Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-10-05

Another Democratic apportionment
bill failed to pass the House the other
day, because there was not consttu.
tional majority of Democrats there.
This is another illustration Of the re
suits of the absenteeism which some of
the members indulge in and the rest of
them permit. We repeat what We have
said before, what the Democratic press
of the state universally agrees with, and
what the governor firmly believes, that
in failing to keep l0l members at least,
at Harrisburg the Democratic represen
tatives greatly weaken their position and
enhance public dissatisfaction with
them remaining there. The Demo
cratic newspapers Of the state have been
recently quoting with warm approval
the comments of the Philadelphia Ledger
upon the apportionment question and its
approval Of the attitude of the governor
and his party on this issue. That iunu
ential journal, however, recognizes the
fact that the Democratic position is
greatly weakened by absenteeism in the
House. In its issue of to day it thus
expresses views which should sink deeply
into the minds of Democrats at Harris
burg. 1t says:
II the Democratic majority of the Har.
risburg House Of Representatives should
be asked to exhibit the outcome of their
actual work last week and this, they
would have no better showing to make
than the Republican majority of the
Senate, though the latter body has assem-.
bled but three times-meeting only to
ADJOURN. This is because the Democratic
majority of the House, which has been
insisting upon o continuance of the sessiOn
until the command of the constitution
shall be obeyed, has been too Indifferent to
its own assumed position to compel the
attendance OF it's own members. Tho
House has done nothing during that time
because the Democratic majority, which
can rule the House when its ranks are full,
have neglected their plain duty. Efforts to
pass apportionment bills failed for lack Of a
constitutional majority, although such
majority is contained on the Democratic
roll. There was not enough of them
present even to assert their position upon
the record. Only day or two ago those
VINO were present were obliged to 60 back
NPSA VI blclI n.
IL was that which led Mr.. Crawford to say
that the Republicans called up ono of the
apportionment bills only because there
were not one hundred and one Democrats
in the House. This was, no doubt, true
but there was no force In 1t, because il ia
the business Of the Democratic majority 70
have one hundred and one (and moreJ OF
Its members there at every meeting of the
House, II 1t hopes to make good the only
ground upon which it can Justify
being In session at all. The Democratic
majority Of the House is responsible fol
the indifference, negligence and absen
teeism of the House just as the Republi-
can majority in the Senate is responsible
for the refusal Of the Senate to go beyond
its ultimatum" or TO meet more thar
twice week. This is the responsibility
In all representative bodies where there
is a party majority and party opposition.
While all thinking, fair minded men will
accord to individual senators aud repre-
sentatives whatever merit is due to them
Tor their attendance aud endeavors TO do
their duty, they cannot fail to condemn
the majorities who allow the duties of the
Legislature to be neglected and trined
with as ia the House, or denied as in tho
Senate. For party majorities have it
always In their power to enforce attend.
auce aud TO compel progress In the public