The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-03-18
THE JUDGMENT OF THE FUTURE

THE JUDGMENT OF THE FUTURE
The arrangement under which an
old Congress remains in session after
a new Congress has been elected
sometimes renders it possible for de-
fea,ed party to control legislation for
months after its policy has been con-
demned by the people. The Repub-
lican majority in the Fifty-frst Con-
gress enjoyed that opportunity and
abused. Mr.. Mckinley declared at.
tel the November elections that it was
the intention of the Republican mem
bers to complete the work they had
begun without the slightest reference
to any expression of popular opposi-
tlon at the polls.
The party that assumes an attitude
of that sort has obviously no claim to
representative character. 1t is not
merely party acting without a man
date from the people; it is party
openly and deliberately disobeying
mandate from the people. 1t will be
remembered that Mr.. Reed published
a defense of his rulings in the North
american ReWew, in which he con-
tended that it was the duty of Con-
gress to consummate the Legislation
demanded by the country, and that it
had no right to waste time in debate.
He held then that the election of Har-
rison in 1888 was an Endorsement by
the people Of the entire Republican
platform, and that the discussion of
bills intended to give effect to the sew
eral planks of that platform was sim
ply an impertinence. For that reason
he and his fellow-Republicans chang
ed the rules of the House to enable
him to gag the minority and to count
a quorum, even when the roll call fail
ed to show that there was one present.
Bnt in persisting in bis high-handed
course, after his party had been over
whelmingly beaten, Mr.. Reed was
plainly inconsistent.
If he had been true to his theory OF
congressional duty he would have
used his whole influence to secure the
repeal of the Mckinley tariff. He
did nothing Of the sort, however. He
used the power given him by major
ity of the past to defeat the will Of the
majority Of the present.
Perhaps Mr.. Reed would answer
that the majority in the Fifty-frst
Congress received its instructions in
1888, and that it was under no obli-
cations to regard the instructions CIV
en- in 1890. What, then, will be his
position in the Fifty-secoud Copgress9
We fancy that he will be found in
that body in active opposition to the
majority, and thar he will take advan-
tage of the disposition of the Demo-
Gratis to restore to the House its lost
dignity as deliberative body. Just
now he appeals neither to. the past nor
the present. He expresses conf.
dent expectation that the judgment of
the future will vindicate both the pro-
priety Of his rulings and the wisdom
of the Mckinley tariff. He has re-
turned, therefore, to deliberative
standpoint, and takes the liberty of
thinking for himself.
Of course, no one can be quite cer-
tain as to the Judgment of the future !;
but the present indications are that
there will never again be a popular
demand for a tariff which oppresses
the many for the benefit of the few.
The great agricultural interests de.
mand access to all the markets of the
world on terms Of fair competition,
and those whose living depends upon
the prosperity Of those interests have
learned at last that a tariff which lin
its or prohibits imports will also limit
or prohibit exports. Production in
the United States increases faster than
population, and the demand for for
eign commerce will continue as long
as that state Of things exists. Mr..
Reed may be very sanguine; but while
human nature remains what it is men
will demand the privilege Of buying in
the cheapest and selling in the dearest
I