The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-05
REED SUMS UP WORK.
Obstacles the Republicans Had
to Overcome.
GLORIOUS RECORD OF HOUSE
Important Bills Passed-How Democrat.
Wasted Time in Funeral Orations
and Roll Calls.

ana was escorted 10 the puolIc square
where ne spoke on national affairs twenty
minutes. He also spoke at Dover. lie
congratulated himself upon belonging &c
the Republican party, because of its "mid.
ding honesty" The party is reasonably
good, and is on the way to become thor.
oughly and absolutely good. The re-
mainder of the address was in vindication
Of keeping its promises by the Republican
party.
Henry Cabot Lodge was then introduced
and spoke a few minutes. Three cheers
we're given for Reed.
PORTLAND, Me-, Sept. 4-Speaker Reed
arrived here this Afternoon. He received an
ovation at several points along the road
where the train stopped today. Tonight
he was welcomed at the city hall by 5000
people and made an address, the substance
of which follows:
Speaker Reeds address was devoted to a
review OF the WORK of the present House OF
Representatives. He spoke of the threats
OF the minority before the assembling OF
congress. and the declarations that they
were to rule in utter disregard of the will
OF the people and of the flibustering tao
tics they went prepared to employ. He
said:
The House of Representatives is not q body
quick 10 do business. Its large numbers and
the diverse interests they represent will always
make II slow aud cumbersome, bat the system
which allowed one member to hold the whole
House at bay until the setting of the sun, and
then TO hold it until physical exhaustion set i,
free. and which allowed one-ffth to hold il for.
ever, was evidently a system which rendered
elections useless and called halt to civilization
no nj to- Ia.
ment it means that when the people have
elected one party TO take control of the House
or Senate, that party shall have both the power
and responsibility.
1t was with far other ideas of public duty that
the minority took their seats at the opening OF
the session. Not only were no measures to pass
which cid not have their approval, but no
rules, even OF procedure, were to be permitted,
except those which seemed suitable to the
beaten party. So We began without rules. After
two months OF opposition the Democrats found
that under the parliamentary law which ha
been built up by the American people in eonso-
nance with their institutions, public business
was going on every day without their consent.
and they began TO clamor for the very rules they
mad denounced. need not describe 10 You tae
scenes OF disorder preliminary TO the establish.
ment OF the soundness of the principles of the
House. 1t is enough to say that good work was
done, ana the House has taken q large stride
towards business and the performance of duty.
AT all times in these last eight months have
been subject 10 much i1discriminate praise
and much indiscriminate denuncia ion. One is
just as much deserved as the other. Great
events do not turn on man. The House OF
Representatives was ready and ripe for the
change, and the people stood ready to approve.
What all the world wanted was easy to do.
am not greatly pleased to be speaker, but am
proud. with all my heart, to be one of that mag.
nifcent body, the House of Representatives OF
the fity-first congress, which for niue long
months has never for one moment faltered in
its duty. We have achieved all the Republican
party promised and more.
We promised the people that the tariff should
have fair and exhaustive treatment: that the
principles of protection should have iull recoz-
milton, and we have kept the promise. By the
customs adm mis- rative bill an effort has been
made 10 secure TO our manufacturers and mer.
chants the complete benefit of the rates of duty
imposed by law. Two years ago, when the
Democrats In the House declared that owing 10
change in the methods OF manufacture the
whole WOODEN industry was tottering to fsll an
less woolens and worsteds were put upon a
footing OF equality, for the purpose OF adding 10
the votes of the Mills bill, which could never
pass, they sacrificed the wooden industry.
Without delay, and without waiting to strength.
en- their own tariff bill by the support of the
worsIed men, Major Mckinley aud Governor
Dinghy pushed through the measure of justice
which has rescued so many of our wooden men
from disaster and ruin.
But these bills, useful as they are, were ONLY
foreruners OF the tariff bill The Mckinley bill
was not made ia the closet; II was not The pro.
duct of one man who tried to know everything.
If any tariff bill was the result of the belief
of the whole people OF the United States. IL il
MeKinley's.
the silver bill. The Republicans had promised
that all the silver dollars should be furnished
which could be kept equal with gold such a
bill, fulfilling that promise TO tho u,termost
now adorus cur statu.e-books placed there nv
the Republican majority of the House. AIread :
silver seems 10 be climbing to the top with
safety to all the interests OF the country.
There was also another promise TO be re-
deemed, which was made long ago and often
renewed. For years the Republican marty has
declared most righteously that there could no,
be in republic duty more sacred taan the
duty OF upholding the right OF every citizen u
participate In the government The House true
TO its duty. has passed bill which. when IL he.
comes law will give 10 the people of the United
States the SURFACES OF millions. 1t will enable
votes to be cast and to be counted as cast
Every inch of our progress has been contested
by the opposition. The highway robbery q,
olden times has been abolished, bu, petty lar.
ceny has not been; only strong, vigorous pub-
lie sentiment prevailing among all the constitu.
ents will evef do that We spent TWO months
and a half in organization, in a preliminary
struggle to settle tie right of the majority n
control and to determine the rules OF House
procedure. We were forced to spend more time
on contested elections Our loss OF time from,
contested elections viii not be less than twenty
days.
One other cause of loss OF time will he a sur
prise, perhaps, TO the community at large. NJ
man would regret more than ! 10 be fhouqh,
wanting in all proper respect for the dead. all
proper reverence for departed comrades snd 10,
the feelings of surviving friends. Yet thf
method by which the House shows this respec,
and pays this reverence is very costly to the ma.
ton.
The speaker went on to show that bv the
time the House gets through with the eulo.
gies of members who have died during this
session twenty-one working days will have
been lost.
He went to speak of another method al
obstruction, calling the roll. With thirty.
three members it takes twenty-five minutes
10 make the roll-call. Whenever the yeas
and nays are ordered it means the loss OF
half an hour. For this session the House
has had 400 roil-calls. although 500 of these
have been utterly useless, a mere wanton
waste. Three hundred roil-calls means
twenty legislative days wasted, and all
done 10 waste time, with public business
unfinished Mr.. Reed concluded:
But in closing what have TO say il yould no,
be lust to rest the claims of the House unon
even the catalogue of its great deeds. What the
House has SHOWN the country that any House
can do. is worth princes ransom. Hencefortn
promise must be redeemed by performance.
II we have broken the precedents OF hundred
years we have set the precedeuts of anothe,
hundred years nobier than the last, wherein
the people, with the full knowledge TIA. their