New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-16
should have powerful influence in fastening
the reform everywhere.
LEGTSL4TIVE LUNACY.

Weaver is getting unblessed by Democratic
journals because, they say, he has given the
Republicans precisely the excuse they wanted
for changing the rules Of the House. But MIR.
Weaver has simply illustrated the unlimited
power which, under Democratic organization.
the rules have deliberately given to any crank
or donkey to arrest all public business. There
is not a single sensible Democrat in the House
who has not repeatedly admitted, during the
last year or two, that the rules aforesaid are
mschievous and discreditable in the extreme
and no other party except the Democratic mas
ever existed which could have been induced 10
tolerate, while in a majority and Responsible ior
legislation, such tyranny as the rules ana the
rulings of Mr. Carlisle have given to Few
members.
Only one explanation is. conceivable; the
Democratic party in Congress was quite aware
that IL could not be trusted, and so went be-
yond all reason in providing stralt-]acket
for itself. The rules were bad enough when
Republicans ceased to control the House. But
during the prolonged struggle between Demo
cratic factions, between the followers OF MIR.
Carlisle and the followers OF Mr.. Randall, IN
which no effort has been spared to make it i'm
possible for a majority in the House to do any
thing that small clique might desire to pre-
vent rules and rulings have taken from the
House well-nigh all its power as law-mazing
body. II four-ffths of the Democrats wanted
to wrec,. the party by crazy expenditures, a
carriage-load of leaders could put the strait
Jacket on at once II Southern fanatics lost
all sef-control, and were about to pension rebel
al N
other particularly suicidal thing, little knot
of managers who had not lost their senses could
hold the whole mob in check. II Mr. Randall
himself with few followers was disposed to
Join with Republicans in passing tariff bill
not for free trade, it was entirely within the
power of Messrs. Carlisle and Mills to defeat
majority, however large.
That was the only way the Democratic party
was permitted by its leaders to keep up pre-
tenoe of governing. They dared not trust it
to do anything and so Do-Nothing Congresses
have made Democratic incapacty notorious.
The rules have come to be such that, except
on measures brought forward by few COM
mittees which Mr.. Carlisle appoints, legislation
without practically unanimous consent was
impossible. That was perhaps the best thing
attainable, when the majority in the House was
composed largely Of men who needed strait
Jacket. But it was only mode of depnving
the people of their right to govern themselves
through the representatives they had seen fit
to select. II is highly probable that, If the
Democratic majority in the House had been
left free to do all the unpatriotic and absurd
things il pleased, very few of its members
would ever have been reelected.
A legislative strait-jacket Ia not necessary
for a Republican majority. What the people
want, and have a night to insist upon, is that
the representatives they have elected shall be
suffered to pass bills without the veto Of Car
isle, Randall or Weaver. II the Repub-
Lean Representatives are not to be trusted, the
sooner their constituents know it, so that
worthier men may be chosen, the better. But
as things stand, no legislation for the public
good is possible unless within The narrow limit
Of practically unanimous action. The first
thing to be done is TO cast aside the legislative
strait Jacket, and to give the majority in the
House freedom commensurate with its re-
sponsibility TO the people.