Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-30
Rules of Procedure,

Mr.. THOMAS b. REED. the pachyderma-
tons Speaker of the House OF Represen-
tatives, has deemed it proper TO appear
before the public in a long article designed
70 convince the people OF the United
States and Of the civilized world that he
ha, not played the part of tyrant in that
high Office. nor even rendered himself OBJ
noxious 10 the charge of having strained
the rules of the House in his efforts to
promote the passage of legislation in the
Interest Of the Republican party, or, as he
would say, Of the country. We have had
occasion in the past TO predict that the
next House Of Representatives, though 1t
will have large majority of Democrats in
il. will follow, at some distance behind him
perhaps, the course pursued by Mr.. REED.
II is not in human nature for the Demo-
Gratis 20 content themselves with the old
rules of procedure when they are in power
after having been compelled to submit TO
the new and efficient rules of procedure
under which their opponents have found
il so easy to control the House of Repre-
sentatives.
In the article under consideration Mr..
REED refers 10 Virginia as one of the
States which have met with distractions
10 their legislative work and been COM
PEELED TO resort TO new and untried expert
ments in order to the accomplishment OF
the ends for which the legislatures of
those States were annually convened in
session under the operation of their re-
spectiye constitutions. We do not recol-
lect when Virginia found 1t necessary or
deemed il proper to take the steps to
which Mr.. REED refers; but we are sure
that no presiding officer of either
house of her General Assembly ever I'M
iertook 10 make rules himself for the gov
eminent of the body over which
he had been authorized to preside
only according to law and the Gus
tom OF the Commonwealth. Mr.. REED
counted quorum as present when no
quorum had appeared under the roll-call,
although there was neither rule nor Gus
tom-neither q rule of the House Of Repre-
sentatives nor O custom Of Congressman
thorizing him so TO do. There can be no
law passed upon the subject. because the
Constitution Of the United States confers
upon each house the power to compel for
itself the attendance of its absent men,
bers. That instrument provides that
smaller number than a majority of each
body "may be authorized" 10 compel the
attendance of absent members. How au-
thorized2 We answer, each house decides
for itself what it will do in the premises,
but il is a clear case that less than
majority has no power to resort to any
method of compelling the attendance of
absent members which has not been au-
thorized beforehand by a majority of its
members. So there is wide difference
between the cases cited by Mr.. REED as
preeedents, and the arbitrary and unau-
thorized rulings to which he resorted in
the absence Of rule, law, or custom to JUS
fifty him in his tyrannical acts. The
Speaker can make no point as against Vir-
ginia in this connection. Nor are our
members Of the House of Representatives
guilty of any Inconsistency when they JUS
tify proceeding according TO rule and Gus
tom in this State and condemn proceeding
without rule or custom TO justify it in
Washington.
Mr.. REED devotes large space TO the pre-
cedents which he found in the proceedings
Of the British House of Commons a few
years ago when that body was seeking to
secure the benefits Of closure rule which
should operate as the previous question
operates in the American House of Repre-
sentatives. What we have already said
may be applied TO this argument also.
II has been well said that the object OF
the rules Of legislative body is not the
protection Of the majority but the protec-
ton Of the minority. The majority can
always protect themselves from physical
force as well as from harsssipg and unjust
legislation Nor is 1t the single object of
the rules to advance legislation. II is
sometimes more imperative duty TO OBJ
struct legislation than to promote it. 1t is
sometimes necessary 10 ring the alarm
bells to warn the country of impending
danger. The rules Of procedure are in
tended, amongst other things, 20 prevent
injurious legislation by stopping the wheels
of the two houses Of Congress until the
people can make themselves heard and the
danger is overpast. Mr.. REED will have q
good opportunity next winter to practice
what he preachesin the Grticleupon which
we have been commenting. Perhaps when
the Democratic halter draws he will not
have so high an opinion of his Own rulings.
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