Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-03
SPEAKER REEDS RULINGS.
His Statement OF the Republican Posi-
ton I'm the Pending House Contest.

Speaker Reed makes the following statement
emit 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 majority of the House was present
would change from the foundation Of the
method Of doing business. We certainly will
do 30, for it will enable the majority elected by
the people to rule by their own votes and not
by the sufferance of the minority.
''The rule of the majority is at the very base
OF our government. If it be not the true rule
our faith is vain and we are yet in our sins.
LOOK at the practical working of the other
doctrine. The republicans have a majority of
2, but they have only 3 over q quorum One
hundred and sixty-eight is our number; 165 is a
quorum. If We are to furnish a quorum. the
whole democratic party sitting idly by in their
seats but not present" dumb and silent when
business is to be transacted, but vocal when it
Is to be obstructed, then there can be but three
republicans absent on penalty of stoppage of
the public business. Now let us see how that
works. We are allowed but three absentees.
Mr.. Rockwell ID sick. 1t would endanger his
life to come. Mr.. Wilbur is in the same case.
MIR. I. W. Browne is too sick to be able to be
there all the time. Mr.. Caswell's wife was
dying and common deceAcy required his pres
ence by her bed side. Another member must
be with his wife for urgent reasons somewhat
similar. just about this number of members
VIII at all times be sick or incapacitated. These
may get well, but others fall sick in their turn
Ihere then 10 our quorum, according to Mr..
Carllsles idea. gone entirely to pieces, though
even after all fraud be deducted the people had
found for the republicans by seven majority.
All this time while we are keeping in the House
other men hardly less sick, hundred and forty
iusty democrats sit silent in their seats, doing
no public duty except to draw their pay.
us 1t possible that the United States is pay
ing those gentlemen $13 a day without even
the poor privilege Of counting their silent
forms? Mr.. Carlisle says there is no precedent
for the decision of the House. have person.
ally seen and heard him furnish hundred. A
hundred times I have heard him declare that
the number for and against such hill was, say,
oO for and 20 against, mathematically less than
a quorum, and yet declare the bill passed and
then sign that bill, thereby certifying, under
the most solemn sanction Of his oath of office
that the bill had properly and constitutionally
passed the House. How could he have done
this If his doctrine be true that quorum
must vote? Understand me: Day after day
MIR. Carlisle, in my presence, has declared
that such bill had votes for and against by
his own count as Speaker less than a quorum
and has yet Immediately declared it passed,
and has signed it, thus furnishing the only
proof the President could have that it was
passed. How could this be except on the plain
ground that if quorum did not vote the
presence OF quorum was enough2
But this matter does not need argument
In MIR. Carlisle's own state, in democratic Ten
nessee, in democratic New York, in democratic
Ohio, in Massachusetts and in the courts every
where, as you may see by Mr.. Butterworths
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 flibustering which has not the full
sanction OF parliamentary law. That men
should resist only shows how ingrained the
wrong course has become and how necessary
the remedy.
What is the House trying to do? Why, to
perform Its highest function, 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 five minutes would
be ample. These three hours belong to the
public business. The people do not under
stand that every wantOn roll call consumes
three-quarters of an hour.
Some OF these men are talking about rules
They are now acting under body of rules
which the American people use in their assem-
blles-a body OF rules well known and under
stood by all those who are not wilfully igno-
rant.
when we first came here the obstructionists
declared that they would die i'll the last ditch
against any rules they did not approve of, and
now they are wanting to die at Thermopyla in
defense of the liberties of their country be-
cause We don't force rules ON them. II there
could be fewer deaths at Thermopyle and more
business in the House the country would be
better off.
1t Is true that the democratic leaders, like
MIR. Carlisle, have long since ceased to partici-
pate in the defiance Of good government, but
they should now make themselves heard affirm
atively on the side of order"
MIR. Carlisle is preparing an address giving
an explanation of the democratic position
Mr.. Carlisle is not very well, having taken
cold some days ago.