Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-05

mrs REVIEW OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. UP
WHAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE DoSE--LEGIs-
IATIoS TE.r HAS BEEN AccoApLIsHrD-THE
MINORITY CRIIIcIsED-EvII-s OF FILIBUsrEaISG.
Speaker Reed was given a warm welcome in
Massachusetts and Maine. His train was
greeted by crowds all along his journey-st
H>verhill, Dover. Salmon Falls, North Berwick.
Ke..nebunk and Saco. Last night at Portland
Mr.. Reed addressed 5000 people at the city
hall He was unable to proceed at first for
the long continued applause.
SPEAKER REEDS SPEECH.
Mr.. Reed said: Parties have their years Of
depression and their years of exalta.ion just rs
Individuals have their moments of depression
and of good cheer Parties have periods when
they 40 great work and periods when they
seem to have other hope than the mere
preservation of existence. Since 1874, when
the republican party first faltered in its great
duty of preserving liberty and equality before
the law for all citizens of the United States q
republican House of Representatives has been
rare. This has not been because there is no
longer republican majority, but because by
frauds too apparent TO be denied by ballot box
stuffing too notorious to be disputed, twenty
i've seats in the House have been wrested from
US under the open defiant declaration that the
southern democratic white man shall not only
rule the black man of the south, but the white
man OF the north. Two years ago. under the
tremendous stress caused by the battle set in
array by the free traders. the republican party
triumphed so siSnally that even the cohorts OF
fraud were routed, and after few Intellectual
struggles to count us out we had the House by
the small majority of five instead OF our real
majority of twenty-five.
THREATS OF THE MINORITY
''Long before Congress assembled the air had
been resonant with the hopes and threats Of
the minority, with declarations that they were
TO rule in utter disregard of the will of the
people of the United States At the very worst
no measure should pass which did not have the
sanction of their high approval. II any man
here thinks they rcckoned without their host.
that they had no foundation on which to build
their hopes and their threats he knows little
OF the deep-laid schemes of many years to rem
der the republicans powerless whenever they
should get control. For years rule has been
piled upon rule and decision upon decision to
render legislation dependent upon the suffer
ance of the minority. Filibustering lurked in
every line. The power of obstruction was
without limit. You will naturally ask why it
was that those who most of the time had the
majority should so strengthen the minority II
you will consider the nature of the two parties
the cause cannot escape YOU. The democratic
party wants no legislation. 1t is not charged
with the progress of the world. All the south
ern men who control the party want or ask for
Is to be let alone. When the republican party
comes into power it has work TO do. If that ac-
tIon can he prevented what more should the
southern democracy desire? Hence all their
plans. whether IN power or out of power, are
conferred In obstruction.
EVIL. OF FILIBUsTERISa
Now. the House of Representatives ia not
body quick to do business under any set of
rules. Its large numbers and the divers inter-
ests they represent will always make it slow
and cumbersome. But system which en-
abled one member to hold the whole House at
bay until the going down OF the sun, and then
10 hold II until physical exhaustion set it free
and one-fifth to hold il forever, was evidently
system which rendered elections useless
and called halt to civilization itself OF
what use was II to summon into the field an
army Of orators to explain the questions of
party policy? OF what use was it that the
great throng of journals set themselves to ex-
plain to the people the needs of the hour?
or what use was an election itself, that grand
elimination of the power of the citizens if
after all nothing could be done without the
sanction of the beaten party? What states
man could there be foolish as to battle for
power with responsibility when he could
have the same power without responsibility?
What kind of fight is that to go into where
the victim will be victorious and the conaueror
powerless? Says the Koran: .Dost thou think.
U man. that we created the heavens and the
earth in jest? Are elections a farce, and is
government BY the people iuggle? Do we
marshal our tens of millions to the polls for
sporE If there be anything In popular gov
eminent 1t means that whenever the people
have elected one party to take control OF the
House or the Senate that party shall have both
the power and the responsibility. If that is
not the effect, what is the use of the election?
Is was with far other ideas of public duty
that the minority met US at the opening of the
session Not only were no measures to pass
which did not have their approval, but no
rules even OF procedure were to be permitted
except those which seemed suitable to the
beaten party.
NOT PROUD OF HIMSELF.
$50 We began life without any rules The
Constitution says the House may determine
the rules of its procedure and does not say
that it must. After two months time the Cd
position found that under the parliamentary
law which has been built up by the American
people IN consOnance with their institutions
the public business was going on every day
without their consent, and they began to
elamor Tor the very rules they had denounced
need not describe to You the scenes OF dis
order which were preliminary 10 the establish
ment OF sound business principles in the
House. 1t is enough to say that the good work
was done and the House of Representatives has
taken large stride toward business and the
performance OF duty. Will you, my old friends
and neiGhbors, permit me Just one word which
Is purely personal? ANY time these last eight
months have been the subject of much inds-
crlminate praise and much indIscriminate
blame: The one IL just much deserved as
the other. Great events do not turn upon one
man The House of Representatives was ready
ana ripe for change and the people stood ready
to approve. What all the world wanted was
easy TO 10. i am not greatly proud to be
Speaker OF the House, but am proud with all
my heart TO be one OF that magnificent major
nv OF the House Of Representatives OF the
ffty-hrst Congress which FOR nine long months
has never for ono moment faItered in its duty
REPUBLICAN PROMISES EXCEEDED
"When we cleared the decks for action there
was plenty Of work to do, and we have done
II to the fu!l measure Of satisfaction. We hive
achieved all that the republican party PROM
ised and more. Most platforms are but gilt
tering generali.ies-good enough for the cam
paign-but our last platform has been treated
b. the House of Representatives like a deed of
trust
We promised the people that the tariff
should have fair and exhaustive treatment
that the principle OF protection should have
fun recognition, and in three important bills
ne have kept the promise to the hope BY the
Administrative bill wise and discriminating
effort has been made 30 secure to our manu-
facturers and merchants the complete benefit
OF the rates OF duty imposed by law BY vir-
tue Of that bill We hope We have bid farewell
10 those wicked underyaluations which cheated
the honest importer out of his trade and the
honest manufacturer out OF his business We
hope that we have made valuations and duties
alike IN all ports, SO that men may choose with
out loss freely where they will land their
goods.