Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-03
AT THE CAPITAL.
Speaker Reed Publishes a
Statement.
CARLISLE FRAMING AN ADDRESS.
A Lively Week Ahead in Congress
Secretary Blaine's Eldest
Daughter Dead.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatches to the HERALD

Daughter Dead.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, February 2.-Speaker
Reed today made to representative of
Che Associated Press the following state
ment concerning the Republican position
in the present great controversy:
"Mr. Carlisle WAS entirely right when
he said in substance that the decision of
the House that quorum was constituted
to do business when a majority of the
House was present, would change from
the foundation the method of doing busi-
ness. 1t will certainly do so, for it will
enable the majority elected by the peo'
pie to rule by their own votes, and not by
the sufferancs of the minority.
"The rule Of the majority is at the
very base of our Government. IT it be
not true rule our faith is vain, and we
are yet in our sins. Look at the prac-
tical working of the other doctrine. The
Republicans have a majority of seven,
but they have only three over quorum
168 is our number; 165 is a quorum. If
we are to furnish a quorum with the
whole Democratic party silent when
business is to be transacted, but vocal
when 1t ie to be obstructed, then there
can be but three Republicans absent, on
the penalty of the stoppsge of public
business.
"Now, let us see how that works. We
are allowed but three absentees. Rock
we'll is sick; it would endanger his life
to come. Wilber is in the same case.
7. w. Browne is too sick to be able to
be there all the tims. Caswell's wife
was dying. Another must be with his
wife for reasons somewhat similar. Just
about this number of members will at all
times be sick or incapscitated.
These may get we'll, but others
will fall sick in their turn.
Then there is our quorum, acc >rding to
Carlisle's idea, gone, entirely gone to
pieces, though even after all fraud be
deducted the people hal found for the
Republicans by a maj ority. all this time,
while we ara keeping in the House other
mon hardly less sick, 140 to 100 Demo-
Gratis sit there silent. Is it possible that |
the United States is paying these gentle
men $l3 day without even the poor
privileges of counting their silent forms |
"Mr. Carlisle says there is no prece
dent for the decision of the House. |
have personally seen and heard him fur |
nish hundred. A hundred times 1 |
have heard him declare that the number |
for and against such bill was-say so
for and 20 against, mathematically less
passed, and sign it, thereby certifying |
nn6Qr tho ponat anlaynn oonotior Of hic |
oath of Office that the bill had properly |
and constitutionally passed the House. |
How could he do this if his doctrine be |
true that quorum must vote .? |
Understand me, day after day
Mr.. Carlisle, in my presence, has
declared such bill received 80
many votes for and against, by his own |
count as Speaker less than a quorum,
and yet Immediately declared it passed |
and has signed it, thus furnishing the |
only proof the President could have that |
it passed. How could this be except on |
the plain ground that ii quorum did |
not vote, the presence of quorum was
enough.
''But this matter does not need argu-
ment. In Mr.. Carlisle's own State, in
Democratic Tennessee, in Democratic |!
New York, in Democratic Ohio, in Mas |
eachusetts, and in the courts everywhere, |
as you may see by Mr.. Butterworth's |
speech, the doctrine just upheld by the |
House is the law OF the land, and it |
ought to be if good government is not to
perish from the face of the earth. Not |
ruling has been made in the House to
suppress filibustering which has not the
full sanction of parliamentary law. That
men should resist it only shows how in
grained the wrong course has become
and how necessary the remedy.
"What is the House trying to do?
Why, to perform it's highest functions,
that of deciding the right of member
to his seat. Until 1882 no man ever
dared to filibuster against such case.
No man ought to be allowed to do it to
day. Yet every day three hours are
wasted in approving the journal when
three hours belong to public business.
The people do not understand that every
wantofi roll call consumes three q 1arters
of an hour. When we first
came here the obstructionisis declared
they would die in the last ditch against
any rules they did not approve of and
now they are wanting to die at Thermop.
ylae in defence of the liberties of their
country, because we don't force some
rules on them: If there could be fewer
deaths at Thermopylae and more busi-
ness in the House the country would be
better off. It is true that Democratic
leaders like Mr.. Carlisle have long since
ceased to participate in defiance of good
government, but they should now make
themselves heard affirmatively on the
side of order"
Carlisle Preparing an Address.
WASHINGTON, February 2.-Mr. Car