Evening journal., 1891-01-24
GRAY ON THE GAG.
fIE RESsNTS THE LECTURE OF
The OHIO SENATOR.

All the Great Republican Papers On
posed to Gag aud Force Even the
Word ''CIoture" Is Foreign to This
Country-Imported by the Republicans
for the Ocoasion.
Mr.. Gray next took the floor It was
he said, matter of sincere regret to him
that the debate on the Election bill which
had been proceeding regularly TO the
edihcation OF the the Senate and of the
country, had not been allowed to proceed
uninterrupted without the inter 1osition
Of the grasping, rude violent proposition
now before the Senate There had been
no necessity for it. Il had been a vio-
lation Of all the precedsnts that had OBJ
tanned in the Senate for hundred years
| Nothing had occurred in course of the
debate on the Election bill that was any
warrant for turning back the current Of
history, violating the traditions, trespass.
! ing on that liberty of liberties, the lib
| erty OF debate. Freedom fl the Senate
was MS dear and as sacred and as import
ant TO the maintenance of American
institutions as the co relative freedom of
the press. The Senators who were Cd.
posing the Election bill and trying TO
show its inopportuneness and improprietv
had not violated any of the proprieties Of
debate. They had not transgressed the
rules that govern the orderly conduct OF
business and Of debate in parliamentary
bodies among English speaking people
There was no necessity on the face Of
things that could justify the interposi-
tion Of the rude and arbitrary proposition
now before the Senate.
Coming to the Election bill. Mr.. Gray
asked what public opinion did its pro
moters represent outside of that opinion
which came from tight and close party
| organizationg What public demand did
they represent?
Mr.. Sherman asked Mr.. Gray what he
was referring to, and was told that IL
was the Election bill.
He supposed, he said, that the ques-
tion before the Senate was whether a
maJority should assert its power to
transact any business, or whether
minority of the Senate should have the
power ay the abuse Of debate, to prevent
the majority from expressing the will of
the majority.
Mr.. Gray resented the attempt of the
Senator from Ohio to read a lecture 10
him as to how he should conduct debate
The Senator's age and long experience in
public service gave him great MANY
privileges which he (Mr Gray) would be
the last to ignore; but still they gave
him no right to interrupt him (Mr Gray)
ana to administer a reproof as to the
manner in which he addressed himself to
the question suppressed applausel He
had been trying to show that the discus
sion on the Elections bill had been con-
Quoted within the lines of propriety and
OF the usages Of the Senate. and he
would proceed in that line II might not
be pleasing thing for the Senator from
Ohio TO hear that even his own party did
not stand behind him in pressing this
measure, which Democratic Senators
considered odious and inconsistent with
the traditions Of American liberty. The
great city of Philadelphia. with its Al le
aud well established press, had spr an
with no uncertain tones US to the poI cv
OF the bill. That great city, which Wa
often called the stronghold of the Re-
publican party in the country ,at least q
far as the great cities were conceruedl
with its constant, unvarying and enor-
nous Republican majorities repudiated
the bill. Out of its ten daily Newspapers
only one supported IT, The papers against
IL were the lnquirer always unfslterino
Ia its devOtions to the fortunes of
the Republican party, ably conducted and
widely circulated the Evening Telegraph.
another paper of large circulation alwavs
supporting the Republican party; til ;
Evening Bulletin, another paper of the
Republican faith of long standing, CON
Quoted with ability and fairness in the
treatment Of public questions; the Even
ing Call, likewise a Republican paper
the Philadelphia Record, a Democratic
paper. with as lsrge a circulation as any
IN the city except the Ledger; the Ledger.
owned aud edited by that eminent phil
anthroplstt George w. Childs, a man
honorably known all over the country
ana the Times, an independent paper
1t was not mere idle words the reading
Of tnat catalogue, those finger points Of
puzzle ooinion. Il meant something II
meant there was after all, deep seated
IN the American heart that love OF Amer
lean traditions and free local self-govern
ment which had made the United States
the republic Of republics on this CONT
nent
Party lines, he was glad to say did not
go below the surface. Down below party
liues lay the great bedrock of American
liberty and, American self-governnent
Mr. Gray ~eferred to the Boston Adver-
tissr, one of the oldest papers of that
city, a Republican paper, as opposing the
Elections bill.
Mr. Frye-Has the Senator with him
the editorial from the Boston Advertiser
as proof Of what he has stated?
MI Gray-I think have it, and will
produce II.
Mr. Frye-I would like you to do so. be
cause do not understand that to be- the
position Of TIE Boston Advertiser.
ar Gray went on to say that the same
thing was true Of the great metropolitan
city Of New York He would not call
the roll Of the newspapers Of that city.
The Senators all received them and read
them at their desks every day. They
were dealing IN no hippant, idle use Of |
denuuclation Of the bill, but in serious
admonitions and appeals TO Senator's
They were daily pleading that the Elec |
tion bill might be laid aside in order that |
the great interests of the government, |
the country and the people might be |
properly attended TO by appropriate |
legislation. So, too, with the WesJ He
did not pretend to have list of the |
Western papers that opposed the bill. |
But ne had reason 70 believe that public |
opinion In that great region of country.
without regard 10 party, was opposed to |
the bill in reference to which the Senate /
was asked TO apply the drastic measure |
Of shutting off debate-he was going to |
say the gag law.
The better word, Mr. Morgan said,