The Louisiana Democrat

A Great Contrast.

The United States Senate as the Old Man of the Sea in Dragging Down Good Legislation.

The record of the Forty-ninth Congress is particularly interesting in showing very important points of difference between the Democratic House and the Republican Senate. Whatever may have been the sins of omission on the part of the former, and the neglect to carry out certain measures of reform in fulfilment of platform pledges and in accordance with the earnest desires of the people, the House evinced a spirit of economy, and lent in many notable instances its hearty co-operation with the reform work of the Administration. It responded heartily to the appeal of Secretary Lamar and Land Commissioner Sparks for legislation to correct the widespread abuses and swindling connected with the public lands. It displayed commendable zeal in furthering Secretary Whitney's plans for the construction of a navy worthy of the Nation, and spoiled many a seductive job brought before it, backed by a powerful and unscrupulous lobby.

On the other hand, the Republican Senate exhibited a wanton disregard for the interests of the public and endeavored to thwart the economical and conservative policy of the lower House. The Republican Senators made a stout fight for the steamship subsidy lobby, and nothing short of the unbending, determined opposition of the Democratic House defeated this shameless waste of the people's money. The Senate neutralized the efforts of the House to reform the land laws and save what remains of the public domain from the harpies who are after it. The Anderson bill, requiring the immediate adjustment of railroad land grants was so altered by the Senate that it became to all practical purposes null and void.

The repeal of the Pre-emption, Timber Culture and Desert Land laws was also so manipulated by the Republican Senate that the situation now is worse than before and more favorable to the land grabbers. Secretary Lamar called the attention of the country to the importance of repealing those laws. In regard to the Desert Land laws the Secretary said: "Good government seeks to secure to the citizen the undisturbed enjoyment of his natural rights. Among these is the enjoyment of his lawful acquisitions. Land, lawfully acquired, is among the most important of his possessions. Its security depends upon the certainty of its title, litigation and contention depreciate its value, disturb the peace, waste the means and mar the prosperity of a community or nation." Laws exist on the statute books which violate these principles and are objectionable. The Desert Land acts are subject to this criticism. Fraudulent titles to good lands have been the result of these acts. I would, therefore, suggest their repeal."

The Democratic House acted in accordance with this suggestion, but the Republican Senate blocked the desired reform. Shameless extravagance, amounting to open robbery, has been shown by the Senate in the pension bills, in the vast increase to the River and Harbor bill and in other unnecessary additions to other appropriation measures. Not only is the Republican Senate eager and willing to squander the people's money, but it resents, with indecent spleen, any interference on the part of the President to protect the treasury. Mr. Charles Nordhoff, an experienced and observant Washington correspondent, who can not be accused of partiality towards the Democratic party, thus alludes to the conduct of the Democrats and Republicans in both Houses:

The cry of the Republicans in the canvass of 1884 was that if the Democrats were allowed to come in they would do too much—they would carry the country to the dogs. The complaint now is that they have not done enough. They have certainly omitted to do some things which needed doing, and which, no doubt, they would have done had they controlled both Houses. But the skilful and unscrupulous obstruction of important measures by the Republicans in the Senate shows that, no matter how active, determined and united the Democrats might have been in the House, their measures would have been defeated in the Senate. They have certainly not been a harmonious party in the House, but if they had been that would not have helped them, as many instances prove. What is to the credit of the Democrats is that they have done no harm and have allowed the Republicans to do no harm, and they have shown in the Administration and in Congress the disposition to deal honestly with the people's affairs.—Albany Argus.