The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-11-28

Mr.. SPEAKER-I have not hereto
fore troubled the House with any re-
marks. Notwithstanding that and
knowing the fact that had but few
moments in which to say what | de-
sired to say, this confusion has been
gotten up by the other side for the
sole purpose Of preventing me, and l
regret to say that the Chair aided the
attempt, Mr.. Speaker, the question
Of apportionmeHt which has engrossed
the attention of this House for the
past five months has been discussed
and rediscussed until it is quite worn
threadbare, and the "end is not yet.
On the seventh day of June the Legis-
lature met in extraordinary session, by
proclamation of His Excellency the
Governor of Pennsylvania, dated June
9th, 1888. On the following day the
Governor, feeling the great response
bility resting upon him and upon the
party of which he is the recognized
head, again implored the legislators to
do sheir constitutional duty speedily.
and then hie To their several homes-a
strong intimation to the friends of the
administration in both houses to help
him over the dangerous shoals of the
political whirlpool in which he had
placed himself and his party. How
we'll you have done this, FIVE months
of ceaseless grasping after unfair poll.
tical advantage has become historical.
Legislative and Congressional appor-
tionment bills have been repeatedly
passed by a Democratic House and
sent the Senate for concurrence, which
have as often been refused. A Repub-
lican Senate has passed similar bills
in which the House has failed to con-
cur. Conference committee after con-
ference committee has been appointed
by both houses to adjust the differences,
but have as often failed. The Senate
having offered fair and equitable ap-
portionment measures aud having con.
ceded all that it was possible to con.
cede, deemed farther parleying unnec.
essary, and resolved to received no
further conference committees from
the House, but passed a concurrent re-
solution to adjourn, which was defeat.
ed by the Democrats of the House, as
likewise some half dozen similar ones
since that time. The gentleman from
Lackawanna Mr.. AMERMAN], the
dsmagogue of the admistration in the
House-tho pedagogue, | mean-bas
regularly and persistently on every
Monday evening offered the stero.
typed resolution for a committee of
conference, which has been as regular
yand persistently debated by its puta-
tive father. In the interim a new ap.
portionmeEt bill is offered, discussed
and amended, but postponed week af.
ter week for want of a quorum. Fin.
ally, when a sufficient number of alb
sent Democrats is obtained to pass it
it is sent to the Senate to be buried
in oblivion with other resolutions Of
conference. What does all this meani
There is not Democrat in this House
but who knows that since the ultima.
tum of the Senate, about three months
ago, that it is perfectly lost time to
make long-winded speeches on resolu'
tions and bills that will never receive
any consideration from the CO. ordinate
branch of this Legislature--not only
q loss of time, but an almost criminal
waste of the peoples money. Again
] ask, what does all this mean? Fol
more than three months the Senate
has almost weekly urged this body tC
ego home" and submit the question al
issue, of the fairness of these bills, to
the people of this Commonw wealth, and
thus save them the enormous expense
entailed upon them by reason of thii
extraordinary session. Why did you
not 60? Did you think for moment
that the ultimatum Senators would
yield? At different times thirteen out
of the twenty Democratic Senators
have voted with the Republicans tC
adjourn. believing that further attempt
to legislate on the question of appor
tionment was utterly futile, and that
this legislative farce should cease
But this House would have none of it
Can it be that the high.toned and gen
tlemanly Democrats of this House
have any mercenary motives in voting
TO prolong this session? Or is it that
they find this extra session a huge pol
litical blunder, milestone, as it were
hanged about their necks, which mean,
ruin and defeat to their party; and
out of chagrin and righteous indigua
ton against their inexperienced and
domineeriug leaders aim to bury them
selves in the ruins, like one of old, by
prolOnging this political circus-witf
the gentleman from Laekawauna fol
ring master, and by the way, 'as milo
hammered man as ever cut throat
pr scuttled a ship" Mr.. Speaker, lei
ns for q nnnnant eva nina thn t,,n c..