New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-24
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
PETULANT OBSTRUCTION BY THE DEMO
Gratis TO ANNOY SPEAKER REED.

ELabOhAIE Nun CMENI'
Washington Feb 23.-The Democrats in the
House are taking every opportunity to try to an
noy Speaker Reed. They do not succeed in max
ing him exhibit the slightest trace of impotence.
The Democratic members have carried their
opposition, to everything the Speaker does to the
verge of chldshness In this they have illustrated
the wisdom of the change in the rules. All day
last Saturday, when important measures were pend
ing, when time was of great value for the con-
sderation of public measures, the Democrats
flibustered and exhausted every means TO oppose
the work of the House. They had small cause.
Their whole opposition came from desire to de-
feat measure increasing the pay Of United
States Judges. The amount involved was small
The incident is of interest only it illustrates
the tactics of the minority. During the after
noon | was in the Speakers room and asked him
some questions relating to the next House He
said that he shoud favor in the next House even
a stronger extension of the rules than has been
made by the present Congress. He believes. in
the interest of facilitating business, that the ma
iority should have its full power to pass upon a
measure. There has been rule of action which
he has applied in this House that he would not
be willing to live under in the next House. The
majority had the right to say whether measures
should he passed not. 1t had got so in the
House that when any proposition came up to
which the minority were opposed they were
ready to stop the whole business of the House as
the only means of showing their dsapproval.
The Speaker. abiding to the general talk as TO
whether the minority would pass the usual rcsolu-
ton of thanks or not. said he knew nothing. He
would be pleased if such resolution was passed.
1t a matter of formal civility He had done
what he considered his duty and what he should
do anain undpr similar circumstances 10 honod
in the interest of public business that the next
Speaker of the House would even GO further in
clearing away obstacles from the path of action
by the majority, which was alone responsible
General veazey, the Commander-in-C Chief Of the
Grand Army of the Republic and member Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, has just re-
turned from a visit to the North lie is one of
the hardest working members of the Commission
and the change secured by his journey has done
him good He says that the affairs of the Grand
Army are in prosperous condition. There are
now 100000 members enrolled in the various
army posts. These do not include all of the vete-
rams of the late war. There are about a million
of these living. Many of them are in isolated
communities where no facilities exist for their
getting together TO form posts Many of them
live South where posts are not popular and where
an effort for an organization worth while.
! asked General Ncazcy to-day what he thought
of the proposition to amend the Interstate Com
mercc law SO TO permit limited pooling. He said
that the representatives of the railroads had made
such presentations before the Commission that they
had decided not TO oppose the proposition More
than this the Commission would not do. In other
words they would not say a word in favor of IT,
Those who were seeking to secure this legislation
had tried hard to get the Commission TO assume
the responsibility Of recommending it, SO that III
the event of failure they could place the blame
for the failure upon the Commission. General
Veazey said that he had idea whether this egis-
lation could pass or not. 1t was a proposition
which did not concern the Commission until il
should come in proper form. General NcaZcy
thinks that the railroads throughout the country
are getting again into good condition. He does
not think that any present proposition 10 control
all the roads under one great management would
he q practical one al least for many years 10 come
He says that the interests too vast There arr
over 100000 miles Of railroad in the country
with 1000 corporations and upward Of $1,000
O00, 900 Of capital stock. This is rather too large
an undertaking for any capitalist of modern times
Still. he was not inclined to say that there was
anything impossible in the future. Such a com
bination might bc possible later on.
Congressman Springer, Of Illinois, one Of the
most active and clcar-hcadcd Of the Democratic
members. was asked yesterday what he thought
were the prospects Of the Shipping bill Mr.
Springer said that the chances for it nicely
balanced that a toss of coin would be as good a
way TO determine It's ultimate fate any exam
nation of the situation. He thought that the
House was nearly evenly divided on it., but that
on an actual vote, under favorable conditions, II
could he passed. The chief obstacle in its path
is the lack Of time and the extraordinary waste OF
the little time left by the minority over the most
trivial things. 1t is the policy Of the Democrats
at present to prevent IL possible, any such ceis-
laton because they believe that il will be Of great
advantage 10 the Administration. II is con>id-
cred necessary part OF the reciprocity policy.
This policy the Democrats do not care To oppose
openly. They know that it is too popular; bat.
if they can inlure it by indirection, they will be
ready to do so. So their wasting Of time and fill
clustering are all directed against measures out
side of the Appropriation bills. The result is that
there will not lie enough time for the proper con
sideraton of the Appropriation bills, and they
will in the end have to he hurried through in
manner which will not permit careful eXamina-
ton.
Senator Edmunds will not go to Europe with
his family in the coming summer, Notwithstanding
the widely published report to that effect. The
Senator saws that he will spend his summer in
Burlington He is devoted to Horticulture He
takes great pride in his fruit trees, which he takes
care of himself lie does lis own grating, and Is
much interested in the results That he has attained
in this direction, they all the effect Of his
own work
Justice of the Supreme Court said in CONVEX
sation to-day that in the hurried work of the
term he had little time to read the newspapers
The regular work occupies him every night until
I or . O'Clock On two occasions during
,be week. however, he had all Of the leading
Ia him, aud he flrnIl0 oh