Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1884 — Democratic Incompetence. [ARTICLE]

Democratic Incompetence.

Whatever Congress may or may nol do before it shall adjourn the present session, it has already demonstrated anew the incapacity of the Democrats for public affairs. The Democrats con. trol the House of Representatives by a working majority of more than seventy votes. It has been several years since they were in a position to impress tlieii influence upon national legislation. They have been loud in their outcry for reform and in their condemnation of Republican management of the Natiooal Government. If Republican supremacy has been so prejudicial to the best interests of the country ns they have contended, it is plain that there was much for the Democrats to do, and they have had ample time to make up their minds as to what ought to be done and how to proceed with the business in hand. As a matter of fact, they have done absolutely nothing, though Congress has Been in session four months. Even the regular rontine business has been neglected. The appropriation bills have been held back, apparently with the purpose of using them as impediments to other legislation during the later days of Congress. Already the politicians are becoming restless; they are anxious to get away from Washington in order to give their attention to their 'individual interests at home. Thb public long since began to murmur at the sluggishness of the Democratic House. The prospect for future activity and efficiency is discouraging, for the Democrats have yet to encounter their most serious obstacle, the tariff discussion, and they approach this with division in their ranks and bitter discord among their leaders. Their indecision promises to prolong the session far beyond tho usual term, and the longer the session the more conspicuous the incapacity o! the Democratic party will be. The lack of agreement among the Democratic leaders and the consequent incapacity to accomplish anything in the way of legislation is a natural result of their long exclusion from direct party responsibility for the affairs of the nation. Their faculties have degenerated into the habit of faultfinding. They have been engaged so long in the practice of criticising that they have lost the creative power. They can object to anything that is proposed or protest against any-thing actually accomplished by some other party, but they are not prepared to propose or accomplish anything themselves. They have no party traditions around which they dare to rally; most of them were exploded in the war of the rebellion. Some of the leading men -make occasional speeches in which State sovereignty is conspicuous, but they are all ready to surrender the “principle” when it stands in the way of an appropriation. The free-trade record at the early career of the party has almost as many terrors for them as their old heresy of State rights. They are united only in a common greed for the spoils of government, anti they are so much afraid of doing something which may impair their chances to obtain possession of the offices that they prefer to do nothing. If they have any convictions they have not the courage to carry .them out. They are Tories as well as Bonrbons—that is, they originate nothing in the science of government, but rely on any popular reaction there may be from time to time against a creative and aggressive party. This characteristic has been revealed repeatedly, But never so strikingly as during the present session of Congress. The inactivity of Democratic conception and execution is the more conspicuous just now because the people are about to be summoned to choose again between the Republican and Democratic parties. What possible inducement does the record of the present Democratic House offer to the American jieople to intrust the entire Government into Democratic hands ? If there has been any abuse of power by the Republic jns, why has not the Democratic majority in the House taken stejis to correct it? If the Republican administration o national affairs lias been corrupt or incompetent, why has the Democratic House failed to impose the proper restraints? If the country demands relief from excessive taxsttcSnTwEy had the Democratic caucus refused to agree upon any detin te method bf alleviation ? Why has there been no. response to popular protest against monopolies ? Why is it that not a single measure looking to the improvement of tho Government has been passed by the Democrats when they have undisputed control of the popular branch of Congress ? The answer is/thot the Democrats have forgotten all they exeri knew about the scieqce of government. Their party is simply 1 an organization 01 spoils-hunters, having no higher aiiq than to divide np the loaves and fishes among their ward bummers. The career of the present Congress has left , ho 1 doubt of this fact, if there were any before. It has given notice to the American people that hesitation, indecision, and impotence will be the most they can expect from a Democratic admin istrat on of the Government. Qlticago Tribune.