New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-11
LAW-MAKING ARRESTED.

Again the possibilities Of a complete failure
Of the legislative body, as part Of the machin-
cry of civilized government. are made prom
inent on both sides Of the Atlantic. British
government has been severely tested by the
methods adopted 10 prevent an arrest Of all
legislative functions by q minority. and IL Is
still an open arestion whether these measures
will suffice, or any others which do not intrust
practically unlimited power to the majority.
In different form the same issue is raised once
more in the American Congress by the cam
paign of filibustering upon which the Demo-
Gratis have entered. For IL Is but too evident
that the course chosen by the Democratic eau
Gus IS deliberately intended to give to tho
minority In the next House absolute power to
arrest all legislative action which may not suit
its wishes.
Step by step the rules Of tho House have
been 10 developed as to deprive individual
members Of power TO accomplish anything OF
merit or OF value to their constituents. and TO
deprive the entire legislative body Of power to
accomplish the object Of its existence. The
older members, the members who are most
convcrsant with the rules. would be the first
10 recognize the truth Of this statement. and
to admit that the making OF laws has, by the
gradual modification Of the rules. been rem.
dered a process OF extraordinary difficulty. II
has come to be so that debate. in the proper
sense, Is practically unknown; that the little
power which the House has left TO accomplish
anything Is necessarily intrusted to few oon-
mittees who are selected by the Speaker; that
parliamentary contests over the order Of bust
ness and The application OF the rules occupy
great part Of the time; that outside Of neces-
sary routine business of which few commit
tees have charge, other proposed legislation
can be practically prevented in a great ma
jority OF cases by the objection OF single In
dividual and that a smsll minority has power
practically almost unlimited to defeat even the
most important measures. II 1t were necessary
TO consider the present state OF things as
permanent. IL would have to be admitted that
the law-makihg body. vital part in the ma
chinery Of self-government, had virtually bro
ken down and proved unable to perform its
functions.
This state Of things. as all observers are
aware, has come to pass through successive
notifications Of the rules which were desired.
at one time TO secure greater power to the ma
iority to control the time Of the House. and at
another time to give better protection &c the
rights Of the minority. First in one direc-
ton, and then in the other. rules have been
added or changed, and by each change the
value OF the House rs deliberatiye and law
making body has been lessened in obedience
to real or supposed necessity. Ii is now the
belief Of the Democrats that. under the exist
ing rules, the minority can with certainty pre-
vent in the next Congress the admission OF new
States, the passage of an apportionment bill.
the revision of the tariff. laws to secure free
dom of suffrage, and any other legislation 1t
may oppose And ii is seriously feared by
competent men who are TO be members OF the
majority that the rules as they stand will prac-
ticaly enable the few to defeat the will of the
many.
II Is not within the power Of outside OBJ
servers to Judge what remedies are necessary
or practicable. Those only can devise rem
edy who understand thoroughly the nature and
effect Of the existing rules But the principle
which ought to govern is sufficiently obvious.
The Legislative body exists for the sole purpose
OF legislating, and not for the protection of a
minority Rules which deprive the body rs a
whole of power to make laws which it wants
to make need TO be so far modified that the
win of the people shall find ready and prompt
expression. IL is contrary to the spirit Of our
institutions, and threatening to their very ex-
stence that those who represent minority Of
the people shall have power to stop action
deemed necessary by the majority of the people.
The tendency OF such rules, whether they work
for the time in favor of Republicans or Of Dem
ocrats, is to take from the majority the re-
sponsbility and the sense of responsibility
which belong to it, to take from the legislative
body it's usefulness, and to deprive self-gov-
eminent of the confidence OF the people,
When the next House assemblies its first and
most necessary duty will be to so adjust tho
rules that law making in accord with the will
Of the majority shall be rendered moro easy
and certain. ANY change of the rules to that
end will probably be resisted by filibustering.
and'may give rise to prolonged struggle. But
the struggle had better come early than late;
better before the issue has been narrowed to
some one measure Of partisan interest than
after. Some even argue that In order that IL
may come, and may be over before the time