The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-03-13
PLANS IN CONGRESS.

l. hA1NO A1N OOlNO1 O10LOAOs
THE PROGRAMME OF THE REPUBLI-
CAN PARTY OUTLINED.
Hon. John s. Henderson Interviewed
The Scheme to Deplete the Treasury
and Cypress the People.
From the State ChrenicIe
"What is the Republican pro
gramme, and the object and practi
cal workings of the new Rules?" l
asked. Mr.. Henderson replied:
'.The people are. asking Congress
for bread ano will be given a stone;
tney are asking for fish and will be
given serpent; they ask for an egg
and will be offered scorpion. The
people need expect no relief from the
burdens under which they are groan-
ing-so far as Congress can give it
until the Republican party is driven
from power, for good and all. When
ever the Constitution stands in the
way of the march of Republicanism, 80
much the worse for the Constitution.
Heretofore, under the Constitution, the
rules of the House of Repr ssentatives
have been so framed as to require a
majority of the House to be quorum
to do business; and the yeas and nays
of the mem bers, at the desire of ore
fifth of those present, were constitu-
tionally required to be entered on the
journal. Now these requirements are
dispensed with. Under Reeds new
parliamentary law, and under the
new rules, the requirement is that
mojority, if present in their seats, is
sufficient quorum, whether they choose
to do business by voting or not. In
other words, the Speaker assumes to
count quorum for the purpose of
enabling bill to pass. Every time
he counts a member he virtually
counts him in favor Of the bill under
consideration. For instance, if $50
members are present in their seats and
83 members vote for a proposition and
80 vote against it, and the other 165
members are counted by the Speaker
the bill is ordered to be carried, and
to show how absurd the rule is: If one
man only votes for proposition and
329 others remain in their seats and
refrain from voting, the Speaker
counts a quorum and declares the
question to be carried unanimously.
The new departure has been taken,
therefore, not for the purpose of CIV
ing real majority of the House the
right to control it, but to give TO an
insolent minority the chance to squan
der the surplus, to deplete the Treas
ury, and to pass, without let or him
drance, any Infamous measures, which
a reckless and unscrupulous partisan
caucus has deliberately and cunning
ly framed to maintain i'll power cor
rupt political. Federal bligarchy,
which long ago and repeatedly has
been repudiated by a large majority
Of the voters at the polls. The mod
ern Republican party has no convic-
tions and is utterly devoid of principle
aud conscience. 1t is ON the down
grade and the breakers are ahead ,and
when the crash comes its destruction
will be complete and everlasting.
Every good citizen should d, all in
his power TO bring such destruction
aboutat the earliest day possible"
SCHEMES TO sQUANDER MONEY.
I'm what ways will the Republi-
cans seek to squander the public mon
ey?' l inquired. Mr.. Henderson said:
"Let us first examine for moment
the financial situation, which now c,ll-
fronts the American Congress. The
Democratic cry was: Reduce taxation
and Leare the surplus IN the pock It's OF
the people to aOhon, 1t belongs. No
taration beyond the needs ofthe govern
ment e, nomically administered. That
cry is heard no longer. The annual
revenues for the year ending June 80
1891, are estimated at $3S5, 900, 900.
The estimates of ordinary expendit-
ures, including the sinking fund,
amount to $341, ,43O, AT. 20, leaving an
appaIent surplus for the year of $43,-
$50 ,522.30. The latter sum, however,
will not be available, for there are
$119, 100000 of per cent bonds to
become due Sept. /, 1891. Ifthe ordi-
nary expenditures are not increased,
the Treasury will barely be able to
pay these bonds when due. But the
estimated expenditures are liable to
be vastly increased by the passage -oi
a number, at least, of the following bills
now pending:
(D Direct tax bill, already L
passed Senate .................$ Is. 900 O0o
(2) Prison pension bill ......... 15,5OO,OOe
| 81 Dependent pension bilI.... S6,OOO,00C
| ~ Bill repeating Limitation of
/ ponsion arrear rs All 0On OOO