Sharp County record., 1890-05-22
sTHE MEANING OF 1T.

Y II SNEAKER Reed Guilty of Having Cast
h ON Anchor to Windward?
i nf course the desire to pass partisan
measures intended to perpetuate the he
Y nublican party in power has had a great
!, deal to do with the high-handed pro-
/ cepdines of Speaker Reed and the ma
Y ;oritv.in the House of Representatives,
y But the lobby has been, we think, far
G more potent factor in this wretched OuSl-
+ ness. Under the rules which have pre-
z vailed in the House of Representatives
} for many years it would not have been
h iunossible to carry through certain OF
Z the Jobs in which the Republican leaders
are Interested Under the rules as
adopted the most scandalous of them
\ have good chance. They can not be
y defeated by filibustering. They can
= be carried by one more than fourth
of the membership Of the House, 1t IS
not even necessary that constitutional
\, quorum shall be present. All that is
\ necessary is that the Speaker shall pre-
tend that he sees constitutional
quorum, and order the clerk to record
i the same. He is not bound to heed any
protest, or to entertain any appeal.
\ ANY motions intended to delay proceed
ings until full House can be
secured, or to afford an opportu-
nifty for investigation or deliberation,
he may pronounce "dilatory' and refuse
to recognize 1t will require only one
hundred members to make quorum of
the committee of the whole, in which
ssall motions or propositions involving a
tax OF charge upon the people; all pro-
ceedings touching appropriations OF
money Or bills making appropriations OF
money or property or requiring such
appropriations to be made, or autnor-
izing payments out Of appropriations al
ready made, or releasing any liability
on the United States for money or
property' must be considered. 1t would
be impossible to formulate a code of
rules more favorable to the jobbers and
public plunderers, who are now swarm
ing at Washington in greater numbers
than Since the days of Grantism.
'The looting legislation which is con-
templated, says Washington telegram
TO the New York World, "is something
to astonsh the stoutest imagination.
Nothing like it has been known in the
y history of the country" The following
partial list of looting measures already
introduc ed or spoken of is given:
Contractors who built gunboats for the Gov
ernment during the war are still begging for
more money, One of the claims (McKay's) was
allowed by Congress- and the bill was vetoed
4 by Mr. Cleveland The Republicans will allow
Z all these and no one knows the exact amount
involved. 1t will reach millions
The building of the United States peniten-
tiarles Is worthy object, but there is corrup-
lion nthe present scheme 1t will call for the
I expenditure of 81, 100000.
The present cost Of keeping Federal prisoners
Is S300000 per annum. 1t will be twice as much
under the new system.
The Republicans intend to pass the direct
tax bill which Mr. Cleveland vetoed. This will
cost about S2O,0OO00O.
They intend to pass the Blair educational
BILL which will involve an expenditure of ST.
0000
X Many millions will be granted as subsidies to
ships IN the foreign carrying trade, and for
mail service
general canal scheme will be entered upon
Dy the Federal Government The Hennepin
canal alone will cost So, 100000
Ills intended to add hundreds OF Millions to
me pension accouSt by the repeal of the limita-
uon IN arrears act. The term fixed in the
original statute was 1880.
There will be passed the biggest river and
harbor bill at this session Of Congress that the
\ country has ever known.
The Hale navy bill and the Dolph fortifca-
uous Dill involve at least $3.50 100000.
Asexyice pension bill will be passed which
"l4can for an expenditure of 900 100000. 1t is
epcak1ng within bounds to say that the thir-
teen regular pension bills will aggregate not
less tnan Sl0O,000000 more than those of the last
session.
The Pacific railroad funding scheme
1a om1tted from the above list Speaker
Reed Is especially concerned about this
scheme, and will force it through at the
earliest opportunity. He will also use
ms power to pass the tariff bill which
The attorneys of the protected monopo-
lies are fixing up for the ways and means
committee.
Mr Reed has not set up as Car, nor
nave the Republican leaders formulated
their Infamous code of rules merely as
partlsans The work was done at the
instance of the lobby, and the lobby will
reap the benefits. We shall be sur
prlsed II Speaker Reed does not find his
single Term in the chair as profitable as
were Mr. Blaine's years of service as
speaker. And it will be remembered
mat MI Blaine took the chair poor
man &nd came out a millionaire. In.
dianapolis Sentinel.
Perhaps President Harrison thinks
mat re had tso many friends at the be-