The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-11
TIL Z r E PU BLIC.
WASN'T N GTON:
TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER II, 1919.
Congres.-The House OF Representatives.


Congress House or Representatives.
The first day of the second week of the
session has passed, and there is yet no Or
ganization of the House of Representa-
tives. This is sad state of things, and
the worst of it is, the details of the ballot
ing yesterday do not indicate a speedy
solution of the difficulty. The Admins
tration party is, confessedly, in minority
in the House as well as in the Senate. To
that party, therefore, the failure to organ
ize can in no wise be attributed. The re-
sponsbility rests with the Opposition; we
do not say solely with the Democratic
party proper, for that division of the House
can no more command amajority, as such,
than the Wings can. The representatives
OF both OF the great parties have put forth
what may be regarded as the EXTREMIST
strength of each. The Democrats upon
their largest vote gave CoBB 103, and the
Wings have given WINTHROP 102. These
votes combined make 205 The largest
aggregate vote cast was 225, from which
it appears that there are 20 members who
have refused TO vote for the nominee of
either party. These 20 members consist
of five southern Wings, who are more
southern than the South; one or more
members from South Carolina; and the re-
mainder are comprised Of northern dele
gates, Of all politics, who are more north
ern than the North: for we take il for
granted that the mass of the representa-
tives from the North, Wings and Demo
Gratis, reflect the sentiments OF that sec
ton OF the Union quite as faithfully as those
who have formed separate organization;
and that the mass of the representatives
from the South, Wings and Democrats,
are quite as firm in their support of the
rights and interests of their constituents as
those who have seen fit to part with them
upon the vote for Speaker.
In this condition of parties it is mani
fest that, if the northern segment and the
southern seceders maintain their position,
there can never be an election for Speaker
during the entire term of the 31st Con-
gress, unless the 205 members who have
adhered to their party nominations come
TO some understanding about the organiza-
ton of the House. We are not now read
ing a lecture to any one. We have not
taken upon ourselves the censorship of the
House; we are merely saying what seven
days balloting has made evident. There
is no speculation or guess-work in this. 1t
is simple truth, which the result Of the
first days proceedings made plain enough,
but from which six other days of trial and
unsuccessful effort have cleared all doubt
or ambiguity which may have rested upon
skeptical or sanguine minds.
What is TO be done in this straight be-
comes a matter Of grave inquiry. That the
public business is retarded by the disor-
ganization of the House, is a serious and
obvious evil. The impotence of the
country under protracted suspense is
another and a growing hurt We need
not enumerate the bad effects which must
spring out of the long-continued anarchy
of one branch of the Government They
are many and mighty. And again the in
quiry suggests itself-what is to be done ,
We have heretofore offered some sug-
gestions upon this question, in, we think,
a spirit of candor and fairness. From the
moment when fair exhibition Of the
strength Of parties discovered a majority
against the istration-h6weve com
posed Of the great body of the Democrats
and the fragments of other parties com
bined-wc at once abandoned the idea of
a party triumph ia the election Of Speaker
1t soon became equally evident that the
Democratic party could moi force, of them
selves, party triumph. These PROPOSE
tons conceded, we attempted to show that
the House could not 90 wide Of the true
principle Of representative government, if
something was yielded in its organization TO
the popular will as presented in the cleo
ton of the Chief Magistrate Of the Union.
This, it seemed 10 us, was proper guide
in the absence Of that strength which
would enable any party, by the force Of
numbers, to control the organization.
We also showed that, let the organiza-
ton of the House be what it may, Gene
raj TAYLOR will have TO meet the first
Congress convened after his installation
under less favorable circumstances than
any Of his predecessors. With majority
opposed TO him in both branches Of Con
gress, the concession Of Speaker imparts
no strength to his Administration, other