The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-02
naneerous Hasta in Leeislation.

dangerous EdSL5 ACk4ol6tlOu.
The republicans of the House are passing
the most important bills with a rapidity
never before known in congress. They re-
vised the rules so as to give the speaker
almost absolute control of legislation, and
they are now virtually ignoring the minor
ity. They decide in caucus upon the bills
they will pass, and they pass them almost
without discussion. Is there not great
danger in legislation of this kind?
Are all the bills which are
passed approved by majority of the Housed
1t is quite safe to say they are not. Those
of the republicans who do not approve of
Of them hesitate to oppose them, because
the caucus has decided that they shall pass,
and the democrats are powerless TO prevent
their passage, or even to show clearly their
defects
On Wednesday the House passed a pension
bill which will add $4,000 names TO the
pension roll and about $50, 100000 a year TO
the pension burden. One of the republican
representatives explained that soon after
the bill became law the pension roll would
contain $4,000 names and the pension
charge would be Sl5O,000.00O a year. No
time was allowed for discussing or amend
ing the bill. The democrats protested against
such hasty legislation. They pointed out
that the bill would increase the amount an
nually required for pensions to a sum that
was equal to 40 per cent. of the gross reve-
nues of the government, but their protests
were not needed. They were, in effect, told
that the Republican party was running the
government and that it was not accepting
any suggestions from democrats.
There is no longer any reason to doubt
that the republicans have deter mined to
enact legislation OF the most extreme parti-
san character. They have the House in
shape to do it, and step has been taken to
prepare the Senate for doing it. Mr.. Chand-
ler's resolution provides for introducing the
Reed methods into the Senate. IL that
body adopts the previous question aud au-
thorizes its presiding officer to count a quo
rum it will be impossible for the democrats
to prevent the passage of national election
law.
Will not the Senate adopt the sChandler
resolutions There are good reasons for
thinking that it will 1t is probable that
Mr.. Chandler had obtained the views of a
majority Of the republican senator's with re-
gard to it before he introduced it. The ad-
mission of the republican senators from
Montana, in the face of the fact that they
had not been chosen by lawfully consti-
tuted legislature, looks very much as if parti-
san legislation had been decided upon. The
admission of these senators increased the
republican majority, and improved the
chances of having enough votes to pass any
party measure, however partisan it might be.
Maj. Mckinley says that he intends to
limit the debate on the tariff to very few
days. In other words, he intends to rail-
road the bill through the House. He Is
afraid to have it discussed. If ne thought
it good measure-a measure that met the
approval of the best judgment of the
people-he would be glad to have it dis
cussed. 1t may be, however, that there are
republicans who will not be bound by any
caucus action that may be taken with
regard to it. In that event Mr. Mckinley
may not be able to limit the discussion of it.
The Republicans are aiming at long
lease of power. The bills they are forcing
through congress they regard as necessary
to their success in 1892. They are doing
campaign work, and are not legislating for
the benefit of the country. There is great
danger in this kind of legislation, but it may
awaken the people to a knowledge of the
real character of the Republican party.