Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-03-04
THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS
From Now on There Will Be History
Making Fight.

From Now on There Will Be History
Making Fight.
The sixty-f1f congress Of the United
States will go out Of existence on Mon
day, March 8. The sixty-sixth con-
gress will come into existance on the
following day, but, unless called by
the president to meet in extraordinary
session, will not convene until the first
Monday in December. The outgoing
congress is Democratic; the incoming
congress is Republican. From March
4, 1919, to March 8. 1921, or until the
close of the present presidential term
the national legislature and the
national administration will be of
opposite political complexions.
A Democratic congress and DEM
ocratic administration took the respon-
sibility for leading the country into
war, and must assume the responsible
lity for it's conduct on the part Of the
United States. The completion Of the
work Of the war. the carrying on of
made necessary by the
war, "the binding of the nations
wounds" readjustment to altered condi-
tions, care Of the veteran soldiers and
sailors, rehabilitation Of national indus
try, support of the national finance, all
the finishing business of the conflict, so
far as the United States is concerned, as
we'll as the recementing of certain in
ternational relations and the resump-
ton Of others, will constitute employ
ment that must be shared by Repub-
lican congress and Democratic pres
ident.
The two ends of Pennsylvania
avenue will be constantly under the
white light Of public observation dur
ing the next eighteen months at least.
At the end of that time, the nation will
no doubt feel that it knows whether
the Democratic party or the Republi-
can party should be trusted with the
control of national affairs. At the outset,
the Democrats enjoy advantage in the
indisputable fact that they have leader
in whom the country has almost unlim-
tied confidence: they are at disadvan-
tage in the fact that they have con-
gress that is turning over to a Republi-
can successor an immense amount OF
important work which it should itself
have performed. At the outset, the
Republicans have advantage in the fact
that they need take no party RESPONSE
bility for making the war or for con-
Quoting 1t; that they are free to dis
cover, If they can, important mistakes
and blunders made by their predeces-
sors; that they have the opportunity
of setting right many things that are
now awry; and that they are, broadly
speaking, in a position to show the
people, from inference by-comparison,
how much better they could have
managed things had they, instead of
their opponents benin power during
the last two years.
The advantage of the outset on either
side will not be Of value unless 1t shall
be maintained by works. The nation
is disposed to see that the president
shall have fair, even generous treat
ment at the hands Of the Republican
congress, but neither the virtue nor
the popularity Of the president can be
expected, on the one hand, constantly
10 outweight shortcomings revealed in
the record of his party, or, on the 9TH
er hand, always to over-shadow the
praiseworthy accomplishments OF the
Republicans. The probabilities are
that President Wilson, from this time
forward, will be considered by the
great majority of the American cleo
torate as a man apart and that each
of the two great parties will have to
rest its case solely upon its merits or
dement's as either have been; or shall
have been, displayed during this ex-
ceptionally important period In the
history Of the republic.
The Republican congress, If called to
meet in extra session, and 1t Is diffi-
cult to see how such a call can be
avoided will have a great opportunity
to improve upon the work OF its pre-
Iecessors in the matter Of disposing,
and disposing intelligently and satlsfac-
torily. of business that should long
since have had attention. Many meas
ures insistently demanded by the peo-
ple have been neglected, and will very
likely be left over on March 8. The
regular legitimate business awaiting
disposition in both houses Of the sixty
sixth congress will supply the members
with abundant occupation. If they
shall make the mistake Of turning
from this business to the framing OF
a party issue, the public will not be
nleased. The partisan issue will take
care of itself If the Republican party
through its representation In congress-
shall take care of the urgent needs OF
the nation in the way of legislature. II
that party neglects the nation for parti-
can purposes, it will be certain to lose
all the advantage it had at the begin
ming. The record which the incoming
congress shall make will very largely, If
not wholly, determine the manner In
which the presidential election of 1920
shall go. What the nation is looking
for now is skillful dealing with the
questions which the war has left un-
settled, a satisfactory solution OF the
important problems; it will be impat-
lent with petty chickering's. timewast-
ing contention over trivialities, and
small politics of every nature.-Chris-
tan Science Monitor
Don't. ike -Work-If any Of us
don't feel like working-Why, we are