Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-11
IMPERIAL REED.
THE AUTOCRAT THAT HOLDS THE
GAvEL IN THE HOUSE.
How He Manages the Committecs-A
Law Unto Embellishments
Bucked and Gagged.
from Our Regular Correspondent

"NnhiNbTON, 1larcn lU.-iHc DenocIhtS
are not alone in the opinion that the deci-
sion OF Mr. PaYson. on SATURDAY.. as char
man of the Committee Of the Whole. by
which he IN effect declared that every COM
mittee of the House has the night to make
appropriations will open the doortO all sorts
OF eXtrayagances and jobbery. Some OF the
more conservative Republicans like MIR.
Cannon, Of Illinois, and Mr.. Peters, Of Ken
sas, hold the same view, and even Mr.. Jul
lius Cesar Burrows, of Michigan, has about
reached the conclusion that Speaker Reeds
rules Will plague the Republicans before
the end of the present session. or course
the Republicans DO not say IN public Just
what they think, but many on that side OF
the House who fear the consequences are
grumbling
AT REDS DIcTATIoS.
Mr.. Payson's decision was made ct the
dictation of Speaker Reed. the boss of the
Repu bllcans and the wOuld-be dictator
over the American people. Yesterday and
to-day this decision hos been discussed,
and the opinion prevails that If the busi-
ness of tho House is carried on under any
such system the Treasury lo0ters Will
have picnic. They are in the saddle,
and II is farewell surplus If the Senate or
the President does not interpOse some OBJ
lection. and there isn't Inuch hope that q
stun ling block will be met with IN either
quarter. Bills are now secretly referred
by the Speaker TO the vaTious committees,
and no member Of the House can possibly
kncw,Yhat provisions the measures con-
taln-lvhcther appropriations are provided
for or taxation clauses are included. Before
they 90 10 the committees the titles are
not even read and they are showed into a
box, and the Speaker does whatever he
pleases with them.
IMPERIAL.
His power il simply imperial and he can
do as he pleases, and snap his fingers at 329
members Of the representatives Of the peo-
pie for all the recourse they nave under tho
most outrageous code of rules ever adopt
ed for the government IF n legislative
body. The Payson decision Is substantially
that when q bill ia thus secretly referred 10
O committee that action is final and con-
elusive. and there Il no right Of appeal.
The committee can 60 ahead, no matter
bow many jobs there may be- Tho Demo-
Gratis did not appeal from the decision. 1t
would have been useless.
BUcKED AND GAGGED.
They are temporarily bucked and gagged,
and Will have TO submit; but u IS crafty
ing to know that the more decent and con-
sentative element among the Republican
members are sick Of "A set Of rules that they
realize Will get their party into an endless
tangle and result in a most Overwnelm-
ing defeat for the Republicans at
the fall elections. They are probably
now aware that il was u terrible
mistake under the heat Of partisan passion
TO have voted IN caucus 10 follow the nd
vice OF such a bulldoZer as Reed. ot Maine.
| They were fooled into this thing by the cry
Of 81 Let's have rules which will expedite
! business. We will show the country how 10
! legislate. We will get through with the
! public business long before the hot
weather sets IA and get back 10 our homes
| by July lst.'
1t las been the boast of tho Republicans
! that this Congress will make record, but
| the present indications are that u Will he =
| bad one This House Will live IN historr a.
! having been about the worst with which
| the country has ever been inflicted. and
! It's Speaker a. the end of the term viii
| have the contempt Of his political oppo-
neuts. He Is regarded IS ten times
worse than ever Keller vas, and
that man il now in political obscu-
rity-a broken-d0wn. desplset man, for
whom neither political party has any
respect. The opposition have always had
| q high regard for the really great Speakers
OF modern times-mon ike Blaine. Ran
| dali, and Carlisle. General Banks was also
Speaker for whom the opposition have "A
! high regard. They ar partlsans ordinarily,
but o. presiding officers they were far
and cousiderate to the minority and Oh
served strictly the Constitution and the
precodents established. THIS man Reed
attempts to ride over all prccedents and
cares nothing for the Constitution. lie
considers himself the boss. and he has
been allowed to do just what suited him;
| The Speaker cares little for criticism, aud
b. b. vain enough e. thilk his usurpotion
Of power will give him the nomination tor
tho presidency IN 1872.