New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-11
THE SENATE DEADLOCK.
A DAY OF CONTINUOUS FILIBUsTERING BY
THE DEMOCRATS.
SENATOR FAssErr's FoRCIBLE ARGUMENT IN
SUPPORT OF THE REPUBLICAN POSITION
THE SENATE SITTING LATE.

,o,hor dav NJ the session to-day In opposing oocni
once to the constitutions mandate that' III inc ao
sence Of the observation-disclosures OF the S'ao' po'i
dent pro tenn, chosen by majority OF the senators
nroeont shall preside But far deeper than that
rostior nracticalv was this one: Whether or not
n. majority OF the Senators shall have the power
under the rules, Of governing the acuoh VI ''c
SUBSTANTIALLY FOR the last week, the thH'cc" Dcno
cratic Senators have been ruling the oeha'c py thc
aid ~ the presiding officer named by inc cosutu'oh'
namely the LlcutenantG Governor. Inc fcpuoh'aI''
-, tho other hand have steadily insisted upon inc
IL. he,,g amended 30 as to give the majority tho
nouer Of rulinc it, and Of having their own pfcsidhe
orBcer when the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Is absent
rb. senate began its days work by taking up tho
consideration of the Republican resou'oh W a"eu 'u
rules senator Fassett, who had obviously PrepdIeo
himself with care in support OF inc resoiu"on' uo
uvered a strong argument why IL shouiu DC auoPVeo
He said 49, . 49,, ,,o ,r,r,csnee y,
tho senate for few minutes. Let us look ths PROPOSE
tion souarely the face. Under the oon'a'u'o" N'
senate has presiding officer, over "hoh IL mas ho CUM
o, This * true whether the presiding ohlcer De IN
,.,i ,o,nonv with the majority with the minority
NJ the Senate. Under the rules strcty-l ho' inter-
pretng the rules not according 70 their sP'i'', Wv ~
inc 10 their letter-in any parliamentary OouS " ~o N''
b the assistance or three members Oh inc moor
49, uccossfulv defeat any proposed legislation OF any
kind whatever long as the few on the moor anu .he
Chair himself physical strength 10 ehdurc inc s
That situation IN when We hhu ouISS''' t"'''
srs thirteen Democratic Senators. nineteen hepuoncan
c,..s ond a democratic presiding officer given us by
,he constItution While II Is perfectly true tnat he
thirteen Democratic Senators, aided by 'he Cn', '
preyent the majority from putting sihele IN" vi o ~
or can nreyent the majority from passing single resolu
ton can prevent majority even from auIou"s
tho question OF adjournment never can get before the House
t t. Is true the other side thaI inc Popo AZ 'lee
hold the majority responsible for the I'R'd"o"' ou ~
aor,v generally responsible for nacton as wen a. LOT
cpfaef ian IA
,s,o, The thirteen Democratic Senators represent uf
teen districts in this state In each Oh "iVn arc so
interests many OF which are constantly looA'"e " ~"
LEGISLATURE for relief for help for aSet'ahoe' " po''
others from encroachng upon them, ior pro"Nuon
= -, ona ~ these Senators obtain any measure oil
relief can pas, single resolution providing the majority
or some members thereof does not vote Win the' ie
~ not enough Democratic Senators here TO pass any law
mr. NOES any resolution, even to constitute quorum
vhaovo- Won 90, must be obtained by the assistance OF
ouo ,ncnbers OF this majority. So We find ourselves III
the rosltion Of being able each side to prevent he o'
side from accomplishing anything in the way oil an'A'
zction in the way Of resolution or bill
Now what Is the question that divides the senate, ""
,relv apart from question Of personal INTEREST," IL i
simply this: \ motion was made by inc HenaV'I """
the XXlst DistTct-Mr. Sloan-to amehd huio d '" u'o
Senate Rules. The amendment is cOnctd q Dy al uo WV
discuss IL in spirit OF fairness. % be- perfectly proper
onondment IL does not take away from the prSldEle
officer any Of his constitutional rights 1t docs nov tAR'
away from the minority any 81 u'lr Iar'''"''''.'
