The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-02-07
Friday. Feb. z, 1890.
A Fight Against Flllbustering.


There has nothing else occurred in
Congress lately quite so exciting as
the battle of the minority in the
House last week in their efforts to
perpetuate what is termed fiibuster-
ing, the stoppage of all legislation by
dilatory motions, made solely for the
purpose of obstruction. This custom
has grown into an abuse, which was
formerly adopted to prevent meas
ures being rushed through before
they had been properly considered,
or to make sure of fair vote being
taken Speaker Reed has taken the
initiative in putting a stop to an
abuse which sooner or later had to
be abolished. The present Speaker
has done what Carlisle should have
done in the last Congress, when the
present Speaker was leading the
minority republican flibustering
party on the floor, and which be &C
knowledged he felt heartily ashamed
OF. Knowing how utterly repugnant
to common sense and every obliga-
ton members owe to the country, this
vicious practice is, Speaker Reed
determined to make precedent that
will be followed in future. when
members attempt to produce anarchy
in the House and the minority to
usurp by forcible means the author
ity and power of majority. The
country has long been sick of the
farce which had become chronic, of a
body of Representatives sent to the
Capital to deliberate and pass laws.
wasting days and weeks calling for
yeas and nays to kill time, and de-
lay and defeat legislation. The
largest part of the last Congress was
FILTERED away by the Republican
minority, led by this same Speaker
Reed, in idle motions to obstruct
business. The siliest and most
childish part of this miserable bust
ness is the spectacle of body of
law makers sitting back in their
chairs, refusing to vote when them
selves haYe called for vote OF
the House to be taken. And then
claiming there is no quorum, and
when the Speaker refused at last to
longer permit such conduct, that a
party Of school boys ought to be
ashamed of, honorable members
raved and howled and charged the
Speaker with tyranny! The action
of these honorable Representatives
in the House last week can be fifty
compared to nothing more appro-
pirate than party of spoiled school
boys brought up with short turn
and set down hard in their seats.
The pity is that the riot act hadn't
been read to these filibustering gangs
long ago. The public is sick and
disguised with it. The same mem
bers and party organs that rage and
rail like lunatics, at being shut off in
this contemplate business of fill
clustering would have applanded
Carlisle to the echo if he had squelch.
ed it in the last Congress as he
should have done.
A great deal of stress-or rather
distress is laid on the fact of the
House not having any special code
of rules for the guidance for this
particular Congress. TO plain peo-
pie the question presents itself why
should not ordinary parliamentary
rules for the government OF deliber
alive assemblies serve every purpose
for the government of an intelligent
body of men fit to be trusted with
the law making power? The very
fact that such parliamentary laws as
are common, are not considered suf
ficient, is the strongest argument that
Congress is composed largely of
such men as are unfit to be members.
And any code of rules that can be
framed is not sufficient to preserve
decorum and the prophecies of de-
cent behaviour in Congress. But it
is not reasonable to expect better
order and decorum in Congress
where every committee room has
demijon of whiskey and two saloons
in the basement of the building.