The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-03-26
THE MEANING OF IT.
Is Speaker Reed Guilty of Having Cast

ne MEANING Of IIs
Is Speaker Reed Guilty of Having Cast
an Anchor to Windwnrd?
Of course the desire to pass partisan
measures intended to perpctuate the Re-
publican party in power has had great
deal to do with tho high-handed pro.
ceedings of Speaker Reed and the ma
jority in the House of Representatives.
But the lobby has been, we think, a far
more potent factor in this wretched bust
ness. Under the rules which have pre-
vailed in the House OF Representatives
for many years it would not have been
impossible to carry through certain of
the jobs in which the Republican leaders
are interested. Under the rules as
adopted the most scandalous of them
have good chance. They can not be
defeated by fllibustering. They can
be carried by one more than fourth
of the membership of the House, It is
not oven necessary that a constitutional
quorum shall be present. All that is
necessary is that the Speaker shall pre-
tend that he sees constitutional
quorum, and order the clerk to record
the same. He is not bound to heed any
protest, OR to entertain any appeal.
Any motions intended to delay proceed
ings until full House can be
secured, or to afford an opportu-
nifty for investigation or deliberation,
he may pronounce "dilatory" and refuse
to recognize. 1t will require only one
hundred members to make quorum of
the committee of the whole, in which
"all motions or propositions involving a
tax or charge upon the people; all pro-
ceedings touching appropriations of
money or bills making appropriations of
money or property, or requiring such
appropriations to be made, or autnor-
lzing payments out of appropriations al
ready made, or releasing any liability
on the United States for money or
property must be considered. 1t would
be impossible to formulate code of
rules more favorable to the jobbers and
public plunderers, who are now swarm
ing at Washington in greater numbers
than since the days of Grantism.
'The looting legislation which is con-
templated," says Washington telegram
to the New York World, sis something
to astonish the stoutest Imagination.
Nothing like it has been known in the
history of the country" The following
partial list Of looting measures already
introduced or spoken of is given:
,,,1..
eminent during the war arc still begging for
more money. One Of the claims (McKay's) was
allowed by Congress, and the bill was vetoed
by Mr. Cleveland. The Republicans will allow
all these, and no one knows the exact amount
involved. 1t will reach millions
The building of the United States peniten-
tiaries is n worthy object, but there is corrup-
tion in the present scheme. 1t will call for the
expenditure of 81 100000.
The present cost of keeping Federal prisoners
is 100000 per annum. 1t will be twice as much
under the new system.
The Republicans intend to pass the direct
tax bill which Mr.. Cleveland vetoed. This will
cost about s2O,0oO.OoO.
They intend to pass the Blair educational
bill, which will involve an expenditure OF ST..
100000.
Many millions will be granted as subsidies to
ships in the foreign carrying trade and for
mail service
general canal scheme will be entered upon
by the Federal Government. The Hennepin
canal alone will cost SCI 100000.
1t is intended to add hundreds OF millions to
the pension accouS. by the repeal of the limita-
ton in arrears act. The term fixed in the
original statute was 1880.
There will be passed the biggest river and
harbor bill at this session OF Congress that the
country has ever known.
The Hale navy bill and the Dolph fcrtifca-
tions bill involve at least sS5o,0G0,0O0
A service pension bill will be passed which
will call for an expenditure of s200OOO00O. 1t is
speaking within bounds to say that the thir-
teen regular pension bills will aggregate not
less than S1OO 900 mere than those of the last
session.
The Pacific railroad funding scheme
is omitted from the above list. Speaker
Reed is especially concerned about this
scheme, and will force it through at the
earliest opportunity. He will also use
his power to pass the tariff bill which
the attorneys of the protected monopo-
lies are fixing up for the ways and means
committee.
Mr.. Reed has not set up as Car, nor
have the Republican leaders formulated
their infamous code of rules merely as
partisans. The work was done at the
instance of the lobby, and the lobby will
reap the benefits. We shall be sur
prised if Speaker Reed does not find his
single term in the chair as profitable as
were Mr.. Blaine's years of service as
Speaker. And it will be remembered
that Mr.. Blaine took the chair a poor
man and came out millionaire
dianapolis Sentinel.
Perhaps President Harrison thinks
that he had t.o many friends at the be-
ginning of bis term: he is succeeding
remarkably in reducing he number,ar
National Damocrat.