The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-01
REED'STYRANNICALRULE
MAD WITH POWER. He GOES EVEN
FURTHER THAN HE INTENDED.

The Democrats Force Him to Violate
the Law at Every Turn in Order to
Suppress Them-Fears of Personal
Violence on the Floor Not Yet Re-
allied.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.-Speaker Reeds
success was complete at 8 o'clock this after
noon, but the democrats had in the last
three hours of the fight made it as costly as
possible for him. 1t is by no means certain
that when he started in upon this arbitrary
course Speaker Reed intended to override
the precedents and practice of the House as
completely as he has done. He proposed.
of course, to override the minority, but the
democrats compelled him to violate the law
in mere points in order to suppress them
than he had contemplated.
WORSE AND WORSE.
To-day they compelled him to make a
ruling as unlawful under the unwritten
law of the House as the voting of silent
members. This was that the speaker NAV
decline to recognize any motion whatsoever,
even a motion to adjourn, at his pleasure
provided he thinks the public business re-
quires it, and that he need not entertain any
point of order or an appeal from anv de-
cision that he may make Mr.. Reed wob-
bled a little over this ruling. 1t seemed
pretty arbitrary even to him, but ne finally
got it out, and the republicans gulped it
down with the rest of his actions.
HARD TO SWALLOW.
1t hurt some of them to swallow it. but
they did it, and made no sign. Privately
some of them condemned cit, but you could
iO6TINa than m co VphliOIx-
see that MIR. Reed now has them in his
power, and that they cannot help them
selves. "The way to be happy under Mr..
Reeds thumbsY' said one of them inter-
rogarvey, ''don't wriggle." So they will
continue to follow their leader in the un-
trodden path his eye has indicated into
region where his word is the only law.
REEDS CALM EXTERIOR.
Mr.. Reed kept his calm exterior through
out the contest, but, when he left the chair
and the House after it was over his pent-
up feelings burst out in resentment toward
the democrats for what he termed most
malicious abuse. No American. speaker
had ever been treated so before, he said,
forgetting that no American speaker had
ever treated the House as he had. The
democrats have nothing to regret They
made their protest against Speaker Reeds
tyranny as effective as possible. 1t was
severe, yet parliamentary, vigorous, yet
dignifed.
FEARS OF FISTICUFFS.
The democratic leaders apprehended only
one accident, and it did not happen. SO that
they are congratulating themselves on the
outcome. What they feared was that the
speaker might order the sergeant-at-arms
to forcibly seat some one of their more
fiery followers, and that the member might
rnSISt and nroNinifatn n rSOnal Ia
on the floor. But Mr.. Reed did not take
this last step of all, and so no personal col
lsion occurred. The democrats feel that
they have brought the facts and the law
out clearly before the country. They think
that everybody must see that the speaker
has trampled on the rights of the minority,
and so made himself dictator of the House,
and that, therefore, in the language of
Speaker Blaine, wien Ben Butler vainly
urged him to make the same ruling which
Mr.. Reed has now made, they 'stand on
the very brink of volcano"
AN OPEN DOOR FOR THIEVERY.
They will, of course, watch the republicans
closely and do all they can to check the
political and financial schemes which can
be forced through the House under this gag
law just as easily as a contested election
case. Mr.. Bynum, the young and brilliant
representative of the Presidents home city
In the House, was the central figure on the
democratic side in the close of the fight.
He brought out plainly in his scorching ar
raignment the fact that Chairman Quay
planned what Speaker Reed carried out,
which is the hinge of the whole proceeding.
Mr.. Boutelle was to-day, as throughout
yesterday and the day before, the noisiest
man on the republican side.
RANDALL UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
Ey-Sneakar Randall has ta kan q kaan in
terest in the House contest. He has sent
messages of sympathy and support to Mr..
Carlisle and the other democratic leaders,
and has longed to be present to take once
more the stand he took against the force
bill, but he could not have done anything
more than the other democrats have done.
Mr.. Reed is speaker now, and he reverses
Speaker Blaine with peculiar pleasure.
RA cINO ON nIIu 9 Cnnpnn