New-York tribune., 1879-03-05
RANDALL IN TIE CLOSING HOURS.
THE SPEAKER RESORTS 10 TACTICS WHICH PRE-
VENT TIE RUSHING THROUGH OF JOBS Is IRE


THE SPEAKER RESORTS 10 TACTICS WHICH PRE-
YENT TIE RUSHING THROUGH OF JOBS IN TIE
HOUSE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBCSE.
WAsHSGIoN, March 4.-The night session Of the
House was frutlcss and unintcrcsting
Speaker Randall closed up that Pandoras box in
legislation. the Speakers table. more than week
ago. and during tho last days of the session
sat firmly on its top, letting out now and then
measure which, in his opinion, was proper one, but
shutting down the lid with slam Whenever one of
doubtful propricty struggled for release. Lcgisla-
ton usually runs riot during the last day or two of
session. Then Jobs arc N thick as blackbcrrics,
aud many of the barriers which stand in the way
Of their passage at other times are removed,
greatly to tho cost Of the public treas
urv and of the taxpayers. Representatives,
who at other times arc on tho alert.
on such occasions are overcome with fatigue.
and bills which no one except their managers know
ANYTHING about are rushed through without de-
bate or even the most meagre explanation. No
man appreciates the dangers of such legislation
moro than Speaker Randall does and no
one has in former years on similar occasions
been more uutrIng IN his watchfuncss Of the pub
lie interests. On this occasion his control over the
public business was as complete az that of a pilot
over a steamship, and during the long hours Of the
night he guided II with a hand rs steady.
For weeks Nr. Springer had been struggling to
get his resolutions against Minister Seward before
the House and although the Speaker had it in his
power to allow them to come IN at any time, he
drewa tight rein on the spirited Representative from
Illinois while the public business was mcomplctcd.
Then, TO the surprise of many, he let Mr.. Springer
out; and from that time until after midnight this
morning the Speakers rulings were almost uni
fornly such to keep Springer on the floor and in
the way of all business, except that of the most
necessary and pressing kind.
1t may be that the Speaker had no object in this.
but hc has the credit of fayorng Springer as he did
because it gave him power to control tho business.
which power he might have lost if he had not had
the Impeachment resolution or some other similar
brake To apply to the wheels at viii. Huttherc
at least an end even TO Mr.. Sprluecrs pcr,istcucy,
and i'm the small hours of the morning lie withdrew
from the contest beaten.
Then the bills that had been tied up suddenly
rose before the Speaker like a flock Of blackbirds
disturbed by dog. But Nh Randall was equal TO
the emergency. AZ 10 time did tie control of the
House slip ont OF his hands, aud when there
vJ. danger of il he put down the brake,
with a ruling which. while it might have been
perfectly correct. surprised those against whom IT
was made. That decision was that II was the
right of any single member 10 demand the
reading Of every report that was offered, and
that Tins right could not be taken away
even 10y motion 10 suspend the rules. By tins
rufmg hc had n va his power 10 make 'hc House
consume u, time listening to long reports when
there was danger that II would get out Of his hands
II il many years since few bills have been
passed 10y the House during the closing hoaIs # the
session. and ilc country has Speaker Randall 10
thank for it, lie made many enemies by
his hrmnc,-, and W., accused by some
of having unfairly obstructcd fine public
business hut the country ha, learned long ago that
the less huily-buuy legislation passed after md
night ON the last day Of Congress the better, and
u viii appreciate the effort, OF Nh. Randall TO kecp
Il within reasonable bounds.