New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-18
DEMOCRATIC DELAYS.
THE BUSINESS OF CONGRESS NEGLECTED.
THE HOUSE OFTEN WITHOUT QUoRUM-Noi
MUCH BEYOND THE PASSAGE OF APPROPRIATION
BILLS EXPECTED.
lBY TELEGRAPH To TUE TRIBUNE.


BILLS EXPECTED.
lBY TELEGRAPH To TUE TRiBUSEl
WASHINGTON. May 17.-Durng the week just
ended business in the House has proceeded wholly
by sufferance and it was in the power OF the
minority at any time to block the wheels of leglsla
ton by demanding the presence OF quorum
Three of the general appropriation bills passeu 'he
Committee of the Whole, but no action on them was
taken by the House, because the rules re-
auire the calling of the roll on the passage OF
such bills and that would have disclosed the lack
of a quorum, which the Constitution requires sew
eral other bills were passed. and all without quo
rum. The Democrats have "a members more than
a quorum. which consists of 1913 members, but
on no day could the Democrats muster more
than 90 votes The slim attendance was partly
due to the races and partly to an ex-
curslon to some of the Virginia battle
fields. but mainly to Indifference and discomfort.
Since the loss of the Morrison bill tho dominant fac
tion of the majority to show greater imbecil-
ity than ever. The Hewitt bill awakened little
interest and since ii was brought in the ways ana
Means Committee has found itself without quo
rum at every meeting. The efforts OF the
Southern men to arouse sentiment
in favor of Internal Revenue legisla-
ton have produced no apparent result. Some oil
the Western Free Traders have talked some III
tentative sort of way aDOut Dill 10 put sait anu
lumber on the free list, and they have received
mild announcement from Chairman Morrison and
Mr. Hurd but even this measure fails to excite the
spiritless and Indifferent majority. Even Mr.
DOrsheimer's proclamation in favor OF " Revenue
Reform" is regarded with cool disapprobation and
the prospect now is that it will never see the light
At last accounts it had received only two sigma
lures and its author is said to be discouraged
Mr. Randall seems to be the only Democratic
leader who has purpose for which he can success
fully contend He is pushing the work of The Ap-
propria iations Committee with vigor and, from the
standpoint of a Democratic apostle of ECONOMY
with considerable success despite the personal hos
tility of a majority Of his party asso-
ciates. In, forcing through the House
bill which in its present form would
seriously cripple the Consular and Diplomatic
Service, and make il the laughing stock of every
civilized nation, Mr.. Randall showed his ability
and strength IN a bad cause, and made his nv ais
more Jealous than ever. They dare not defeat his
bills, and they seem to be incapable OF bringing
forward and passing any measure of public utility
Even the bills to forfeit the unearnet land grants
of railroad companies allowed to slumber on the
calendar. Nothing has been done to reform the
coinage provide for the future stability OF the
National bank currency.
10 enumerate the things that should have
been done and which have been neglected
would be tedious, for they include nearly
Now the chief burden of talk is the date OF final ad-
iournment and nobody expects much to be accom-
pshed aside from the passage of the appropriation
bills and the unseating of three four Republican,
who were elected and the putting In their places OF
the same number of Democrats who were not elected