New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-28
4 WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!.
UyJUSTIFIABLE DEMOCRATIC OBSTRUCTION
IN THE HOUSE.
WHAT 1T Is COSTING THE TAXPAYERs-MoNEY
FOR USELESS BoLLCALLs WHICH WOULD
PAY FOR MANY PENSIONS.

| WHAT 1T Is COSTING THE MONEY
FOR USELESS RoLL-CALLs WHICH WOULD
PAY FOR MANY PENSIONS.
Washington Jan. - (SpecaD. Within the next
six oy, the majority in the House Of Representative
may find It necessary to amend the rules Of the
| ilou,c 80 ~ to prevent such wanton waste of time
and unjus,ifablc obstruction Of the public business
a.. the Democrats have induged in during the last
Two or three wcck,-in fact, ever since the holiday
recess II I, not improbable that steps will be taken
soon 10 put a stop to such proceedings. 1t must not
be forgotten that at time since the beginning OF TINS
last democratic ghost dance has any bill or propo
! ,ition which, by any stretch OF partisan rhetoric or
imagination could be called partisan been before taa'
body. Against what have the Democrats hlbusereu
Why against the Journal OF the House preceding
a dry 0dcll record Of routine business against iho
con,id, ration OF the shipping bill; against the Dbl
mixing appropriations for the support Of the general
Government in the District Of Columbla-to pfOVlue
for public schools asylums and hospitals. the paving
and lighting Of streets. the preservation OF pubic
Order and the t--0uslnd and one other details OF
municipal administration for which the general GOV
ernnrnt il responsible I'm the Capital Of the Nation
against the consideration OF the Naval Appropriation
bill-a bill which the Republican minority in four
| successive session, during Democratic Admins
| ,aton cave most loyal. patriotic and generous
port The nllbustcrns was against the consideration
Of the Appropriation bills and the shipping DIS >
nylin,t having them discussed and acted upon IN a
word against legislation. With the same devill'h
| ingenuity and fiery zeal the Democratic ghost
dancers" woud have iibustcrcd against the passage
Of dcclaltory resolution In favor Of the ConStitu
ton Of the United state, tho Declaration of Ameri
RAJ, Iudcpcndcncc the cardinal principles Of which they
hay. repeatedly tried destroy and are now striving
10 nullify.
Of course il j.. rather difficult to make people under
stand what al this foolish conduct ~ the minority I'D
the House g. for. to understand what the Democrats
expect t. gan by it, or What Viii come Of 1t. But
! everybody does know that money must be had Il"
carry on the Government and that 1t cannot be had
| unle-s Congress apprOpriatcs it, II this Congress
does not appropriate II before March the next Con
r-- must DO before July l. at the cost OF special
-ess ION. There arc not forty men among the o.
members 81 the House Gho are opposed to aV oil inc
appropriation bills-who would not vote Tor tlc'n =
and vet for nearly three wcoks thay have fought those
ul. a. subbornly a., they could have fought them If
| .ome great principle had been at stake the'
have not ONLY fought them openly. but under cover.
| and from the ambush II most pctN. deSpl'hho
| and trivial tcchnicalitics The fight has not been
a n nful or ma IS Oh" in any sense, even "h'h u
| WAS openly made. the southern Democrats h"No
| rc,orted to the tactics Of bulldlIng ana htlmot
| ton which they have found 50 successful At home"
| Tr,u the desk, Il southern Democratic Represents
tycs ard senators have boon sent messages to urge
opcn threats 10 boycott the Worlds Fair In the hope
81 lntmldatirc tho Administration and thc majority
IN Cong-e-.: threats from states which never Voe"
| dollar 10 thc grat expeditions held IN Atlanta ana
Nc,, orlcau- with Government aid for the benefit.
primarily ~ the southern states threats from States
| in which tie Government has expended tens Of mill
| ions II dollars in many years for Internal I'm
| pr.emcnr,: threats from States into which tho
/ generous people 81 the North, as well as the "oV
eminent have poured millions OF dollars IN tho past
/ do1cn years 10 relieve sufferers from earthquakes
/ floods aud cpdcmlc, and 70 rescue thousands o'
/ persons from starvation.
The ghost dancers who during the past weeks
Lve been busy in Outracing legislative dcccncy ard
propriety. In ob-tmcting necessary legislation anu
I'm attempting 81 iumidatc Congress and the ADMIN
tratlJn have cost the taxpayers many thousands o.
! dollars in that time. Of course that may seem
! "A small matter. but they consider that Il pension
4 .i44 year to a disabled veteran or t1c WHO" OF a
man no died I'm the service OF his country is an nm
ttip,lle cxtrayacance Now Ia call tho roll Of the
ose Of Representatives only once costs the aXpayer7
NJ the United states about $3.50. which amount exceeds
the sum required = pay five pensions at tue rate oil
sl4i year In the last three days Of last week inc
Democratic ghost dancers" succeeded IN having the ron
called six times when there was absolutely no neei 81
Il; IL WAS simply wantOn waste of time. Tie SIN
roll calls cost more money than would be required 10
nay for one year the pensions OF Thirty disabled vet
Grams or the widows II who lost their lives In de-
fence Of their country. ON Monday. January 10, tho
ghost dancers forced four rollcalls. when
vcro wholly needless. and which cost more money
| inan would have been required 10 pay twenty pen
-oncrs q Sli each for year. on each OF the TWO
following days they equalled, II they did not exceed
thi, record In other words they wasted time In ono
m which cost the taXpay ers a sum greater than tho
| pavmcnt Of ninety pensioners at 80 month eacl
would have cost. And that was not one half OF the
time which they wasted altogether I'm hlihuScring me
| total cos; Of which, I'm the week ended January -
| tyo NbfIlI have
| 1u,rcd to pay The annual pension roll OF 200 wdO"
ar disabled veterans at 81 each month total cost
.uu,l 10 the combined ANNUAL salaries OF SIX nit"
-t,t.. senators or Repre- scntavcs. Again n must b
remembered that thi- tlihusterine this wanon waste
If lime was caused by "A Democratic minority. not a
member o which could find even partisan reason Or
! excuse for In measure pending or proposed In
| The House. -, ., -,
The majority ought to- and probably Will. take earl
measures to prevent continuance of such dlsSraccui