Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-02-03
SPEAKER REED TALKS.
He Tells About His Position in Rsgard 10
the Rt cent Ruling.

the Rt cent Ruling.
WASHINGTON, February 2.-Spesker
Resd to-day made 10 a representative OF
the Associated Press the following state
ment concerning the Republican position
in the present controversy;
Mr.. Carlisle was entirely right when be
said in substance that the decision of the
House that a quorum was constituted to
DO business when maj Jriiy OF the House
was present, would change from the four
dation the method of doing business. 1t
certainly will do 90, for it will enable the
msj lrity elected by the peep TO rule by
their own woes, and not by the sufferapce
of the minority.
The rule of the majority is OF the very
base Of our government; ifit be not the true
rule, faith is vain and we are yet in our
sins. Look at the practical working OF
the other doctrire. The Republicans have
msiority of seven, but they hsve only
three over quorum, 1e8 is our number, 165
a quorum. II We are to furnish quorum
The whole Democratic party will be sit
ting idly By in their seats, but not present"
Dumb and silent when business is to be
transs ed but vocal when it is to BE- OBJ
structeC, then there can be but three Re-
publicans absent on penalty Of stopEags
of the public business.
Now let rs see how that works. We
are allowed but th ee sbssntees. Mr.
Rockwell is sick 1t would endanger his
life to come. Mr.. Wilbur is in the same
case. Mr.. T. W. Browne is too sick to be
able to be there all the time. MIR. Gas
wells wife was dying, and common deem
cy required his presence by her bedside.
Another member must be with his wife,
for reasons somewhat similar.
Just about this number OF members
will at al times be sick or incapacitated.
These may get well, but Others 'all sick in
their turn. There is one quorum, accord
ing to Mr.. Cariisle's idea, gone entirely to
pieces, though even after all fraud be de-
Quoted, the people had found for the Re-
publicans by seven majority. All this
time, while we ara keeping in the House
other man hardly less sick, hundred and
forty.
Our lusty Democrats sit sileLt in their
seats. doing no public duty except to
draw their pay. Is i. possible that the
United ststes is paying these gentlemen
thirteen dollars q day without even the
poor privilege of counting their client
fo.ms. Mr. Carlisle says there is no pre-
cedent for the decision of the House. 1
have personally seen and heard him furn-
ish hundred.
A hundred times l have heard him de-
clare that the number for and against such
bill was, cay so for and 20 against, less
than q quorum, and yet declare that bill
passed aud eign that bill, thereby certify
ing under the most solemn sanction OF his
oath of office that the bill had properly and
co1siitg tionally pessed the House. How
could ne have done this il his doctrine be
that a QnOTum must vote? Understand
me Day after day Mr.. Carlisle, in my
presencs has declared that such bill
had votes for and sgainst, by his own
count as Speaker, less than quorum, and
has get Immediately declared II passed and
has sigUed il, TINS furnishing the only
proof the President could have that 1t Was
passed. How could this be, except on the
plain ground that if a quorum did not
vote the presence Of quorum was enough.
But this matter does rot need argument.
In Mr.. Cirlisle's own State, in Democratic
Tennessee, in Democratic New York, in
Democratic Ohio, in Massachusetts, aud In
the CouIss every where, as You may see by
Mr.. Butterworih's speech, the doctrine
Just upheld by the House is the
lsw of the land, and it ought to be
il good government is not TO perish from
the face of the earth-not ruling has been
made in the House to supppress flibuster-
ing which has not the full sanction of
Parliamentary Law. That men should re-
sist only shows how ingrainei the wrong
course has become and how necessary the
remedy. What is the House trying TO do,
why TO psrflrm its highest function, that
OF deciding the right OF member TO his
ssat. Until 1882, no man ever dared to
alibuster against such case. No man
ought TO be allowed to do it to-day. Yet,
every day three hours are waited in sp
proving the Journal when five minutes
would be ample These three hours be-
long to the public business. The people
do not understand that every wanton roll
call consumes three quarters Of an
hour. Slme OF these men are
talking about rules. Tney are now
acting under body of rules which the
American p!ople use in their assemblies,
body of rules well-known aud understood
oy all those who are wilfully ignorant.
When we first came here the obisrucsion-
isis declared tina. they would die in the
last ditch against my rules they did not
approve of and nov they are wanting
to die at Thermopylae, in defense of the
liberties of their country because We don't
force rules on them. II there could be
fewer deaths at Tnermopylae, and more
business in ihe House, the country would
be better off Its true that the Democratic
leaders like Mr.. Carlisle have long since
ceased to participate in the defense OF
good Government, but they should now
make thsmselves afirmatiyely on the side
of order.