New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-22
THE DEMOCRATS ENRAGED.
CRYING OUT AGAINST THE "DESPOTlSM
AND ZONE MAN POWER" OF
SPEAKER REED.
LIVELY DEBATE on Mr.. BLAND'S DEMAND FOR
TELLERs-THE SPEAKER EXPLAINS HIS
DECISION AGAINST THE DEMAND AND
is SUSTAINED BY THE HOUSE.
my rYrraRAPH TO Tile TkIBCNE.l
rpr TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBUNE.l


rpr TELEGRAPH THE rKrBUNE.l
Washlngton Jan. oI-The Democrats In the House
sought and found another Last Ditch today and
dguratively speaking died and were buried therein,
with constitutional Liberty and "The Genius OF
American Institutions" for winding sheet IL was an
interesting nay thrilling, sight to see, when Lieu
tenant General Bland, Of Missouri, CALAMITY LED inc
charge Of the Democratic cohorts, at the mead Oh winch
marched MajorGeperas Mills, Carlisle Crisp BIount
Breckenridge. McMin and other veterans who bore
the honorable scars received many hard fought
field while cOntending for the right OF the minority 10
rule the majority. Two of the ilust1ous soldiers WHO
distinguished themselves in the last engagement
several weeks ago-Consttuton saver breckenridge OF
Kentucky, and Leonidas McAdoo, of New-Jersey-
lmped along in the Of the column today ana feh
into the ditch with their comrades without even
shout Of defiance
In order make plain the cause OF todays Da'ue'
IL is necessary to explain that, under the rules oi
the Congress- teers had TO be appointed 10 oou'
the House and report the number OF Affirmative anu
negative votes any question whenever the oeniahu
for such count was supported by onehfh OF
majority Of the membership of the House After
the journal Of yesterdays proceedings had been read
this morning, Mr.. Bland asserted That IL was lhcor-
rect in particulars and moved To amehu IT,
on division his motion was lost, Whcreupoh hc
demanded tellers. Now yesterday the speaker hau
suggested doubt as to whether, IN the absence Oh
entertained and subsequent reflection convinced him
that il should not be- so he decided against MI
Bland WHO promptly appealed from the decision
Then the fight began In earnest
Freedom shrleked7 when ex-Premier Mills rose
and dashed the rescue, crying out against despo
ISM one man power" and "usurpation," ana pro
claiming that the mild and placid Speaker whose
counteuance fairly beamcd with benevolent good
nature, was several degrees more dcspotc IMAM "a
Gar Physical exhaustion, due 10 MS almost
superhuman physical and vocal efforts compelled INC
sage Of Corscana to sit down before he had rcscued
the aegs of our liberties. Then up rose Mr. Breckln
ridge. of Arkansas worthy Of an ilnstrous sire
who seeded from the Union although his state did
not. Mr.. Breckenridge was clearly of the OPINION
that the minority was confronted by absolute
despOtism.' and placed at the mercy oil one man
He was apparently half crazed by fear that speaker
Reed might count the votes Of the House in the same
manner that votes counted in parts oil ARKANSAS
and some other Southern states.
Mr.. Bount, Of Georgia, who usually runs for Con
gross against scattering" or opposition and
has been frequently elected by large vote as that
cast In the smallest county in the Empire STATE
warned the wicked Republicans that they would be
held responsible II they should sustain THIS "revom-
tonary decision" Then ho became loud. If not
eloquent and showing his ooatsleeves up 10 h'
elbows he declared that. American Rcprcrcnth-
tive he proposed 70 make the issue at every point
on the rights Of the minority Mr.. Blount also IN
formed the House that "The Genius Of American IN
stitutonss was in peril. and could not be uainped
upon with mpunity. Then Mr.. Crisp. of Georgia
took up the cudCes in behalf Of the fright OF the
minority to say what the House shall DO or whether
il shall do anything at all. He argued that denial
OF the right" 10 a count by teller would place III
the hands Of the Speaker the power absolutely to
nufv the constitutional right OF the House 10 deter
mine any question by yea and nay vote. Inc
demand for vote ly yeas and nays must 30 sup
ported by 18th Of the members present and N'tnI
and the Speaker. corrupt. might wilfuly declare
that one-dfth had supported the demand. when. in
fact less than that proportion had done So or ne
might inadvertently make a ml,count
Mr. Crsps speech the strongest one on the
Democratic side, although he Was followed by Nr.
Carlisle, who gave dissertation on the subject OF
what he called parliamentary common law As Is
the fashion among Democrats he began by citing Eng
ush prccedcnts but at last he took the position that
parliamentary common law was, 50 far a, the House
Of Representatives is concerned the law laid down I'm
the rules Of previous Congresses Probably Mr.. Car
Isle went little further than he intended when he
incidentally remarked that IN any case, or under any
rules the speaker might refuse to recognize a mem
Der for any notion and that appeal would lie from
that refusal. Like all other Democrats who spoke
Mr.. Carlisle complained that the decision Of the
speaker on Mr. BANDS motion, sustained, would
give the Speaker the power to throttle the minority and
actually XIII any measure to which he might be OPP
posed Mr.. Carlisle apparently forgot for the moment
the fact that he speaker not only throttcd the
minority in the last Congress, bat
that he actually throttled the ma
joIity Of the House by preventing the
consideration Of bill to repeal the tobacco tax. and
the Educational bill. lie never allowed matters to
reach such stage in regard to either measure that
an appeal might be taken from his arbitrary. although
unuttered. decision.
The speeches on the Republican side in support
Of the Speakers ruling vigorous and 10 the
Point Mc-sIs. Cannon, Eaync, Gear Cutchcon and
several others spoke. They completely overturned
the Democratic argument by showing that de-
nand for tccrs the Speaker must decide whether
or not the demand has been supported by one nth
Of a quorum, and that he must DO that by counting
heads 50 that at last, and in every the ultimate
power resides in the speaker TO determine whether
there shall De vote by tclcrs or Il vote by yeas
and nays
After the debate had closed, the Speaker in brief
tersc and lucid statement covered the whole ground
Of controversy and swept the frall structures
reared BY the Democrats and butrcssed by rhetoric
as fral "a their arguments In substance he said
The Chair has always been unable how II vas
possible House which has passed out Of existence
to bind by rules and regulations the House which
existence la the future The recent decisions
by Speaker Of the House have been TO the eject that
House did not become the rules Of tn
present HouAe directly Tho Chair Is unable 70 how
they can become rules Of the present House indirectly
The very fact that they have been made rule, shows
clearly the necessity Of special enactment The House
then, Is governed by general parliamentary law, such
has been established in that the
aw.o England established b. repeated decisions and
the general acqucscence OF the people system which
governs ordinary as-cmhles.
suggestion which has been made that the matter
under control Of the occupant OF the
Chair IS this very receiving negative, be-
cause an appeal is pending IN this Ia, In many
cases against decisions Of the Chair. All decisions from
the Chair which made under proper circumstances
and good faith subject 10 revision by the majority Of
the House. Consequently there is not and be
any arbitrary control THIS body It's will The
present occupant OF the Chair has frequently ordered
ilers since the beginning Of this Congress.
and not unwilling TO 90 50 but the question has
nm now as question OF right and whatever the personal
vi.hc, Of the occupant Of the Chair might be- he
l1ih IN dnclhe IN accordance WITH whit he regards