Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-06-08
The Revolutionary Republicans.

New York World.
Nothing quite so outrageous in its
contempt for parliamentary law and
legislative order has ever been done
even by Republican majority OF the
House of Representatives as the revolu,
tionary proposition which was carried
through last week by revolutionary
means. The proposition was an amend
meut of the rules of the House by
which dilatory motions shall not be per
mitted in cases of contested elections.
The rules themselves prescribe how
thew may be suspended The Repub.
licans, under the uuscrupulous decis.
ions of Robeson's man Keller, violated
the first of these provisions and evaded
the other, in order to get to work at
unseating Democrat upon what the
Democrats charge to be a case cooked
by special committee through the sup
preston of evidence.
If the Republicans had been able to
command the two thirds necessary to
suspend the rules, they would OF course
have suspended so much OF the rules as
we're in their way. Not being able TO
do this, what they have done, with the
aid as Keifer, il to overthrow all rules
of parliamentary procedure by bare
numerical majority, so as to deny to
minority which consists OF only one
less than half the number present all
rights save such as they may hold ut the
sufferance of majority which consists
of only one more than half the number
present II is useless to have any rules
at all if majority of one with an un
scrupulous Speaker can at any time
make new rule abrogating all the old
ones to suit any temporary exigency OF
its own.
That the Republican party by its rep.
resentatives should take such position
as this is far more serious matter than
that the South Carolina contest should
be decided in one way or in another.
There is, of course, no more reason why
the rules should be abrogated in 3 case
of contested election than in any other
case. The only attempt to show that
such case stands on different footing
from any other case was made by Mr..
Kasson, and was comic in its nature,
being a declaration that whereas in 9th
er matters the House was a legislative
body, in a contested election ii "sat ju.
dicially.' If anybody can recall any
lican member has "acted judicially" he
will interest an anxious public. The
evident fact in this case ia that Re
publican committee has cooked . report
as a justification in advance of the &C.
ton upon which the Republicans OF the
House were resolved. The Democrats
have fought against this and have insis
ted that the record should represent
the facts. They have been perfectly
justified in this position, and they
would have been successful If the batlled
Republicans had not resorted to meas
ure which is simply and entirely revo.
lutjonary.
OF course, as Mr.. Carlisle urged du.
ring the debate, if the majority can
do away with dilatory motions upon
one question they can do so upon any
other question. rule that dilstory
motions shall not be permitted in the
case of appropriations would be even
more valuable to Robeson and keifer
than the rule which has been adopted.
Nothing more will be necessary to rush
job through the House, whenever
bare majority is got to favor it, than the
passage of such rule. Keifer has
shown that his rulings are as much at
the service of Robson a. the rulings Of
Blaine were at the service OF the Fort
Smith and Arkansas Railroad. When
the factious Democrats undertake to
stop one of Robeson's Iobs, new rule,
suspending as many rules "a may be
necessary for Robeson's purpose. will
be forthcoming, and the rules which are
supposed to protect the minority, and
which the votes OF two-thirds OF the
members present are required to sus.
pend, will be abrogated whenever their
abrogation suits the convenience of the
bare msjority OF quorum.
Mr. Randall, who co operated with
the Republican leaders in framing the
existing rules Of the House and who has
led the Democrats steadily in this new
contest for the supremacy OF law, made
perfectly plain.
1t is a peculiarly of the Republicans
that as q party they always act a. il
there we're no hereafter, in this world or
the next. IL would occur to anybody
except Republican majority of legis.
lature that such bloody instructions as
those given by Reed and Keifer might
return 10 plague the inventor. and that
Republican minority might be oppress.
ed not only whenever the Democrats
regained control of the House, but
whenever the Democrats possessed for
day an accidental majority, a. may
very easily happen in the present politi.
cal condition of the House. Happily,
IS a matter of fact, there really Is no
danger Of such result. Why For one
reason only. Because the Democrats
have too much regard for justice, for de.
cency and Tor public opinion to initiate
the revolutionary tactics of their oppo-
nents because the Democratic party il
the party Of conservatism, of order and
of Law.