Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-02-06

1t might be we'll for those 8epn olioan
organs that are trying to end excuses for
Speaker Reeds assumption Of dic,stoFial
power 10 pause and ask Themselves in oil
sincerity what they would say vera the
conditions reversed. Suppose that in
stead Of q small Republican there was
small Democrats majority in the House,
and . Democratic speaker in the chair
that, having gone on until tho month OF
February without adopting code OF
rules-aud, in fact deliberately choosing
not to be bound by any such code or by
any code OF parliamentary law-that
Democratic speaker should determine to
abuse the authority vested in him to any
extent that might serve the purpose Of
turning out seventeen sitting Republican
members and filling their places with
Democratic claimants. Would these de-
tenders Of Speaker Reed stand by and
support such Democratic unsuspation
Would they contend that Democratic
speaker had the right to manufacture
quorums, to refuse to entertain appeals
from his decision, to refuse to put
motions from the Republican side, in
short to substitute q one-man rule for
that of = parliamentary majority? To
merely ask suoh a question Is to have it
answered,
AS tue Philadelphia Ledger, o journal
whose eminent fairness in dealing with a
question like this will be impeached by
! no well informed and fair minded reader,
says;
1.-THE majority must rule" That is the
| strength OF che position OF the Spaaker and
OF those who uphold hlm. III funda.
mental ruls In our country, add In every
American state, and In nearly every Amuri.
can community, aad organization for any
and every purpuse.
But "the maiotlty must rule" according
to Law. la lie cullng the majority Is lin
tied by lGw;is guided by law Is regulated
bY Law; lg restrained BY law, and must act
In All matters and ways IN conformity TO
the law Otherwise We would have one or
other OF two forms Of govornnent-eithe
q despOtism such As 1r. Reed essays or the
wild sway OF mob.
Every man ana boy belonging to an or
ganiasi soctety-and, In these days. very
many women also-knew thls. Yet, Speaker
Reed undertakes by the operation OF his
solo Will TO change, and has actually thus
far succeeded in changing, the parliament
tary law governing tho House OF Rsprasen.
tatiYss OF the United States, crystallizsd by
the custom aud praCgice Of that House for i
hundred yeArsl He does 1t, not pursuing
any regular or recognized methods a. to
order, or tiulF, or representation OF the
whole body iaterAatsu-but by bis own solt
Tllt--nG.!i he gets his usurping decree rAti
ned by the vote Of the minority OF tnt
House padded INTO q Fictitious msi0rlty bl
the arbitrary exercise OF thu very power Il
dispute.
4ugss words are not used 10 tha way o
neRrinEless inactive or denunciation, bu
because they are triia, and exactly fit til
wrong Speaker Reed has done. What b
iid aud was backed 10 by his counted Ia
quorum would not have bseH permitted Ii
hny Intelligent, lawfully governed tow
aOGnc! or lycsum debating cluh In tn
Cnited States. In fact there arc not man,
IN whicn so audaelous u wrong would hay
been attempted BY a selt-gcspactlng pre-
siding officer.
The Morning Mems maintsines tina
Speaker Reed hos been compelled +
make this fght to WAip il four no ding
over flibustering Eepuylioans, "wgu
cannot avoid voting with thsir party o.
general questions," aud who, while nc
to be depended upon to support ID
"one.man power" upon % question lik
that Of the rules can BIS kept togethe
upon conteatoi election cases INIT
. "enough new Republican mcmo ca
I bs gained" q. 8, enough Democratic geat
: stoien) ito ptey0nt tine new rulsa iroE
b6ing defeated by these individual NJ
publican ohstructiontsts" So! Tue
Speaker Reed has started in to msnutat
ture nor only qrosuma bnt more plisbl
: maiority-a in;ile, plastic thing to who
8 he can say you must do my will for
= created you; as FOR thess fear oantanke
1 oas fellows | have used them for ali
J wanted and they can nov depart int
q outer darkness" &c,