Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-04-18
THE HOUSE DEADLOCK.
Speaker CarIisle's Responsibility for
the Obstruction Of Legis-
lation.
Filibustering Against the Passage Of
the Direct Tax Bill-The Point
a Issue.
Washington special to Chicago News

G. Issue.
Washington special to Chicago News
The whole Of last week was wasted II
the House Of Representatives, and it looks
as if the coming week would also be thrown
away. An attempt was made at the Demo-
cratic Caucus last night to reconcile the
. Northern and Southern wings of the De-
mocracy, but the feeling is very bitter, and
the filibusters gave notice that any attempt
TO crack the party whip over them would b
resisted and resented. TAore have bsen Z
good many such deadlocks in the House,
but none more determined or desperate
than this. Twenty eight men, under the
skillful leadership Of Mr.. Oates, Of Ala
bama, are holding nearly three hundred al
bay and blocking business entirely. 1t 10,
as Mr.. Reed said yesterday, much more
important for the House to determine
whether small minority shall bs allowed
to rule than II 10 to pass the direct-tax bill.
over which the struggle Is now going on.
IL it shall be decided that 10 per cent. Of
the members of the House may determine
what bills shall be passed and what bills
shall not be passed, it is about time that
the rules we're revised. By adopting these
tactics the Republican, may at any time
stop the wheels of legislation and nullify
the will Of the majority.
There is no great point at issue in this
contest. Less than two score OF men who
were engaged in the rebellion and represent
the States that tried to secede are simply
attempting, by creating legislative anarchy,
10 prevent the passage Of bill to refund
to the Northern States the $l7, ,0O0,0 900 that
was collected from thoss States in 1861 to
carry on the war. As the Southern States
paid nothing they will get nothing, and
these filibusters do not propose to have
Sl7,O0O,000 paid out of the treasury of
which the South can have no share. They
demand that the cetton tax, which amount
ed to over $50, 900, 900, be refunded to the
South if the direct tax is repaid TO the
North. Speaker Carlisle might stop the
filibustering If he would, but think he is
In sympathy with the anarchists. He Is not
compelled to recognize Mr.. Oates every
time that gentleman yells "Mr. Speaker,
and when Mr.. BreckinridRe rises to make
a dilatory motion the Chair il under no
obligations to give him the floor, but Car
Isle has no sand and no nerve, and permits
time to be wasted and legislation delayed
for fear of hurting the feelings Of some
Southern friend.
Representative Oates said tonight that
the opponents Of the direct tax bill would
continue their obstruction tactics indefinite
ly, and would not give up until the major
ity had withdrawn the bill from considera-
ton. No compromise was possible. He
says that he has personal pledges from fifty
members that they will stand by him in
the dlibustering movement, and that he
will have seventy five votes before to- NOR.
row night.
In the last days Of the XLIvth Congress,
when Springer and others were trying to
prevent the count of the electoral vote by
the use Of similar tactics, Mr.. Randall,
then Speaker, taught the House . lesson.
The filibusters yelled and shouted; they
denounced and maligned him: th6y climbed
to the top of the clerks desk and stood
demanding recognition. But Mr.. Ran
Fernando Wood of New York, then
the leader Of the Democracy. Mr..
Wood, with his tall slender, and
stately figure, his ruddy face and white
hair and mustache, always q conspicuous
figure and cool headed leader, stood in
the center of the Democratic side, near
where Cox sits now, and made his mo-
tions, one after the other, never leaving
that spot for more than forty. eight hours,
and during all this time Randall was III the
chair. Their meals were brought to them,
and they had no sleep. An examination
of the record for that date will show that
no man but Fernando Wood made mo-
ton, and the reader would infer that he
was the only member present at tho sss-
sion. 1t was arbitrary, but it was Just.
Two days only remained of the session,
and if the hour Of IL o'clock came ON tho
4th of March without the electoral vote
having been counted and the result de-
clared there would have been no Preei-
dent-elect. the White House would have
been empty, and Gen. Grant would have
been dictator Of the United States.
The exigency is Of course not 80 serious
now as it was then, but Carlisle might stop
the filibusterihg il he wanted 70. The
leader of the filibusterers is Representative
Oates Of Alabama, tall, heavily built
man Of dignifisd and distinguished pres
encc. He was Colonel in tho Confeder-
ate service, and the empty sleeve upon his
right side tells of the arm that he left on
the field in front of Richmond in his
twenty seventh battle. His large, finely
formed head is covered with siltefy white
hair, and he looks older than the So years
with which he il credited. His face IL full
and smooth except for q gray moustache.
He is deliberate talker, but does not pos
sess the gifts Of an orator. He is skilled,
however. in parliamentary tactics and
rather enjoys skirmish, whether il be
on the battle field or on the door Of
the House. He is assisted in this struggle
by Representatives Breckinridge Of Ar
kansas and McMillin OF Tennessee. The
former is small Of stature, with . pale,
thoughtful face, with its student-lke ap-
pearance heightened by pair Of specta-
cles. He is quiet little man. pleasant
and genial in his manner, and possessing.
10 use sporting parlance, good staying
qualities" Representative McMillin is
man Of about 43 years Of age, active il
movement, noisy In debate, and always in
the foreground, no matter what IL going ea.
When McMillin came 10 Congress origins
ally he was about the gfeenest man In the
House, but he has learned great deal
since, and, having the faculty Of pushing
himself forward, has obtained q rather
prominent position and q place upon the
Committee OF Ways aud Means.
The leader of tie majority in this CON.
test, as the representative Of the Judiciary
Committee which reported the bill, is MI.
Ezra b. Taylor, o. Ohio, the successor Of
Garfield. He is one Of tho Oldest men in
the House. being over 20, bat bears hi.
years we'll, and looks twenty years younger.
He is tall and erect in figure, and wears .
Prince Albert coat closely butionsd around
his spare form. His beard il long, pointed,
and always neatly trimmed. In color it 10
sandy gray, and his hair il but slightly
streaked with white. There are some deep
furrows In his face, however, due to afiic-
ton rather than age.
Although being in charge of the bill
gives Mr.. Taylor prominence 10 the fight,
the man who stands beside him and guides
his moyements 10 Mr.. Reed, OF Maine, Who
il recognized by every one - the leader on
the r, publican side, and his orders are
promptly obeyed.
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Seeking Snrcease Of Serrsw.
Il m feelin' awful CROSS" said old
Mrs. Burdock. - she appeared st hcr
new nei0hbOrss door. uans N I royna