New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-23
about better state of public opinion on this
DEMOCRATIC ORSTRUCTIONISTS.

DEMOCRATIC OBSTR UCTIONISTS.
That was a singularly characteristic perform
ance of the Democrats in Congress last Monday
night, when under the leadership of those lively
statesmen, McsSrs. Blackburn and Springer
they DISTRACTED all business until after mid
night, compelling Il call of the House with the
usual disgraceful and silly cOncomitants, and
finally forcing the House to adjourn without
having accomplished any thing. majority of
the House desired To proceed to the c0nsdera-
ton of the Geneva Award bill. Now tins is a
bill upon which party lines are not drawn and
party feeling can hardly be enlisted Mr..
Blackburn asserted This in so many words. -
" do not want party feeling" he said, Tor there
"can be no party feeling, | imagine, about this
"bll. There is not politics in it, nor religion,
amor poygamy." And yet the Democratic m"m-
bers of the House resisted for SIX or seven hours
a simple resolution designating time for the
consideration and disposal of this bill, resort
inc to all manner of parliamentary processes
and filibustering tactics to accomplish their
object. On the day following this exhibition
of combined obstinacy and folly the resolution
which they had so sluDboFnly held out against
was taken up without opposition, and, with an
amendment that had been agreed upon, was
passed by vote of ] 60 TO 81. So they had their
filibustering and fooling and ridiculous call of
the House for nothing. Had they been prac-
teal. sensible men, they world have reached
the same conclusion the day before without any
Of the delay and nonsense of the night session.
One cannot help wondering, since there were
no politics in it and no party feeling regarding
the bill itself, and since they permitted the
u
majority to pass the resolution without at
tempting to obstruct it on Tuesday, why they
made so much fuss about 1t on Monday. 1t is
hard to say unless indeed, the habit of obstruc-
tion has become second nature with them and
may be expected to recur periodically with or
without cause or proyocation. We know not
how otherwise to account for it. the perform
ance was in all respects so idlotc and purpose
less. The desire to Obstruct public business
seems to break out among them at certain
Deriods ard to he 50 strong rs to he irresistible.
At these time they will do nothing themselves
Lor permit anybody else to do anything. They
simply stand stlbDcrny in the way Their
Obstnacy in ObStructing the public business
has already compelled the calling Of one or two
extra sessions of Congress; they have repeat
edly hindcred for considerable periods OF time
the transaction OF business III tllt Al'uSC duu
Senate; and a notable instance OF their
disregard of the public interests in tn same line
was the recent deadlock in both branches OF
the Now-York Legislature. Formerly they
were 0bstructi0nists upon principle. DURING
the war whenever and wherever they had the
power they were continually putting obstacles
i'm the way of the Government in carrying ont
its war measures. They had reason for that
They wanted the war to fail. so they OBJ
structed all measures for paying the debt and
for rcsummg specie payment. There was a
reason for that too for they wanted to destroy
the prestige of their opponents and raise them
selves up over their ruin, and were willing that
the Nation should suffer if only they might
como into power.
They had reasons for their factious and
obstructive proceedings then, though they
were by no means good ones. They did not
act wholly without purpose or motive. But
the habit of obstructing public business has so
grown on them of late that they fall into it APP
parently withou any sort of preteXt and upon
the shortest notice. They are coming to be
obstructionists pure and simple, with nc other
end or mission and no other reason for being