The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-02-12
MR.. REEDS POSITION.


In ~" ihterviow tho speaker OF the House
of Representatives Clearly Outlines the
situation-HIs Position Fortified by Mn
merous Judicial Decisions.
Speaker Reed has made to a represent
alive OF the Associated Press the follow
Ing statement concerning the Republican
position in the present great controversy
In the House of representatives.:
MIR. 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 the method of do ng business.
Ii certainly will do so, for il will enable
the majority elected by the people to
rule by their own votes, and not by the
sufferance of the m ino rity. The rule OF
the majority is at the very base of our
Government. IL it be not he true rule
our faith is vain and We are yet in our
sins.
Look at the political working of the
other doctrine. The Republicans have a
majority of seven, but they have only
three over a quorum. III we are to fur
nish a quorum, the whole Democratic
party tting idly by in their seats but
not present" dumb and silent when
business is to be transa ted, but vocal
when it is 10 be DISTRACTED, then there
can be but three Republicans absent on
penalty of stoppage of the public bust
ness. Now let us see how that works.
We are allowed but three abseutees. Mr..
Rockwell is sick. 1t would endanger his
life to come. Mr.. Wilbur is in the same
case. Mr.. I. W. Browne is too sick to be
able to be there all the time. Mr.. Cas-
wells wife was dying, and common decen-
cy required his presence by her bedside.
Another member must be with his wife
for reasons somewhat similar.
Just about this number of members
will Mt all times be sick or incapacIt ated
These may get we'll, but others get sicl
IN their turn. There is then one quorum
according to Mr.. Carlisle's idea gone tc
pieces, though, even after all frauds be
deducted, the people hal found for the
Republicans by seven majority. All this
time while We are keeping in the HOUSE
other men hardly less sick, l40 lustN
Democrats sit silent in their seats doing
no public duty except to draw their pay
Is 1t possible that the United States i.
paying these gentlemen Sl3 day with.
out even the poor privilege of counting
their sileIt forms? Mr.. Carlisle SAYS
there is no precedent for the decision OF
the House | have personally seen and
heard him furnish 100. One hundred
times / have heard him declare tha
the number for and against such
bill was, say, so for and 20 again st
automatically less than quorum. and
yet declare that bill passed and ther
sign that bill, thereby certifying under
the most solemn sanction of his oeth o
office that the bill had properly aud con
stitutionally passed the House. How
could he have done this il his doctr ne
be true that quorum must vote? Under
stand me; DAY after day Mr.. Carlisle in
my presence has declared that such bill
had votes for and against by his own
count as Speaker less than 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 dit
not vote the presence of quorum was
enough. But this matter does not
need argument. In Mr.. Carlisle's
own State. in Democratic Tennessee
in Democratic Ohio, in Massachu
sets, and in the courts everywhere, as YOU
may see by Mr.. Butterworths speech
the Doctrine just upheld by the House il
the law of the land, and il ought to be il
good government is not 10 perish from
The face of the earth. Not ruling ha,
been made in the House 10 suppress fiji
clustering which has not he full sanct or
of parliamentary law. That men should
resist only shows how ingrained the
wrong cour.e has become md how neces.
sary the remedy. What is the House try
ing to do? Why, to perform its highest
function-that of deciding the right of
member to his seat. Until 1882 no mar
dared to filibuster against such u case
No man ought 10 be allowed to do il to
day. Yet every day three hours are vast.
ed in approving the journal when five
! minutes would be ample. These three
hours belong to the public business. The
people do not understand that every wan.
ton roll-call consumes three-q quarters of an
| hour. Some ofthese men are talking abou
rules. They are now acting under q body
of rules which the American people us,
in their assemblies, q body of rules wei
known and unders TODD by all those who
are o. willfully ignorant. When we frs
| came here the obstructionists declared
that they would die in the last ditcl
against any rules they did not approve of
and now they are wanting 10 die a
| 1hermo pyle in defense of the libertie,
| of their country because we don't forcl
rules on lhsm. If there could be fewe
| deaths at \ nermopyle and more business
in the House the country would be bette
of. 1t Is true that the Democratic lead
ers like Mr.. Carlisle have long sine,
ceased TO participate in the defiance o.
| good government, but they should nov
make themselves heard affirmatively OIL
the side of order.