New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-03
CONFRONTED BY SPECTRES.
TROUBLE LOOMING UP FOR DEMOCRATIC
REvoLUTIONISTS IN THE HOUSE.
COLONEL OATES PROPOSES A STEERING COM.
MITTEE' INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUAL LEADER.
sHIP-THE QUORUM QUESTION.
tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rkIBt-SE-r

sHlP-THE QUORUM QUESTION.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE,
Washington, Oct 2-some OF the Democratic men,
Ders Vi the House have begun to see ghosts already
annough the assembling of that body is two months
away Three months ago they were hilarious be-
cause Of alleged Republican dIssensions, and tho
TACT mat the Republican majority in the House
"ouu DC so narrow that IL would be found impracti
.aoio 70 obtain or keep a quorum In that body
r'u OF their exploits in fllbustering in the last
congress, they said. with one accord wo will pre-
vent any change OF the rules, Even 50 good a
paramentarian as Mr.. Randall-ablest OF Democratic
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES that therc should be no
change Of the rules and HIS deep, sullen roar was
"nocd by the smaller, IL shrler voices IN the Demo.
cratic mcnagerie. The fact that the next House
VIII 90 without rules until code shall be adopted
was forgotten ignored When It was tartily re-
callcd Oates, Mills, Dibble and other Southern ex-
Confederate Democrats naturally fell back on the
Constitution
Quorum they said, Is required to do bust
ness and quorum, under the Constitution Is
majority Of the members elected5 They did not
believe that the Republicans could obtain a quorum
OF Republican members, and therefore no obstacle
In the way of their designs, which were and arc
revolutionary, disclosed by Bynum, Oates anil
other Democratic leaders The scncme was and
stil Is, to nulfy the Will of the majority. But it
happens that few OF the Democratic members are
not as yet willing to go so far In a CONVEX
saton one of them said "We have followed tho
lead OF Oates, Mills, Hatch and that sort Of men,
long enough. The country is tired of 1t. The ma
jorty In the last House out the patience OF
the people, and they expect the new Congress TO
do something for Their relief. For my part, | do
not propose to sit mute when questions are put In
the next Congress-
This declaration is one Of the specres which dis
turb tho Democratic revolutonisS. Another Is the
question to how and by whom the presence of a
constitutional quorum shall be determined In the
absence of any rule OF the House the subject.
stu another-and it is By means the least threat
ening of the spectres which trouble the Democrats
is the question of leadership. Even when they were
majority this was rock upon which the party split
day after day and week after week. One day Mills
led the dominant facton another day, or for days.
Oates Springer Weaver was at the helm again. It
was Hatch or McMliubut all the time 1t was skies
and sevens." In the chair was Carlisle, who nomi-
nally be the leader Of the minority and who is
trusted neither for courage nor sagacty by one-half
OF his party.
better solution than the appointment OF steering
Committee" lie evidently wants 1t TO be bigger
than the one which steered the Democratic majority
OF the last House on so many rocks and shoals Here
Is what he says: My proposition Is that there De
spicnous Democrats in the House Let them suggest
lines Of policy and propose them to the caucus Then
OF that would hesitate about following nod
wink from single leader would probably be more
WliuUS 10 ADOPT policies Wei
OF course Colonel Oates would expect TO be an In
fuenial member of the Steering Committee" lie
has not yet recovered from the glory he achieved
when he successfully filibustered under the defunct
rules Of the last Congress, against tho passage OF a
the House lie apparently believes that 1t Is tho
duty OF the minority 10 control the action OF the
good many other Democrats agree with him. II IS
fortunate, however that the country was educated
to such thorough disgust Of Democratic thrilling aud
false preences In the last Congress that II VIII nave
no patience with Democratic revolutionary tactics IN
Inc new Congress, and will Loyalty sustain the
maory in all proper measures TO further the public
business and enact necessary legislation