The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-31
TALKING AGAINST TIME.


1fthere were any previous doubts that
the sole present mission of the Democratic
party is to talk against time and otherwise
obstruct legislation, the contention in the
United States Senate last Monday, in re-
gard to admitting the recently elected
senator's from Idaho, must have dispelled
all such doubts.
That man of Senator CarlisIe's ability
and one who il ordinarily 80 well balanced
and circumspect, should have taken part
and even led in this contention, but adds
force to the fact that nothing else than OBJ
struction can be expected from any who
identify themselves with that party. He
who is not in favor of obstruction, and dis
posed at every opportunity to practice it,
cannot maintain good standing in the
Democratic party.
The Idaho case was as plain as q pike
staff. The legitimacy of the sitting legis-
iature of that state is unquestioned and
nnquestionable. The same is true as 10
the right of the state to be represented in
the Senate during the remainder of its
present session by two members. 1t is un-
disputed and indisputable that the Idaho
legislature had the right 10 and has chosen
Shoup and Mcconnell to til those two
seats during the present session and until
the term of each shall expire. They are
there, with their credentials, asking to be
seated. There is no contest.
That, 1t would seem, is all with which
the Senate can have anything to do in this
connection. What else the Idaho legisla-
ture did or failed to do. so long as it chose
these two men to I'll those two seats, and
did 1t properly. and had right to do it,
does not at all concern the United States
Senate as bearing on the seating of these
senators. But it happens that the Idaho
Legislature did do something else. Ii chose
Mr.. Dubois to take seat which will be-
come vacant on the 4th of March. At the
first session after the 4th of March he may
present his credentials and claim that seat.
He may not. At all events, he is not
claiming any seat now, and whether he
will or will not claim one hereafter, or
whether, If he shall do so, his claim will
be entitled to recognition, are matters
which the Senate cannot at present foreteIl
or PREJUDICE.
But this, to the exclusion of the other
perfectly plain and proper question,
is the one TO which Democratic obstruc-
tionists addressed themselves, and seized
that excuse for talking against time"
The fact that Mr.. Dubois happened to be
in Washington City was matter of which
they had no right to take cognizance; no
more than if 1t had been Mr.. Irby, recently
elected TO represent South Carolina after
the 4th of March, or Governor Gordon,
who is to represent Georgia after that
date
That the South Carolina and Georgia
legislatures have not elected two other
senators besides those at the present ses-
sion is because they are already fully rep
resented in the Senate of the 51st congress.
There was no more occasion for discussing
the case of Dubois last Monday than for
paying like attention to the cases of Irby.
Gordon, Pugh and Others who stand on the
same footing. Nobody knew this any bet
ter than did Senator Carlisle, but talking
against time and obstruction in every pos.
sible shape is the only thing he and his CO.
partisans are there for at the present time.