New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-19
Mp ROBTSONS FAILURE As 4 LEADER

Jcannette expedition.
NR. ROBESONS FAILURE As LEADER.
.,,orurp DAY WASTED IN TIE HoUsE-POINTs
MADE BY MEssRs. BELFORD AND HORR.
lgr TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBuSE.l
u.s,,xcrov Jan. lS.-The House of Represent
,.i,-,s has wasted another whole dav in a discus
on relating more or less, TO the proposition TO IN
crease the membership of some of its committees.
OF this time more than two hours were consumed
in useless discussion of point OF order raised py
NJ Robeson against the substitute offered ycster-
dav bv Mr. Orth. That this point OF order would
Ie sustained was as evident the moment 1t was
.odo &C :, vvos after n yea and nay vote of the
Ionse had so declared, after Messrs. Springer
Hooker Sharks and several other eminent parlIa-
,nort,rians had spoken on the wrong side. Before
+bis iIItied and wearisomc discussion was entered
unon Mr.. joyce of Vermont s-rove to make mo-
tion 10 rccommit the whole subject to the Commit
fee on Rules hut this Mr.. EObcsOn would not allow
Had vote been permitted then, the motion would
in all probability have prevailed.
Why this solution of the difficulty SHOULD have
leen opposed by Mr. RObcSOn is regarded as a nys-
terv by many Republican members, to whom II has
lccore perfectly apparent that the Robeson propo-
si,ion will not be adopted. 1t has now been under
discussion two entire days; and, aside from the ex
cellcnt remarks Of Mr.. Reed yesterday, absolutely
nothin. has been said in its favor. Even Mr.. Reed
did not concur in the recommendation of the Com
lnltee on Rules.
Soon after the vain discussion upon Mr.. Robesons
point of order was begun, and after Mr. KoOcson
and one or two other ready speakers had spoken
several times on it, Mt Belford, of Colorado rose
and with some heat demanded the Speakers atten-
tion to a rule which forbade the same neml er to
speak moro than once on the same question till all
members who chose to speak had been heard. Mr..
IL l-a1 n
plauso, encouraged by which he went Oh to say he
had repeatedly sought an opportunity to speak, but
could not get a hearing because he did not belong
TO the sacred circle which assumes domination OF
debate in this House. and he concluded his i'm
petuOus speech OF three minutes by declaring that
the young members of the House seem to have no
nights which the members of the sacred circle
are bound to respect Mr.. Bellords fiery declama-
ton appeared to be heartily approved and rciShcd
by most Of the new members, who applaudcd IT
with energy.
Toward the close of the afternoon, Mr. Horr, of
Michigan. made short but telling speech against
the Robeson proposition. lie declared that after
careful inquiry ho had been unable to ascertain
where the Committee on Rules obtained its inspira
ton to bring forward this proposition which, so far
as he could ascertain. member of the House had
nrged and which no committee chairman had asked
for. Mr. Horr said that It was understood that the
proposition was born of Il desire to heal 4 sore
caused by the previous action of the Speaker but
he doubted whether the proposed plaster was large
enough and whether it might not aggravatc the
wound lie thought this whole performance was
"boy's play The gentleman from Indiana Mr.
Orthj had been here fourteen years, and only two
weeks ago had discovered that the present system
of appointing committees WAS tyrauncaL Gould
it he possible that this was a system Of tyranny
which the gentleman had been unable to discover
TIL after he had received black eye ~ This hit
was received with great applause and laughter for
il has been impossible for members not to feel that
If Mr. Orth lad received the recognition which he
felt he deserved he would never have begun his
warfare upon the one man power
Mr. Iiorr then paid his respects to an abuse which
has assumed formidable proportions in the House
the long Irrelevant and incOnscQuential debates
upon so-called points of order debates which
sometimes run on for hours after the Speaker has
virtually decided them. There are perhaps a score
of men in the House who are never so happy as
when they are dlscUsSngor at least talking about
points of order which are of no interest or import
ancc. Mr. Ilorr taking his cue from well worn !
story suggested that it would be an admirable plan
t. have a special committee selected from experts in |
the House appointed to frame a model debate on
points of order. "Then,' said he "whcn the |
Speaker discovers that discussion Of this sort is |
impending. lie can say to the clerk; Insert the
model debate and the House can proceed at once
with the public business, while the model debate
will appear IN its proper place in Tho Congressional
Ro,or}.' Mr.. Horr concluded his entertaining speech
with some forcblc aud serious remarks on the duty
OF lhe House:
Ouelh Of The time which this session viii is past
and sonc-iIittercd away Questions Of great public
iutcres, confront and thc country expects 10
once t,istlrcs now in session are waiting for
|
doors for admission into the sisrrLOOd Of States
Tie subject of iatc> tate commerce ia oie upon which
IL. rro9r ali many states demand some action Re.
vision OF the tarii is ncytcl and demanded and here we
cit wasting time upon points Of order
Mr. Horr's speech was listened to with close at
tcntion, and was frequently interrupted by hearty
applause. The House adjourned, leaving unfinished
what promises to be "a protracted and spirited dis
cussoD Of an amendment to give the Committee on
Mississippi ltINcT Improvements extended JurIsdic-
tOn so as 10 allow 1t 10 bring IN an appropriation
for the improvement of the strcam-a duty per
formed by the Commerce Committee. If this
amendment should be adopted 1t VIII lead 10 Others
of a similar character and still further postpone
the decision of tie House upon the Robson PROPOSE
ton.
TO convince a great many Republican members
that while Mr.. ROhcson Is IA man OF eminent ability
in many respects, he will never make successful
parliamentary leader. some OF them attribute his
Ill success 10 InattcntIYcHc~s to details, some 10
want of tact and others declare he does not consult
beforehand the temper anC Wlshc, of his party
associates but plunces hcadlOng into a scheme
without first knowing whether members Of his
party Will follow him. number of Republican
members said this afternoon IN private conversation
that Nr. Robson wOnld probably soon resign the
leadership of the majority TO sCue one better skilled
Is aspractcal legislator; andOue OF them declared
that movement was already IN progress To hasten
the event. Some of Mr. RObcsOus friends still
adhere to the belief that he VIII eXtrcatc himself
from his present Il incultes and come OF with flying
coOr5 and il is iutimated that this may be accom-
plIshcd with the as>Istance-Whlch is sad 10 have
been promised-Ot Messr. Randall and Blackburn,