River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-04-25
The SYST Congress.

ana necessary legislation from the
coming congress should bear in mind
the clOseDess of the political strength
of the two parties in the House, and
not be disappointed if the Republicans
fail to accomplish all they may desire.
Should the Democrats pursue the fill
clustering tactics so often Tesorted to
by them during the last congress, it
viii in all probability be in their power
to at any time defeat any action. 1t
takes a quorum to act. The Republi-
cans have at present 1874 members
elect, l63 constituting quorum. With
four new states this margin will be
somewhat increased, but at best the
Republicans cannot hope for an abso-
Lutte majority-a working majority-of
more than three or four.
During the last congress the Demo
Gratis had a majority of sixteen, and
still with this liberal margin they had
at no time present in the House the
necessary quorum of 1873. By refusing
to vote,-and there is no power in the
House to compel member, though
present, to vOte,--the Republicans
could at any time have defeated the
will of the majority. Such non-action
has been discouraged by Republicans;
and it is to their credit that they have
not blocked the wheels of legislation
even when the action of the majority
was contrary to their judgment.
There is no prospect that the Repub-
lican members can be present to within
tour of their total number in the 5lst
Congress. 1t must be remembered
that congress consists largely of men
past the middle of life and half a
dozen or more in the natural course of
events will be unable to attend from
sickness or other unavoidable causes.
This will also be true of the Demo-
Gratis, and the majority in the House
will not be changed on that account,
but the initiative in legislation must
be taken by the Republicans, and we
refer to it to show how absolutely they
will be at the mercy of the minority.
Not that we suspect the Democratic
party will commit itself to the foolish
policy of defeating all legislation,-
such course their leaders know would
be suicidal. But there are many con-
tested seats in the present congress.
The solidarity of the South is threat
ened by Republican candidates who
appeal to the House to investigate
election frauds, by which
they claim they have been counted out
and deprived of seats to which they
were legally elected.
By the rules of the House election
cases very properly take precedence
over any other business. But in prac-
tice they are frequently postponed
until the dying hours of congress, or
never heard at all. Common sense
would say that the very first duty of a
legislative body is to determine who
shall constitute its members,--whom
the people have elected. But we dare
say that, however fragrant the viola.
ton of law, if the seat of Southern
Democrat is contested Northern Demo.
Gratis will servilely follow from sheer
force of habit their Southern leaders
to defeat action. 1t is in these mat
ters that the Democratic fillibuster
comes to the front. Gen. Oates of
Alabama has given the country warn
ing that any attempt to unseat Demo
Gratis will be resisted at any cost, and
when we bear in mind the fighting
qualities of this able, one.armed, ex-
general and the dance he
led his fellow Democrats a year ago
until he forced them all into line in
opposition to the "Direct Tax Bill"
we cannot fail but recognize the al
most utter hopelessness of the en-
deavor to seat the Republican candi.
dates, deprived of their certificates of
by fraudulent methods.