New-York tribune., 1890-07-17
"C 1Cv NONSENSE.

,rho nronosition of members of the majority
g +ho irritod States Senate TO pass rule to
,,,ovort unlimited Gibustering by the minority
has thrown number of Democratic news
ooners into really narrowing state OF hliilu'
Unlimited flibustcrng, of course, means inc
failure of bills which the Republican senators
wish 70 mass. which they have perfect righ'
70 mass and which it is their bounden duty as
tho renresontatives of tho majority ot the
American people 10 pass. These organs OF the
Democracy, proceeding on the unique '"'o'1
that parliamentary law was lnSu'Hcu ""oIS
men so that the tail should find no dllhcul'F i'll
waceing the head or if you please so 'ha' Il
minority should find no difficulty III euchr'nE
q majority. hotly denOunce the proposed r"'o
nc an attempt 10 gag Democratic senators
stranger 10 our Institutions and TO the gray
matter known as brains, listening to the IN
aommatorv uttoranccs of these journals, mIghl
no forced 70 the painful conclusion that free
dom Of spccch was being knocked down
irmped n-sandbagged-foully murdered III
tho coolest blood the season affords IN the
great forum at Washington
II * evident that DR.. Holmes must write
another poem. lie long ago pointed ont the
folly of irving 70 be aS funny as one can. Leu
him now. for the benefit Of these " steamed
contomnoraricS strike his Tyre and dccalm
AGAINST the asinnity of trying 10 be a rdlc-
ulous as one can. These critics Of Republican
Senators apparentlv can sec no difference be-
tween freedom OF speech and license oi SPc''n'
They condonc. aye, positively approve oi' HI
bustcring on the part OF the minority but 'heir
delicate sonshiliticS are shocked at the I"-a
that the majority should attempt 10 circum-
vent the flibustcrS by Legitimate means. Ihe!
insist earnestly and evcrmore upon the rieh'S
of the minority, bat seem to ignore the I'''
that under our republican system the majority
is not a mere impOtent worm Of the aust hu'
is entitled ~ some little conSideraton-cm m
least hold that lis soul Is IT, own ana nor me
property Of the minority without laying Use"
omen 10 the suspicion of being either de>pouc
or revolutionary They do not protest agaih>'
rho prcyious question rs II exists IN tho House
Of REPRESENTATIVES and in numtcre>S othci
dcliborativc bodies oh, no. True, 1t cuts oil
debate in those bodies whenever IL is enforced
and hence is gag" revolving ASSASSIN oi
freedom of speech in the same sense and no
other that il would be "A " gag ana the al"re-
SAID assassin in the United states senate. sun
fl moves them not 10 NIdlh' lHtN '''i''''
plato it with perfect serenity
II NAV be. rs some of the Rcpuhlcln zen
ators argued AZ the recent conference, that a
vet there is no occasion for the adoption OF
thc dcbatc-hmiting rule. On that point there
is room for differences q opinion. But thcrc
ought TO be no difference of opinion among
sensible men on the proposition that ma
ioritv ha, a right 10 see to II that lt> VIII is
not nullifcd by open and ayowcd ilibuStcnng.
Wbcn Democratic traitors cndcayorcd 10 de
strov the Union newspapers in sympathy with
them did not hesitate 10 maintain that the
Nation had no right 10 save lis own life. lhoy
were mistaken. Just 80 they arc mistaken
when they maintain that 4 majority IN the
Senate has no right 70 defend itself against a
GlibuS;oring minority One OF the rules OF the
Ilousc Of Representatives reads aS follows:
There shall be a motion for previous question
which being ordered by majority of members present
IL quorum shall have the effect 10 cut OF all debate
! and hiring the Ilonsc to direct vote upon the ir
mediate quc tiou or questions on which II has beer
! asked and ordered All M'ln'n'I PHcs"'"
~ order arising after motion is made for the previous
oucstion and pending such motion shall be decided
| whether on appcal or othcrv lie without debate.
Is this gag" rule? If 50, why do not
these Democratic journals dcnounce it? If II
is not gag rule what force is there in then
nrcscnt ferocious attack upon Republican sen
! atOrs?