National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-30
Fair pIny Wins a Victory.

II II he true, as generally believed, that
Speaker Carlisle packed the educational
committee Of the House Of Representatives
with view to preventing the House from
acting on the Blair educational bill, the
Speaker was guilty Of grossly violating the
fundamental principle of the government
by substituting the will Of one man for the
wish Of the majority.
Could It be proven that the Speaker had
plotted and worked to prevent majority
Of the people from the lawful exercise OF
their viii through their immediate repre-
sentatives, the fact would be material adj
dition to the formidable array of pre-
viously known facts condemnatory of the
present plan of organizing the committees
Of the House.
But, whether packed or otherwise, II will
not be questioned In any quarter that the
educational committee decided to shelve
that bin, after It had passed the Senate by an
overwhelming majority, for no other reason
than to prevent its passage by the House.
1t was notorious long before the bill
reached the Senate that, II a chance were
offered, It would go through the House by
reason Of the pressure of public opinion.
II had passed the Senate in 1884. 1t had
been discussed in every state and in almost
every family. No measure since the passage
of the civil rights bill had been more exhaust
lively canvassed by the people. The Senate
had devoted, all told, more than n month to
its consideration, and had, for the second
time, sent 1t to the House, with an indorse-
meut seldom accorded to any highly i'm
portant measure.
With such history behind 1t, with a
House anxious to send 1t TO the President,
with the country calling for prompt action,
a committee of the House coolly showed
the bill into pigeon hole, metaphoiiaally
snapped its flng ers in the face Of the House
and the country, and, putting its thumb to
its nose and spreading its hand inquired,
"What are you going to do about it {"
The committee in this business, no mat
ter what precedents 1t may cite, was In
solent, and its course was in the most d.
rect antagonism to the principle which is
supposed to underlie our federal structure
Well, the friends of the bill have shown
Mr.. Speaker Carlisle, the usurping majority
VI luC CuuCulOuul COllllllbbGt, IuG lOuSSi
and the country just what they are "going
to do about It,"
Mr.. Willis yesterday presented the Senate
bill as new proposition, and by decisive
test vote had it referred to the labor COM
mittee--a friendly committee-who will re-
port 1t back at the earliest opportunity.
This defeats the plot, confounds the
plotters, and vindicates the principle Of
majority rule. The bill will have its day in
court-will have chance for square treat
ment.
If the enemies OF this measure can defeat
It by fair means its friends will not com.
plain. If the Democratic House, after due
delberation, decides against 1t, If some
who are now its friends can be converted
into enemies, and majority be mustered
against it, there will be no reason to COM
| plain of revolutionary tactics, and the issue
will 60 to the country on its merits.
But the plan adopted to kill this bill
the plan that was so handsomely thwarted
| yesterday-is sort of tactics that ''to be
hated needs but to be SEEN"