The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-07
REEDS REVIEW OF CONGRESS
The Republican Leader from Maine Dis
sects the Record of the Session.
The Knife Applied to Democratic Plans and
Policies-Flat Failure Charged on the Re-
sponsible Majority-The Next Campaign.

There is no better talker in the House than
Reed, of Maine. the unquestioned leader of the
Republican side. Underneath the surface he is
not partisan. He is great student yrofound
observer and possesses wonderful power as
satirist. He does not speak often upon
the floor, but when he does, he invariably has
something to say and generally is the firstto
discover weak spot in the line of the enemy.
Seated in his library and study, last evening,
Mr. Reed talked freely about the course of the
Democratic majority in the House AS his talk
outlines the sharpest criticism that will be made
by the Republicans. it will be read with inter
est. do not break the flow of Mr. Reeds talk
with questions but repeat it exactly as given.
Mr.. Reed said:
''The House of Representatives of the Forty
ninth Congress. Democratic by forty majority,
has had the best opportunity there could be TO
signalize its usefulness to its country and its
party. For the first time in twenty five years
Democratic House has had Democratic admin
istration to sustain it and Democratic admins
tration to provide for. At an early day in the
session the rules by the aid OF the Republicans,
were so liberalized that the majority. for the
first time for years, had full control During
the whole session the majority have never been
hampered, or troubled, or hindered by dilatory
tactics on the part of the opposition. They have
had full chance ito run and be glorifed.' When
the House was organized and the committee of
ways and means appointed. it could be seen at a
glance that the ree.trade element were
alone represented on the Democratic side.
On this point the House was organized
against its majority. Then commenced that
series of maneuvers in favor of various Morrison
bills which called halt TO the Industries Of the
country, then just beginning to show signs of
revival. This freetrade reconnaissance in force
ended in defeat, but it lasted long enough to
make every manufacturer timid and to discour-
age the employment of laborers and skilled
workmen. The last Morrison bill remains on
the docket, q standing menace still.
For the rest. tbs House has been chiefly re-
markable for whatiis has not done, The great
Territory of Dakbta, with half million of
American citizens, has been denied admission
into the Union. A great and growing empire
has been smothered in committee. The Demo
cratic majority has thrust it away privily. They
have not dared soface the open day with this meas
ure and have never brought 1t before the House.
Washington and Montana have received like
treatment, though the cases not SO fragrant
as that of Dakota.
lin the Territory of Utah the partial success
of the.frst Edmunds bill pointed the way to the
complete overthrow of the Mormon hierarchy.
Accordingly the Senate passed another and more
eficacious BILL After long delay in the judiciary
committee, the bill was reported back with
amendments which deserve commentator. But
away down the committee list. There is no ex-
cuse for this Had it even been required to I'M
dergo the ordeal of two-thirds vote not enough
Democrats would have dared to vote against it
in the open day to defeat it Hence it was never
brought. up The Mormons are triumphant and
the gentiles cast down.
During tho last two or three weeks there
seems to have come over the majority realiz-
ing sense that something must be done Hence
Mr. Reagan, after announcing to his own COM
invention, must 60 over because there
was time to discuss so i'm
portant measure, suddenly thrust it in
the way of the consideration of the pension bills
vetoed by the President When he obtained
recognition. instead of passing the Cullom bill,
which, having already passed the Senate, would
have become law, he adhered obstinately to
his own measure and has thus blocked legsla-
ton again on this important subject Wise leg
islation consists in doing what You can, not in
blocking legislation because others do not agree
with you. On the Northern Pacific land forfeit
ure, instead of accepting the Senate bill, which
would have forfeited lands about which there
could be and would be no legal dispute, and
which expressly reserved further right of for
fixture, they have insisted upon lacking on
forfeiture which would have led to another legal
en- broiiment to which the Des Moines river
trouble, which has engaged Congress so long.
aud the just settlement OF which the President
has vetoed, would have been but molehill to
be bonanza to the legal profession.
"During the last campaign the Democratic or
ators moved many vote with the declaration
that there were 5000, 100000 locked up in the
Treasury which would flow all over the country
in fructifying streams if the Democratic party
were to come into power. The first thing the
administration did was to change the form of
the Treasury accounts to show that there was
only an So, 100000 surplus, and the next thing
they did was to increase that surplus to $76,-
a nj
stump oratOry to escape comment. Accord
ingly. Mr.. Morrison, early in the session, got his
committee to present a resolution not to pour
out the $500, 600. 900 which they said the Repub-
licans had boarded. but the $68, DOC, 900 which
the Cleveland administration had added.
But even this resolution. which fell so short
of the stump oratory with which the people
had been beguiled, was allowed to rest until
week or two ago, and then was brought up in
hopes the Senate would kill it. But the Senate.
instead of killing it, amended 1t judiciously; try
ing to preserve for the Democratic admnistra-
ton the same power always exercised by the
Republican administration, and exercised so
wisely as never to call for even partisan legsla-
lative rebuke.
"The merchants of New York, Brooklyn and
elsewhere have been for long time seduously
demanding a change In the warehouse regula-
tons 1t is conceded on all hands that there
should be change. This legislation has been
tackled on to both the Morrison bills, the living
to the dead It could have been passed at any
time. OF course the details would have been
scrutinized and ought to be. But now it can
only be passed, if at at all, without considera-
ton or due examination, and then too late for
action by the Senate. Why were such import
ant interests put in jeopardy Simply in the
hope of compelling stray vote for the. Morrison
bill
''The country has long since decided that it
needs a navy. The committee on naval affai.s
presented bill for six and a half millions. No
body could regard this as extravaganza It even
seems tridng when compared with our needs
But even that small amount Mr.. Herbert found
his leaders unwilling to consent to, and although
he was promised the support of all the Repub-
licans, himself voted for three millions and
half only. He had TO confess OF the floor that
he was forced by the Democratic leaders to cut
his bill in two. The only excuse that can be
given for thus trilng with our needs. while we
have an overlooking Treasury, is found in the