Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-06
Representative DingIey on the Action of the
Congress just Closed.

Representative DinsIey on the Action of the
Congress just Closed.
ITS WORK WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY CON-
eREss SINCE THE CLOSE OF THE wAR-soME
OF THE MEASURES PAssEp--rHk sENsELEss
CRY OF THE MINORITY.
Representative Nelson Dingiey Of Maine is
one Of the most experienced legislators and
keenest observers in the House. He was prob
ably chief among the two or three men who
served as Speaker Reeds aids. He was one of
the most active members of the ways and means
committee and the so-called Mckinley bill
might as properly be called the Dingley bill
He has been close adviser Of the Speaker. and
there is no one short of the Speaker himself
better qualified to speak for the majority of the
last House.
STAR reporter had long talk with him
last evening concerning the work of the Con-
gress.
when" said Mr.. Dingley. ''Speaker Reed
SAID IN his classic yaledictory that to state in
language which would be adequate the
hievements of the House would not be ruita-
Die to the time and place. every member on
the republican side felt the truth of the deli
cate and moderate intimation of the Speaker
that history would look upon the work of the
ruty-nrst Congress the most important
achieved by any Congress since the war. or by
ali the Congresses of the last eight years.
The work done by any Congress is not TO be
measured by the number of acts and resolves
passed, although comparison of these with
the number passed in other Congresses shows
the largest number ever enacted by auy Con-
gress: An act pensioning John Jones counts
one In such an enumeration and tariff act
counts only one. In important meas ires how
eNSr-meaSurps lut,p pf
public Importance which call forth strong op-
posltlon as well as earnest support-the achieve
mehts OF the Fifty-frst Congress have been SO
numerous and SO great that 1t will be regarded
as pre-eminen.ly the business Congress.
SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT MEASURES.
Think OF the long list of public acts which
have become laws. A tariff act comprising an
entire revision; an administrative customs act
designed to secure uniform collection of
duties; pension legislation which liberalizes the
pension laws so as to reach faithful soldiers
VINO cannot prove that their disability orig
mated In the service; an act reapportloning
Representatives to Congress under the new
census; acts admitting six new states TO the Union
and establishing the new territory of Oklahoma:
an act prohibiting the use of the mails for
the circulation of lottery advertisements;
the original package act; an act prohibiting
the formation OF trusts: an act f0rfeiting nom
earned lands granted to railroads: acts ratifv-
ing treaties extinguishing the Indian title TO
millions of acres of public lands: an act to re-
fund the direct tax to states which paid the
same: legislation providing for the payment of
iong-delayed French spoliation claims: legisla-
ton looking to the addition of battle ships to
the navy; an act adopting the regulations for
the prevention of collisions at recon-
mended by the international marine confer
ence; the act providing for the holding of the
Columbian exposition at Chicago in 1898: an
act amending and improving the laws regulat-
ing immigration: the international copyright
act; the acts providing for the inspection of
cattle and meats intended for exportation and
the act increasing the endowment of agricul-
tural colleges.
''In addition to all of this and much more i'm
portant legislation. the Fifty first Congress has
reformed the judiciary system Of the United
States SO as to further the ends of justice by
creating an intermediate appellate tribunal
Indeed, if nothing more had been done than to
secure the passage of this measure this Congress
would have deserved the plaudits of the whole
people.
SETTLING THE SILVER QUESTION
when the Fittyfirst Congress assembled it
found the country agitated by demand for
more currency, in consequence of which the
owners OF silver mines had been able 70 create
strong sentiment for the free coinage of silver
at the ratio of l6 to l of gold, when the actual
market ratio was 20 to 1. This organized move
ment for free coinage WAS able to carry the
scheme through the Senate, but the House
stood up against it and secured a COM
promise measure which maintained the sound
ness OF our currency and at the same time
increased the circulating medium and Used
substantially silver product as money What
great service this Congress has done to the
business Of the country in successfully oppos-
ing schemes depreciating the currency will
be better appreciated when the next Congress
assemblies and surrenders, as it will to the
fraCra at,l Al
body OF the democratic members of the recent
Congress were ready to support
Then there Is the act looking to the estab-
llshment of American steamship lines between
this country and foreign countries. especially
South American countries whose trade is beinq
opened up TO our citizens by the important
reciprocal arrangements which Secretary Blaine
Is making with them under the authority
granted under the recent tariff act. While
had hoped that the shipping legislation of tine
Flfty-first Congress would be more comprehen-
sive than this-looking to the restoration of our
merchant marine-yet the passage of this meas
ure marks a new era in our legislation. and will
lead to further steps.
The mere mention Of all this important leg
islatlon achieved by one Congress -olnitting the
other important measures (the elections bill and
the bankruptcy bill, passed by the House and
not passed by the Senate lis sufficient to stamp
the work of the Fifty-first Congress as the most
comprehensive and important ever done by
any one or even a half dozen Congresses outside
OF the war period.
THE WORK OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
''To be sure nearly all this important legisla-
tion is political and represents the views of the
republican party and was naturally antagonized
sharply by the democrats. But the republican
party had been placed in control of the Con-
gress by the vote of the people, with the distinct
understanding and even pledge that it would
enact such legislation: and ii carried out its
been known. Being in a majority il was right
as well as its duty, to take all necessary steps to
thus legislate.
THE republican majority amended the rules
20 as to give the majority the power to carry
out its wishes. and in spite Of democratic OBJ
struction this republican majority has legis-
lated. And hereafter, as Speaker Reed well
said, the party will be able to successfully ex-
cuse itself from performing its pledges by plead
ing its inability to overcome the opposition of
the minority in the halls of Legislation. Rep
resentative government is not the failure which
those would have it who plead for rules that
will enable small minority to defy a majority.
III the Fifty-first Congress, led by Speaker Reed.
had done nothing more than to demonstrate
the power as well as the right of the majority to
itude of the people
THE sENsELEss CRY OF THE MINORITY.
''The senseless cry which has been raised that
the republican majority has denied to the
minority rights essential to deliberate legisla-
tion has no foundation. The minority of a
parliamentary body has the right to reasonable
debate, but not the right to prevent vote.
When so-called debate and even ordinary