Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-03-06

those designed for the people and those
designed for the ~ofice-holders, they open
at 8 o'clock q think 81 a. m, and remain
open until half-past 10 p. m.- some II
hours instead of Z. And they do not
shut up whenever a congressman or some
other oiiice-holder dies.
The politics at Washington are not so
exciting this winter as last. The Con-
gress is recognized to be a back number.
Probably no Congress ever tried to carry
partisan legislation to such an extreme
and with such unfair methods as this.
But fortunately its worst efforts failed in
the Senate, and the people have already
attended to the rest. 1t seems TO he the
safety of our institutions that when par
ties behave badly the people, as soon as
soon as they get a chance, turn them out.
The attempts made by Messrs. Hoar,
Aldrich, Edmunds and others to intro
duce in the Senate the gag law, or what
is generally known in the House as the
previous question, has called attention to
the dangerous. and indeed, infamous
character of the rule as it exists in the
House. 1t is difficult to see how we
could have gone OF so long under its
p actice except for the fact that no SEN
ate has ever recognized it, and there at
least a question would get full discussion.
That some rule may be necessary in large
bodies to arrive at a vote Is sensible, but
no rule shoul | exist that can prevent a
full aud fair discussion of any question,
or its amendment if desired. And if any
such rule does exist in any legislative
BODY Its only palllation can be and
is that there is another body where
the same question will come up
and where the fullest discussion will
be given. This is an argument against
the necessity or usefulness of the lower
house. and ought not to exist. My at
t~ention was particularly directed this
morning to this matter by an article on
the previous question as it first existed
in the national House of Representa-
tiyes, published in the New York Times,
and a copy of which | enclose with the
suggestion that as you have space you re-
print it, for this is a subject that is well
worth the consideration of the people, es-
p~ecially those who NAV be chosen to our
legislatures, State or national, and have
occasion to act upon it.
Baltimore Is a city of now nearly half
a million population, or twice as large
as that of Washington; but eventually
Washington will far exceed it,. The
character of the two places, though but
40 miles apart, is as distinct as possible.
Baltimore is strictly a city, closely
packed together, well though not ex-
travagantly built through its central
and better parts, and with correspond.
ing parts that are given over to squalol
and poverty. 1t is one of the great
cities and always will be of this great
country and is the Legitimate growth Of
commerce and manufactures through 8
long period of time. Americans may
well be proud of its name and o. it,
fame. Both of these its people viii
take care of and increase. Washington
!. has started for an immense town, lucki
8 ly land out at the start for the larges
results, and these results, though they
have been slow in coming, it is boun(
TO reach. The city of magnificent dis
9 %tances, it is bound to be yet also one o
, magnificent proportions. 1t must ranl
among the largest cities of the world
, the few that number among the mil
lions, and will also be one of, if no
the handsomest of all. Such it become
because of the immense country in pop
@ulation and wealth, as well as of extent
of which it is the capital and because o
its naturally fine site and favorabl
climate.