
House then chosen consisted of 2O6 re-
publicans and only So democrats.
But the on year election OF 1874 was
destined to break the line Of republican
control. A great many scandals, includ-
Ing the Credit Mobilier' affair. the Bel
KNAPP impeachment and a host of other
troubles, contributed to break down the
republican strength. The financial panic
of 1873 was charged to the administra-
ZION the moro oqnoCi0llY n q hivh off
of the Treasury Department was accused
of completely in the gold speculation
frauds which eliminated in the terrible
BLACK Friday" The people in the north
conflict between rival governments in
southern states and there was q wide
spread desire to permit the south again
to conduct its own affairs.
More than anything else, however.
which made against the dominant party
was the action Of
Salary Grab" Act Congress in pass
Is Denounced ing the salary
o S"' grab act, by
which the members doubled their salaries
and made the law retroactive. Some
members refused to accept the additional
salary. Instantly the whole country was
in an uproar. Every man who had de-
sired to attack the administration, but
who feared his loyalty to the Union
would be questioned. now arose to de-
nounce the salary grab. Old-timers were
defeated and the republican candidates
were moved down like grass. The effect
Of the election was so remarkable that
1t was more than thirty years before
Congress again dared to increase con-
gressfonal salaries, and then it was care
lul not to make the mistake of applying
gress. Even at that, scores of members
lodged the vote, although praying for
the success of the bill, and some voted
with their teeth chattering.
found that the .on'' year election of
1874 brought about another political revo-
luton. Less than a decade after the close
OF the war the democrats again were in
confrol OF the lower house Of Congress,
having Isl members to 1O7 republicans
4 \
The democrats took courage and re-
solved to make. one great effort to gain
Democrats Put Up They nominated i
Samuel. ]: Filden. s samae on j. v ha,,
, a. =.
would now, be called an. anti-graft plat
form. they. cried out-' for retrenchment
and reform. and they began great cam
paign almost two years in advance Of the
presidential election. The republicans
nominated Rutherford B. Hayes. dark
horse, selected by a combination opposed
to James G.. Blaine. the leading ante
convention aspirant.
The. campaign was white-hot one, and
when 1t was over the democrats all over
the country celebrated a great national
victory. But the- republicans claimed the
election. despite the popular majority for
Tilden. The republican Senate and the
democratic House finally left the ques-
ton OF disputed returns from several
states to an electoral commission The
commission was made up Of eight repub-
leans and seven democrats and upon
every crucial question which came before
1t the vote was strictly partisan, eight
for. Hayes and seven for Tilden. BY the
decision of this commission Hayes was
elected, receiving 1856 electoral votes to
1874 for Tilden.
The democrats were furious, but they
were persuaded to submit as gracefully
as possible. They carried the new House
and made gains in the Senate. They had
not succeeded In placing q democrat in
the White House, but they had rehabili-
tated their organization. and there were
again two great political parties In the
country. In 1878 the democrats carried
the House again and captured control of
the Senate. In 1880 they suffered set
back, losing both houses. In 1882 they
again carried the House and two years
later elected the President.
Tomorrow - CONGRESSIONAL CAM
PAIGNS. XII. THE ERA OF "NOR-
-. MAIo pOITTJCs