Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-13
MIR. REEDS PARLIAMENTARY LAW.

nihs hEEDS PARLIAMENTARY Law
The article in Ie North american Re
oie1O, which made nince-meat of Speaker
Reeds parliamentary law, has been credited
to Mr.. Blaine. This is doubtless due to the
wish which is father to the thought on the
part of the opposition, where such a fight
between the two most positive leaders of the
Republican party would be observed with
the keenest interest and pleasure. The New
York Sun, however, from the internal evil
dence of the article, credits 1t, not to the
Secretary of Stats, but to "a distinguished
Republican philosopher and journalist who
halls from a city about three thousand miles
from Augusta, Me-, who has never sat in
the Speakers chair, whose parliamentary
knowledge was gained by dozen years ex-
perience at the other end of the capitol, and
who has always been about as friendly to
Brother Blaine as Blaine is supposed to be
to the Hon. Thomas Bracket Reed" This
is very good description of the Hon. Geo.
G. Gorham.
1t is really less important in q public
point of view to determine the authorship
Of the article than to settle the fact whether
its criticisms of the Speakers course are
well-founded. There may, of course. be Q
great deal of personal interest in the idea
that Republican leaders are, for purely
selfish reasons, attacking the Speakers
partisan rulings. But the question which
most concerns the people at large is whether
the parliamentary decisions, under which
the course Of Legislation has been determined,
and the business Of the country shaped for
veal or woe, have been based upon impartial
principles, or governed only by partisan
ship and favoritism. The relative import
ance OF the two questions Is TINT between
the selfish purposes Of rival politicians and
the justice and fairness Of national legiila-
ton.
On the latter point there 10 unfortunately
little doubt and the assertions Of the arti-
Gle convey little new information az to the
disregard by the Speaker OF the fairness
which is the foundation Of parliamentary
law. II may bring out the details Of the
case with more trenchant force; but the
most conclusive evidence OF Mr.. Reeds
superiority to oil the obligations Of impair
TALLY which should govern q Speakers
course, 10 furnished by that gentleman him
self. The parliamentary principles which
he has asserted as Speaker are exactly those
which are denied BY Thomas B. Reed as o
member Of the House. The principles which
he declared as q member he has over-ridden
and ignored as Speaker. Mr.. Reeds great
characteristic as q leader is the energy with
which he pursues his political purposes.
But when that energy reaches the develop
ment OF asserting one set of fundamental
and constitutional principles, when his par
tisan purposes are subserved thereby, and
of asserting exactly the opposite principles
when party exigencies call for the somer-
sault, it affords an almost wanton declaration
of his fealty to the political school which
regards principles as of the slightest value
beside the attainment of partisan purposes
by fair means or the contrary.
In one respect, however, Mr.. Reed must
be credited with consistency in the exertion
of the Speakers powers. About year ago
he published a magazine article in which he
spoke Of the abuses that could be perpetrsted
in the Speakers chair. Since he has at
tanned to those powers, he has been consistent
in affording practical demonstration of the
abuses which can be inflicted by partisan
and partial Speaker.