nriyiloCcs or any OF their parliamentary po"ers' ~
docs not give 70 the or!ty single additional Not
:, e question OF proprcty. II you lose. ms
propo.iton comes a vote Of the Senate you lose hohs
essential II gain, we gain no'hhg aoSo'''" ~
ntrinsicay valuable There Is In reference U th' run
hardly any room for honest difference oil opinion
-, ,ho r,,ority the mot conservative and well.in
formed admit that IL Is prfecly proper change on,
that IL ought be made, In Difference 10 Inv p'S"
wishes ~ a por,on not member Of this BODY ~ seems
n mo that the request n the majority Is perfectly ran
th
N cone TO vote in oIn Senate" Just where al Nou'
avs must tn get majority vote "het' A,' ,o o
measures OF relief must come IN inc h''I''"' " '' ~
,tltucns who have sent you here
You say are obstructionst. We are "'' ~
ever been ready act alrmativcy upon every pfopo
on that comes before the Senate We nave NOT al ''
time refused 70 any measure come to vote OF ue S
alto A. | said IL seems to you are very uhIaH
NJ We are charged with the responsibility We haI'
% say yes or no 70 all your legislation We have the
Affirmative power and the veto power. now "hei W.
sk Won 10 let ~ bring before the senate chaheo VI VI.
l.s in which there is nothing vicious nothing f'Nou'
tIonary nothing improper, you imply say we nave Inv
o, nv virtue Of the that the Constitution has given
MS a presiding officer over whom We have no eohuO''
stand here and block your action, not only OH TINS, Va"
On everything else; and going 10 DO IT, entirely
.nart from the merits Of the proposition. IL seems "
| ,h,, l. no, proper or dcnAed attitude 70 ta"e' IL
Is one YOU are able maintain Just a. long as your p
cal strength holds out on the contrary u'' ""s "
the effort To bring this before The S'na" Is on" "hch
with ~ now Of the Idgorlty 10 'l'''' "P''
H. +, not very cnlightenln spc'tc Ioi c'u'' F'u' VI
mon - SEQ mi. senate blocked here day after day on
PROPOSITION which all men confess j. icr'''N' p'P
p,opo,ition t. before the senate anu one ""'"'
- e,es an ,nlrmative vote does not deprive the minority
-, any constitutional or any parliamentary r1ghs OF p'
loco. I,docs not ipIil singh one 81 t'tbl' l'uo'h
ipcril their proper treatment on any paTlam'N'| o
s,,ion that come, this body IL does ho' 'Pup" W
n,so,. teertv honor dignity Of the presiding oheef
and m. oulg uower or To which YOU can attribute t'
vht lnOFN nav HdHI'7e'u b''i
oupositlon to coming vot' Is whimsical caprice
md, tb,oc has not been brought beilf" the senate In
revolutionary way, in the way OF surprise IL 'o'S ]"
with nNed and rules In the ordinary course ot
to-. ,,o, .dure We ought be- allowed to como
70 vote upon IT, people Of the state Of ioFH are
looking at the Senate and hyanG-hy' some o' u'H' ~
they Will begin QUESTION very seriously "h''e p"''ss "
Is 70 give way II row by the change oil THIS rue inc
rights and parliamentary privileges OF ha minority were ID
Nv way abridged or nfringed upon, then some excuse
mrh, be their refusing 10 l't the Sh@,e express
IL, oririon the valu" or woith''Nh'S7 o "7 pop'
ron Eut H. seem, to resolve itself INTO this question
hhs the minority give way t. the majority or 'ha te ma
, ty. way In the mi noryi shall the minority which
mus AK at the Of the majority whether business h
d,no al all PORTION Of that n'HV maze proper
.sto, and let Q proper parliamentary question como
haor. rs for determination or shall the majority after
giving due that 1t was In earnest about ths hng
md wanted chance to vote Oh IT, incohncntly 'fold up
hcr tents Ike Arabs and a silently steal away u
7, tbcre is anywhere in the Wild universe a. some wish
an ,,,co a place where the spirit, Of Just men made
,ec Look down the affairs Of this little world how
o,v small how contemplate and litc, must app"ar h.
the minds Of great spirits Hb fatG from the cares
d ,nhtions Of merely earthly career this spectacle Of
great parliamentary body the most dgnlnrd IN ia pow
or u the Unitd States, standing here dag after day and
,cck after week oyes the question Of an amendment 10
| the rules which Is brought III perfectly proper ana
dcorous manner before the Senate when there are In
,rcsts before which touch upon the proper care OF tho
,oor Of the insane Of all the wards Of the state, u the
criminal ella ..cs which touch upon the proper repair and
maintenance Of the canals when touch upon All 'he IN
cae interests Of thirty different cities Of the stat"
Itch have IN do with the webcing Of the agculturlst.
the artisan the capitalist and the aboring man We have
questions which are before us for discussion which
relate TO the highest question OF RoVcrnnch-the qucs-
,,op ~ the lcvyng upon poptv OF calling upon
III vi,d NJ wealth 10 meet their fair and just share Of t"