Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-04-19
THE DEADLOCK IN CONGRESS.
ACIear StatementfrOm Mr.. Reed
SETTING FORTH THE SECRET OF THE PES
TlFERQUS OPPOSlTlON-WHOLLY IN
DEFENSIBLE POSITION OF THE
OBSTRUCTlnG MINORITY.
Washington Letter, April u.

Washington Letter, April p.
In reply to questions in regard to the
present situation in the House, Congress
man Reed said:
The state of affairs at Washington in
the House seems without parallel. Nc
political bill is involved and no political
passions have been aroused. 1t is a pure
and simple struggle on the part of small
minority to control the House. Under
the Constitution and our form of govern
ment the majority should rule. No gov
ernment by the people is possible with
out it. In order that you may understand
the situation l will state the facts. Ten
days ago the Committee -on Rules unan-
imously agreed upon a distribution of
DAYS among the different kinds of bust
ness pending before the House. Among
other assignments two days were given
for the bill to repay the direct tax. When
the direct tax was paid some States paid
and some did not. Obviously all ought
to be treated alike. Either States who
did not pay should pay, or those who did
have their money returned. For South
ern States to pay now is hardship which
no one wants to inflict. The Treasury is
now so full that it threatens to cause a
contraction of the currency and money
panic. Obviously, to pay Just debt there
could be no better time. SOplain was
the case that the Senate has three times
passed this bill, and the last time with
only ten opposing votes. Beck, Reagan,
Voorhees,, Coke and Harris, with others,
voted for it. When the proposal to give
two days to the discussion of this bill
reached the House it met the approval
of all except a few persons from States
which had not paid. They began even
then to fillibuster, but, being sustained,
Mr.. Randall passed the resolution by a
vote of 155 to A, more than three to one.
When the DAYS came for consideration of
the bill fillibustering was resumed
Every facility was offered repeatedly,
again and again, for both debate and
amendment; no limit was put on either.
Nothing, however, would content the
small minority of eighty except the de-
feat of the majority, and so the matter
hangs. While declaring against taking
$17,000,000 from the Treasury, it is an
open secret that if $69,000.OO0 of cotton
taxscould be added these very men would
stop their opposition. So hard has Mr..
Oates been pushed for 1+fensible ex
cuse which he can give to the public for
his indefensible conduct, and that of his
associates, that he has furnished news
papers with story about lobbyists, State
agents and other wicked persons who are
to get some of this money. How absurd
this is can be seen by clause in the very
bill which we are trying to pass, which
reads as follows:
That no part of the money hereby appropriated
shall be paid out by the Governor of any State or
Territory or any other person to an attorney or
agent under any contract Tor services now eXlStng
or heretofore made between the representatives OF
any State or Territory and any attorney or agent.
This clause will be kept, though the
Committee, supposing it will
affect only South Carolina, proposes to
strike it out. But the House will not so
act. The bill will pass with the clause
in it. This clause utterly destroys any
contract, even if made, and the money
will 90 to the States undiminished. Mr..
Oates knew this, and hence puts this in
telligence into the newspapers and not
into his speech. He did, however, put
into his report the statement that he
would offer to amend by adding the $685.
100000 of cotton tax.
AS for the alleged conspiracy against
the Mills bill, that bill, if it reduces rev.
enue, which it does not, will reduce fu-
ture revenue. The amount in the bill
now in deadlock will be paid out of that
in the Treasury or in the banks.
Mr.. Weaver struggling to keep money in
the banks is spectacle.
The fillibusters held meeting yester-
day afternoon, and agreed to continue
their fight without recesses and without
rest until an adjournment is obtained and
the legislative day of Wednesday ended. |
To carry out this scheme, which means
sitting up all night and remaining on
duty all day, the force of ObstructiOniSts
has been apportioned into reliefs, and
these will watch the proceedings and
make the necessary dilatOry motions |
while their brethren retire.