The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-18
Our state Lezislatures.

In this COUNTRY lthslfrespect for Central
and South AmeacalA republics is not
very great The-EeasSn IS that their gov
ernmsnts are {uastables Nearly always
there is M irssoiuaoa in progress
in some one of them. The
politicians who are out of Office do not
hesitate to use force to Gust those who are
in power. At present Chill is having
little revolution and the Argentine Rspub-
lie is threatened W. che.
The South Anericsh5 regard this country
as the model republic. but IL they were
familiar with the disgraceful scenes which
are often witnessed il. our state leg .slatures.
and were ihf6Fhsd-of the unlawful means
resorted to by political par ties 20 gain or re-
tain control ofths state governments, they
would not have much more respect for our
government than we have for their govern
ments.
Since Jan. there have been acts almost
Revolutionary in their character in the
legislatures of four states, and in some of
them a settlement If the d lffs. ences Of the
contending parties has not yet been reached.
In New Hampshire, by methods for which
there was no precedent, aud which we're Of
extremely doubtful legality, the democrats
were ousJed from the control of the legisla>
ture and the republicans we're given the
majority. A plant supreme court and a
clerk of the lower branch Of the legislature
were the instruments used to accomplish
this revolution. A revolution of this sort
in South America could not have occurred
without bloodshed
Ia Connecticut the democratic candidate
for governor had majority of 1000 over
the republican candidate, and majority
of % of all the votes in the ballot-boxes.
The legislature is republican. and It is en-
gagged in an attempt to make the republican
candidate the governor, and thus defeat the
will of the people. 1t is extremely proba-
BILE that the attempt will succeed.
In Nebraska the democratic candidate for
governor was elected, but the alliancemen.
who are in the majority in the legislature,
refused to recognize him, and their guberna-
torial candidate was sworn in as governor.
The outgoing governor claimed the right to
hold on to the office until the rights Of the
two claimants were determined. The pro-
the revolutionary proceedings which occur
frequently in the legislatures Of the South
American republics.
But the disgracsful proceedings in the
Colorado legislature last Wednesday and
Thursday had more Of the features of the
South American revolutionary scenes than
any other that have occurred In this country
recently. A number Of the members of the
House, republicans and democrats, not be-
ing satisfied with the speaker who had been
elected, organized and elected a speaker
who was satisfactory to themselves. When
the righHul speaker attempted to take his
seat as presiding officer he and his
friends were fred upon by roughs collected
from the slums of Denver by the man who
had been elected speaker by the runp
House. One man was killed and number
were wounded. The police aud part of
the state militia were called out, and for a
while it looked as If there would be a very
serious conflict.
With violent scenes like these occurring
in our own legislatures it is a question
whether we have not great room for inn
provement before posing as a model for
the South American republics And is not
the apparently increasing want of respect
for law and precedent in our legislative
bodies cause for alarmi The struggle of
political parties for power seems to be grow
ing ffercer and more Inscriptions, and un-
less there is reform South Americans may
soon have no more respect for our govern
ment than we have for their governments.