Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-22
THE ISSUE IN THE SENATE.
Republicans May Wait for the Necessity
Before Proposing the New Rule.

/
Senate is enveloped in a great deaf of doubt.
Rumors of opposition to the measure on the
part OF prominent western Senators are still in
circulation. and if it should turn out to be true
that they are based upon facts, final favorable
caucus action might not prove sufficient 70 put
the bill through, or even to make it advisable
to enter upon it's consideration. At the same
time the friends Of the bill are still busy with
| it, making changes here and there to meet this
| objection and that and putting it in shape to
| command the approval of Senators who believe
| In the principle asserted and regard the present
as the proper time to put it into practice.
John l. Davenport is again in request. and ia
| explaining TO the Senators just how the bill IL
enacted into law can be applied and will work.
The PROPOSITION TO CHANGE THE RULES.
Opposition to the BILL however, here and
! there among the republican Senators is not of
so much consequence in the premises rs the
proposition to change the rules of the Senate
in order to pass the measure in time to apply
il in the approaching congressional elections.
That really Is the vital point at issue. Its
conceded that unless the rules are changed so
IS to provide for the cutting OH of too ex-
tended debate the bill cannot be passed. The
| opposition Of the democratic Senators to the
measure is uncompIomlsing and would take
| the mot aggressive form in the event Of the
| callir ; up OF tie bill for action. There must
| be an agreement, therefore, as to what changes
are necessary in the rules and how they shall
be made befor, it will be wise for the republi-
| cans to announce a definite policy.
TO WAIT FOR THE NEcEssIr-.
There is q feeling too, that il change in
| the rules is to come it should come as the re-
suit OF Il necessity, made apparent by positive
democratic obstruction. and not in antcipa-
ton OF a situation only outlined as yet and
| threatened in the talk of the day. Those who
hold TO this view Of the matter urge that no
announcement of any policy with regard TO
the bill should be made; that the bill simply
should be called up in the usual order, and let
l u be the announcement that it is TO DO passed.
then If obstructive tactics should be resorted
to by the democrats. and change III the rules
| in order TO pass the bill is necessary. the re-
| spopsbiiity, the republican friends Of the bill
think, will rest with those who made the
change matter OF duty with the majority in
asserting its responsibility for legislation.
THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.
For all that a heroic remedy is proposed to
the Senate. The situation there differs materially
and radically from the situation that existed in
| the HoUSe when a change was made in the man.
| ner Of conducting business there. When the
present House met it began its work under the
| operation OF general parliameutar law and
continued with that, under the liberia! iDterpre-
tation OF the Speaker. until q code of rules was
| reported and adopted. Those rules expressly
favored limiting debate and ordering the pre-
| vious question. and as executed have readily
| served that end. 1t has been an easy matter
under them to pass any measure proposed by
| the majority. But the Senate has from
the outset been conducting its business
under a code OF rules afording the
utmost liberality Of time for debate
and with no provision whatever for cutting off
! any Senator having observations on public
policy to offer. 1t would be an extreme stroke
| therefore TO propose to change all this and
| limit debate, and one that apparently would
have to be debated and decided under the very
rules that recognize no limit to debate. The
real contest, in this view of the case, would
come on the proposition itself and not on the
national elections bill. SO that, il the contest
should take that form, the time will come when
| IN order TO change the rules by direction of the
republican majority, the presiding officer OF
! the Senate will have to ignore tho rules of de-
| bate under which the Senate is then proceed
ing, and, either by taking some democratic
| Senator OF OF his feet or refusing further rec
| ignition to that side Of the chamber make tie
! change OF rules III advance himself
| RANDALL COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT.
Some criticism of the democratic leaders O:
the House has been INDUCED in touching their
failure to stop the bill in some way in the
House, which their friends pretty warmly re-
|
dslls superb fight against the force bill which
! resulted III its defeat little thought will
| show that, however much the nat onal elect ons
bill resembles the force bill, there was no ike
| ness whatever between the situation which Dir,
Randall 30 courageous!y improved and that
that confronted Mr.. Mills and his lieutenants
when the national elections bill was presented TO
| them. When the force bill came up the rules
OF the House afforded wide margin for oppo-
sition, and Mr.. Blaine, who was in the chair,
sympathlzed with the opposition made 10 the
| measure. He seconded Mr. Randall indeed.
throughout the whole fyht But in this latter
case both the rules and the Speaker approved tn
bill under consideration, and il is no dIsparace-
mont whatever OF the great Pennsylvania,
now dead. to say that had he been alive and in
his seat he would have been ~ powerless as the
rest Of his party friends. No man could have
broken through the rules under which the
Honse then was operating. or have bent tue
iron will Of the man who was executing them
| TIE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS.
In the Senate the democratic leadership is
equal to the parliamentary emergency Mr.
German, Mr.. Carlisle, Mr.. Vest, Mr.. McPher-
son, Mr.. Blackburn-all are capable men. Bu,
II mains to be seen how effective any minority
leadership can become as against the will OF
the majority given to q resolute presiding Off.
Ger to declare.