Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-17
The Rules.

We watch with interest every suggestion
made by the Committee on Rules OF the
House OF Representatives as 10 the new
code which il Is expected will soon be re-
ported 10 that body. We hear one day that
Mr.. BuRnows, Of Michigan, is expected to
oppose the adoption Of any rules which
will deprive the minority of that protec-
ton which has almost always been accord
ed 70 them; and we hear the next day that
IL is to Mr. CANNON, Of Illinois, that the
country must look for the defeat of the
nefarious scheme Of REED and his hackers
in the House Of Representatives TO empow-
er the Republican majority to force through
that body all the sectional and partisan
bills which il will be necessary for them to
pass in order to provide for the election
hereafter Of none but Republican con-
gressmen in all those congressional dis
tricts wherein the negro population is,
according TO the census of 1880, more nu-
merous than the white population.
We fear that the South will lean upon q
broken reed If she leans upon either Bur-
ROWS or CANNON. The psrty-lash will be
applied to their backs. and they will proba-
bly, be whipped into the traces. They can
change front the more readily because OF
the fact. if fact it be, as we think it is, that
they have not committed themselves to the
cause of justice in this matter. either in
writing or in public speeches.
The leading organ of the malignant por-
ton of tho Republican party-the New
York Tribtnc-has not been an indifferent
spectator of the proceedings in Washing,
ton. nor turned deaf ear to the various
reports which have appeared in the public
Journals of the country to the effect that
Messrs. Burrows and CANNON were dis
posed 10 serve their country and not their
party when called upon to vote upon the
question of the adoption of the new rules
which REED and his gang desire to impose
upon the House of Representatiyes-yes,
upon the House Of Representatives, not
merely upon the Democrats; for the same
rules which will enable Republican ma
jority TO carry out their partisan schemes
will enable boodlers. there representatives OF
trusts and monopolists, and the advocates
of all sorts Of corrupt combines" to
carry out their schemes of plumber and
wrong whenever they can persuade by pur-
chase or otherwise a majority of the men,
bers to support such schemes. Filibuster-
ing. is at times not only allowable,
but what sense Of duty TO
their constituents requires OF the members
of the House of Representatives.
The Tribune is trying TO consolidate the
Republican votes of the House of Repre-
sentatives in favor of REEDS radical
changes in the rules. That paper seeks
10 make it appear that it will be party
question which will be up for considera-
ton when the rules shall be undergoing
the ordeal Of discussion. 1t strives to con-
vince the members that the only way for
tho Republicans TO get down to busl-
ness" is TO swallow REEDS code az whole
20 "bolt" it in different sense from
that in which CANNON and Burrows
talk Of "bolting" it. That journal
says the Democrats are particularly anxious
that the present Congress shall be failure.
and therefore want it to consume " AZ much
time as is possible" In order to belittle
the opposition to the REED code the T'-i-
bune characterizes it as "a fuss about the
rules; and. pretending to have un-
bounded confidence in its party friends in
Washington, it patronizingly says that
FREED, McKnLEY, and the Republican
majority are going to balk this game"
CANNON and BuRRows are not named in that
connection.
The TIbuns's course in this matter bodies
evil and only evil to the country. The
Democrats in the House of Representa-
lives must make up their minds to guard
every point, end to stave of as long as
possible every vote on every question not
very important. If the Republicans ex-
perienoe difficulty in securing Republi-
can quorum in January they will find it
much more difficult to secure a Republican
quorum in February, and so as the session
becomes older the difficulty will constant
Nv increase. Time works for the Demo-
Gratis in this matter.