Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-09-09
THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY.
A Washington Paper Reviews the Pc
culiar situation In the House.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9.-Ihe Post in specu-
lating about the disadvantages the Republi-
cans will labor under with their slim ma
jority in the next house Of representatives,
says;
If the next congress were called into ses-
sion forthwith the Republicans would have
a majority of three. This is not very large
and it disappears almost entirely when the
question of a quorum Is raised There arc
S25 members Of the house, and it requires 1853
members to constitute a quorum. AS the Re
publicans have l64 altogether the absence
OF two members would place them at tine
mercy Of the minority If the minority choose
70 obstruct business by not voting. The
journal could not be adopted il the point of
no quorum was raised, provided the minority
did not vote.
"All the resources Of the party could not
keep quorum In the house fifteen minutes
il one was secured and the doors not locked
The most careless observer of legislative pro
coedinss can see that the Republican ma
jority is not a majority at ALL except for
such q momentous purpose as elacting
speaker when the Attendance of every mem-
ber can be secured As for doing anything
more than accomplishing the mere work of
organization, il would be out Of thequestiun.
s--'rhe fact that a working majority ia the
face Of opposition from the minority does
not exist is obvious The suggestion, there
fore, comes that it is policy to wait until
the congressman from the new states appear
with their certificates and the Republican
majority is swclled 10 six. The presump-
tion is that when the membership Of the
house is increased to $50 by the admission Of
the five new congressman yet 20 be elected,
four will be added TO the Republican and
i a. n. .
relative strength Of the two parties in the
house q representatives los Republicans TO
163 Democrats
"A little figuring will show that the situa-
ton WIN not be bettered much even with
this increased Republican majority. With "A
membership Of $50 it will require iG6 to CON
stitute a quorum Assuming that the mi-
nority for obstructive purposes decline to
vote, the Republicans will be compelled TO
produce l66 members out Of total OF l0S
Three absentees ON the side Of the majority
places n hopelessly at the mercy Of the mi
noriry, and all the changes in the rules that
can be regularly made will not affect the
constitutional requirement as regards a
quorum
Can quorum BE- produced with such q
small majority in the event Of the minority
iilibusteringl
III cannot be done six times in six months.
In the last congress the Democrats had some
experienoe Ia that direction Their major
ity over the Republicans and independents
combined was eleven One OF the 1ndepend-
ents acted uniformly with the Democrats
and practically their majority was increased
to that extent Yet ON the NEST important
occasion it was an awful task TO get a quo
rum when the Republicans refused 10 vote
"On several occasions the Democrats had K
hlibuster 10 prevent the Republicans from
outyoting them and this with absentees ap
paently paired The neglectful and delln
quent members who hang around commits.
rooms when they ought TO be on the floor
and who are hanging over the restaurant
bar when roll calls are in progress, are the
horror Of party leaders.
"a case in point is furnished bythe Carlisle.
Thcebe contest Mr Carlisle had been electel
speaker even though Lis seat was contested
There was no higher duty to the party Dc
manded of the Democratic members during
the Fiftioth congress than TO see that their
speaker wa fully supported in the contest
Notwithstanding tho Importance Of the issue
from party standpoint, when the vote wa,
taken there were enough Democratic mem
bers absent to have unseated Speaker Car
Isle.
IA it was, large number of Republicans
voted with the Democrats, but the ahsentes
had no assurances that such would be th,
result One OF tho atsentees was New Yorl
Domocaatsc congressman who was repeat
edly autographed 10 make his appearance
There were plenty of trains to enable him Z,
got TO Washington without losing mucl
ume. When too Late 20 get here, he tele
graphed that he WAS detained by an import
ant law case. It afterwards turned out thn
he WAS trying to get RENTED "A fine of 81!
imposed ON one Of his constituents for illega
liquor selling
Most party men would have preferred q
3 have paid the amount rather than risk tn
consequent delinquency Yet this mombe
took the chances rather than 60 take tn
trouble TO come TO Washington.
THE above is a sample OF Democratic OK
, perfences In the coming congress the Demo
cratic leaders VIM grin while they watch tn
Republican leaders sweat in the eifert 70 POI
the full strength Of their party