Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-02-10

TIE rev Rulss cf De House reported
Saturday by ,he Committee on Rules. The
main psio.s Of which were published in the
SUNDAY ROOSTER. Sustain REEDS new
and srbitrsry Interpretation CT the eonsti-
tuuoaai progisiou Th.ch ssys that 80
majority cf each House. shall coosii ute
O q1o-am % 90 business" I. hss bsen
said that hii ruling wss in conflict with
tse constitutional idea Of a quorum -
% use the language or Alr REED himself
tea years sgo-as i. was understood and
enforced by dfty successive Congresses 10
o. hundred years Of constitutional govern
meut Yet strictly speaking the Speaker
WHO usurped the power Of changing an
Interpretation that hai certainly the
moral authority of a law, and tie psrti-
sau msioriiy which sustained hin, did
Do. at,sUp, to change tie meaning Of the
term "qpomm," but the mesniog Of
"m.jauiy." They admi;--indsei in The
iscc GO toe Constitution they could 70,
possibly deny thar nothing ehort Of a
uaiouy of the House can constitute
quorum. Bat they say that the majority
is fo consist uol merely cf those who a-s
voting and therefore are Engaged IN ths
Bus ness Of the House. bu. si-o OF other
meu5 physically present bat not
vot.1z OF taking part in The proceedings.
The change o c.-d b. ,he Speakers act
% cs-lpsGu srd by me proposed new
1u'ss therefore 90 reality Ieia,es 10 the
d.haiiion OF "usjl-ity." Tha diztinc-
ror is important snd 10 The light Of It, il
may bs sse1 bow dangerous ia the prece
feas .ha' ba- jass been established.
no The SPEAKER COO coun. members
Pr, sieilly pressu, bu, not voting "a men,
he-s OF tns IN i,si'y" vhica toe funds
msuis' ia~ requires 90 Constitute q quo
Iu. ," Whist is 90 prevent him or soy
fu.ure Speaker, hen some political ex,-
.srcr seems 90 cal for en innovation,
from couot1g members who are not
votlcg ba, hom be sees or believes or
v-eisrds 90 Gee. az members Of the minor
i.y, aai thereby tbwstt a N j,rity Of ,he
voting MEMBER
The following ilus.Iation made BY f
shlewd contemporary sP.ly covers the
p'i7i
Assume thal 40 members vote fl- q measure
ana i1 aga.ast O. Bl- it suits One Speakers
purpose t0 see I'D other members who are not
voting While 40 is majority Of 2so che mum
per Of voting members. &c is q minority OF 3d.
rae tulttr whose presence the Speaker may
0c l.cl'.d CO. notice. 10 le can count members
ucr y1I0s but visible % him for one purpose
why n1t also Or auother purpose Ia one case
he tcci les t1at there p, a majority. iu the her
case hc vo-li rlls that certain uumb-r does
noe constitute a majority the one thing may
te rirl'fl'y Gone. ODD .r- H.. Nothing % prevent a
Speaker f-1m doing Che o-her thing. The prsc-
.dsu,s of century indeed arg sgt.nst i,. but
uc hove lu.t seen ihlt such PRECEDENT. may De
..t aside hy one man act The rules may De
SILENT upon h1 point or that may have
t-cu suspended OF thc House may De
vithou. any recognized rules. as the Che present
House has been 0r Log o. ne Do might De
sst OBJ the Speaker would mo-, dare % rule
coar4ry Oh lhc WIN OF the msi 1rity But this
,sol O. altogether depend upon the Ci'cum-
staucssc OF Che case. II the majority in given
case we've composed ofthe opposition and mere
lrsc,on az his own party. he might have the
support of most Ci his feilow-p artisans Tor
trmpHng upon The rights Of that majority
such au ac- Of Speaker would indeed De-
revolutionary. but no more so than Speaker
Reeds recelt ruling was DO would 81 less.
hars The meritof consistency. or 90 would be In
accord with the new Republican view OF the
Speaker, power a-dl thc new Republican def
uIuolof che term ems o-l.y as employed by
tne Constitution.