Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1890-02-06
Await the Popular Verdict.

Await the Popular Verdict.
The vigorous protest winch has been
called forth from the minority by the
course Of Speaker Reed, in ignoring
presidents and in disrcgarding the
rules commonly employed for the gov
eminent of the House, was to have
been expected, and is but natural e1-
preston of the resentment which an IN
fair usurpation Of power is always sure
to awaken. II is questionable, howev-
er whether it would not be wiser from
the standpoint of political expediency
for the Democratic members OF the
House to withdraw further opposition
to the autocratic methods Of the Speak
er, and allow the majority to carry Out
their programme and snow their hand.
For tn first tiTar IN many years
both branches # Congress and the ex-
ecutive department; IT the government
are in the hands Of tie Republicans.
1t Is de-l;ai,ie thar tire dominant party
should lie invested T;th the fail re-
sponslbil;ty Of The lower which il
Yields, ard III }om u Seekihg IL
place any .staeis 80 tie sFas q IL
complete mieg Is ta. tfa.. i
resort to fi5nstegii. u tae House
may delay tie purposes Ct the Repabii
can party, bp' il eert4.1iy cannot sc
feat them. II rat. = r.ntel.pI .tsi
in the mater # the .Gntestcd seats ia
Congress, a say will ',e fnund for its
accomplishment, aud the minority car
not interpose an obstacI'. strong enough
to prevent it. There is growing con-
ylction that too much Of the time 1T
Congress is squandered in dilatory tao
tics, and that the obstructive practices
which are so frrqlent'v lowed tn par
legislation il. 'hal beiy s,"uid be an
nulled The Speaker Of the House
has this argument to sustain him in his
present course, though he seeks
to correct the evil by an uuwarranted
assumption Of power. 1t is manifestly
proper that the proceedings Of the
House should be conducted according
to established rules, but the Democrats,
having entered their protest against
Mr.. Reeds violation Of an established
custom, have thrown the entire respon
sibility of the act upon the Republicans,
who sustain the Speaker in his revolu-
tionary policy and his disregard Of the
common rules of practice.
1t is claimed by the majority to un-
seat Democratic members who we're
fairly elected to Congress. The party
which commits such an outrage does
greater harm to itself than to the oppo-
sit,on. The people will hold to strict
account the political organization which
thus defeats the popular will as express
ed at the ballot box. The Democrats
in congress can record their votes
against all such measures, but they can
not hope to defeat them by. resorting to
the plan Of preventing a quorum with.
out obstructing the entire business Of
congress. Its not unlikely that the
Republican majority in the House and
Senate will do many things of which the
voters of the county will disapporve, but
the remedy lies with the people, and to
them Congress must hold itself account.
able. The minority in the House can
not forestall what is bound to be, and,
while it can exercise the privilege always
placing itself on record as opposed to
what it regards as inim,cal legislation,
it can not hope to defeat it by a resort
to filibustering.
The Republican party is now on trial
before the country. It is apparently
willing to assume the responsibility of
Mr.. Reeds irregular action and to abide
by the decision Of the people in regard
to the parliamentary contest pending 10
the House. The minority party can
well afford to wait the judgement of
the voters of this country III respect to
his and other questions upon which the
Republican party has declared itself
and upon which 1t will be called to dur
ing the present session of Congress.