New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-25
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
ruE FIILBCSTERING OF TIE DEMOCRATS
IN THE HOUSE.


SENATE CAN DO WITH
AMENDED RULES.
Washington JAN 24.-Few people outside Of i'm
..aste Congressional circles appear to understand
ono motives for the iilbnstering of the Democrats
!, the House during the last few days 1t Is the
sr.t, time that the real object of the delay is
ai,ected against proceedings in another legislative
branch The whole Democratic side in the House
g co excited over the situation in the Senate and
AZ the immediate project of the passage OF the
rlection bill that they employ this strange form
of retaliation in the other branch oil congress-
seeking to impede in every way the consideration
of public business. 1t is part OF set pan 10
600 if the Republicans will not be stahpedeu py
tho prospect of an extra session. Inc Denlocrd's
orcue that the Administration does not WANT lhe
nnovance of a Democratic House any earlier than
nocessary and that the Republicans therefore will
ote a number of sacrifices before yielding 10
,hot instability. II they force an extra session
hr their tactics, they fondly believe that the
penubcans will be held responsible for that extra
session. This then, is the underlying motive oil
- ohs,rnction tactics in the House. Much of
,ho ;ndpnation displayed there is theatrical 1t
=, .von question whether Mr.. Mills who made
.ucb a display of hmself in the House during
the week. did not force his own temper and eX-
apperate his passion.
The situation at WASHINGTON is constantly mis-
rcnresented. Even number of Republicans out
side have been impressed by this Misrepresentation
The Democrats have cried out that the Repuo-
cans were pursuing revolutionary tactics ana thaI
the Election bill which they are seeking TO pass
is an attempt to establish a new form of tyranny
in the South The fact that few Kepuoilcah
Senator's are more interested in the silver ques-
ton than the election measure has given color
TO some of the disturbing declarations sent Out 10
influence faint-hearted Republicans who are only
TOO ready TO dscredit their leaders and to ylcld 10
mere partisan criticism.
The election measure is so dreaded ny the
Southern members that it must be considered
practical bill. If it were the Impractical meas
ure which they say it is, they would not so fear
its passage and they would not be ready TO go TO
such extremes to defeat il. Every form of argu-
ment in shape of Misrepresentation has been en-
ployed against this measure. There is no HARM
therefore, in reStating the exact point at issue.
For the favorite objection to the bill Is that, II
it could he carried out, it would establish negro
supremacy in the South and that the whites there
would never permit
II the bill could he carried out to the utter
most letter tomorrow and the solid vote OF the
colored men Of the South could be counted for the
Republican side, such result would not change
the local administration of affairs. The machinery
for the regulation of State affairs is in the hands
Of white Democrats. They will he as much at
liberty after the Election bill is passed to count
the votes of the coored lnen. not, they please
for the State offices as they This bill
simply regulates the election of members Of Con-
gress and provides for first Federal supervision
of the elections and of the count and, in the case
of dispute, such dispute can be settled by testi-
mony heard in the United States courts. This
viii apply to all of the States, and no one in the
North has seriously thought of making any OBJ
lection TO the application Of its provisions in that
region. II is the South that is said to be in dan
ger Wherein lies this danger? If the colored
districts-that is, the districts where the coored
vote prcdominates-werc to be absolutely con-
trolled ny them, this would elect only thirty
colorcd members of Congress from the South. This
would he small proportion in the $50 odd mem
bers of the next Congress. 1t would be no larger
representation than their numbers cntitle them
local situation in the South
There is mention of any bayOnets in the
bill. There is nothing in it but legal machine
for the registering of the honest vote of election
in all sections of the country. There is 10 MEM
Der from the South to-day who pretends for a
moment that the negro vote is counted. He is
practically DISTINGUISHED Many Northern people
sympathize with the Southerners III their declara-
ton that they will never permit the vote of the
negro to be counted, and thereby surrender TO him
the administration of their local affairs. They
say that the people of the North would not permit
il, and that they only acting as any community
Of intelligent white people would act when CON
fronted with the threatened domination Of an
inferior race
II is this kind of talk which confUses the situa-
ton and gains sympathy in the North when there
is no place for sympathy when the facts are made
known. The only thing at issue is the question
Of National elections. The South to-day has
representation upon the floor of the House greatly
in dispropOrtion to that OF the North. One VotS
in the South now counts for at least two IN the
North 1t is because this power is threatened
that there is such protest and such shout about
Republican tyranny to-day at Washington. The
measure presented is purely business one The
South is always a compact powerful organization
in the counsels of the Democratic party. 1t repre-
,ents the loaded dice of the political game
N.trrolIy the men who control this power dislike
n surrender it, Against the cold presentation of
q business argument of having an honest election
in National affairs, the Democratic Leaders IN Con-
GROSS answer with threats and epithets.
Tb revolutionary character of the opposition
which they are making is shown IN the hlibuster-
ING in the House upon measure whlch Is being
Considered by the Senate. But TINS Is Only the
hocinn;no of the threats and forms Of opposition
Tho Renublicans are told that If they persist In
nassinc the bill the Democrats Will retalia'e
bv hacking the game against them In the fresi-
dental campaign In other words, these revoiu-
tionary leaders who violate to-day the law IN
every State in the South say that they have
fhc power, under the Constitution, TO designate
tho electors for s92 through the present Demo-
cratic State legislatures They say tha1 II
Congress, dares TO pass this measure, oil oi 'ne
Legislatures in the recently captured States III
the North will this winter elect the elec'ors loi
1900. and make, two years in advance OIL Cno