Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-09

brave Speaker Keed " last at the mercy
o: the dsspi5ed minolty. Tho House TGs
without q quorum yosterday-or, as Ssn-
ator Edmupdg expressed it, somewhat
short in the number OF its ncmbeTs"-
and il vas only by the unanimous con-
cent Of those present that even the neces-
Bary formalities preliminary to adjourn
ment could be carried out. 80 the Re-
publican leaders were compelled humbly
10 beg the Democrats not to insist upon
tho point OF no quorum, a point which
had no doubt been raised for its humor-
Gus eifsot rather than with serious pur-
pose.
Finally the House did manage 10 get
itself together, and the Senate, with ths
exception of Mr.. Blair, bsiug quite ready
for adjournment, the LONG session was
brought to an end. It has lasted IL
months, period with very fsw prece-
dents III Congressional history. and no
session is recalled whose record is 30 ell.
tirely discreditable to the controlling
majority. The Senate haH been as mar
rOnly partisan as usual, bat it has gone
steadily on with it's business and has
done itself no particular ditcredit, except
by its acqnieseelcs in monopoly legisla-
tion. Tie popular branch, on the other
hand, has reached Rt once a depth Of
abject seryility and an extreme OF reok-
less party violence that makes the pro-
ceedinga of the last Democratic House
before the civil war seem dignided and
statesmanliie in comparison.
Starting with bare majority the Re-
publ!oans have held their power as CHAIR
man Quay promised that they should,
with mailed hand.n Tney have un-
seated elected members and put in de-
feated candidates in their places, regard
less of right or law. They have made
eiatea out of cattle ranges, and mining
camps to swell their majority. They
have broken down the parliamentary re-
Etraints of q century to give their Speaker
absolute power to pesa what he pleased,
and defeat what he p e6sed votes
or no votes. And what is the re-
suit OF it ALP Hardly one p.ece Of use
ful legislation, but prohlgate xpend-
lures, looted treasury and increased
taxes upon the necessaries Of life and OF
industry.
Such is the record with which the rep
resentAtives return 10 their constituents
to receive their Judgment. They will meet
again in December, after they have heard
ths verdict. They will do nothing useful
then. in session limited to three months.
The most to be hoped ia that they will do
no more mischief. There will be uni
versGl fesling Of relief at the adjourn
snsnt, but the relief would be greater if
this were really, as 1t ought to be, the
end OF ths Fitty-hrst Congress.
SESSION OF VICIOUS LEGISLATION.
Baltimore sun.
The session just closed will be remem.
bsred for its vicious legislation and OK
travsgance. Its tariff and pension bills
to say nothing of other bills mon
Htrous measures the Significance OF which
will he fully appreciated only after time
hag developed their evil character. The one
vas deEingel TO seouTe 20 the dominant
party the money support of the tariff
lords by giving thom the power TO exact
tribute from the people. The other VAB
designed to buy the votes of e1 solliers.
Both are redolent of bribery. A third
measure to secure votes in an improper
manner--the Force bill-would have been
passtd but for the determined resistance
OF the minority at critical moment, but
it is in reserve, and it5 character helps to
fan estimate of the purity Cf tie motives
animating the leading sp,rl; of the mn.
jority. The people are witnesses. Their
moral sense is less discriminating than we
think it is ir they do not Mt the congress
siOnal elections in November rebuke in q
positive manner the betrayal of the public
interest OF which tho majority in the 51st
Congress is questionably guilty.
LONGEST SESSION but ONE,
Public Lclgcr, Philadelphia.
The eession OF Congress- that closed
yesterday was the longest, with one ex-
ception, in the history Of the country,
aud that exception Was the iirst session of
the + ftieth Congress, which lasted from
December 9th, 1887, to October 20th,
1888 The present session has lasted
from December ID, 1889, to October LIST,
1890. For many yeara the frat session Of
the Thirty. fist Congress- from DAcember
Sd, 1849, TO September Both, 1850, held
the record for length. Taat was the req
sion when the compromise measures of
1850 were pOssed. The sessions of 1883
and 1890 were prolonged by tariff dis
cvsgions, thGt OF 1888, IN spite o. its
length, accomplishing nothing. Tho long
se, son of the Fifty-irst Congress
achieved one OF its main purposes-t the
passage Of new Tariff bill.
THE cRowNING SCANDAL,
Philadelphia Record.
Goud.by to the first session Of the
Fifty ii .st Congress In its acts, as in
its methods, it hag been a reproaoh 10
Democratic government and toe Gro oWning
scandal OF this generation. II has broken
the precaddnts OF century, as well ns
the laws OF political morality. Ihe ma
cdorous record Of its misdseds Will long
linger in the public noslrils. Good-by to
it, and good riddgnce
IN BEHALF OF The R1ou oLIGAHcaY.
New York World.
Tie tirst session of the Fifty first Con-
gress il a. IN end. II is the frat session
for seven years which the Rspublican
party has absolutely controlled. Ita
record Is therefore o, great i'm
portance. i Congress has accom-
pliahed little except for the benefit of the
persons whose contributions pay the
campaign expenses of tho RupuDiicGa
party. The HoGas jtso.f has been de.
moralizsd. The tyranny OF the Speaker
and the new rules have naturally resulted
III disorder, in dlsgracefnl b. oils iu stagia-
tion, insompatenoy ami nn almost total
oss Of Effectiveness. y The efI sGt OF the
new tar q law on the revenues cannot be
foretold, but Whatever ii may bs the cost
of living in the United States has been
greatly increased by this C,ngresa. The
new Tariff bill is the most severe and uu-
lust measure Of tgxalion which haB ever
been adopted by popular government.
1t is, in fact, opposed to all the ideas and
principles which should prevail in such
. government, because il is pla1s in be.
half of small but powerful 2archy,
rich, insoient aud greedy. II was