The Portland daily press., 1892-05-16
THEY NEED A GAR.
Democratic Incompetency in This Con-
gross Vindieates the Work of the Last.
[St. Paul pioneer.press.l

[St. Paul Pioneer-Press.]
The unwieldy Democratic majority in
Congress, big enough to swallow the
whole Republican vote, finds itself utter
1y powerless to do anything but sit
around and look silly. To read the
papers, no one would have the least idea
that the House is in session. There is a
daily record of work done in the Senate
speeches made, bills passed, and all the
customary activity of a political body in
the discharge Of business. But there is
no more mention of the House than there
would be if it had adjourned or had
never met. The fact is that public bust
ness is at standstill, and the change is
all the more noticeable after the remark
able record made by the last House in
legislation accomplished. Before Mr..
Reed assumed the Speakers chair, the
country had become accustomed to con-
gressional dilatoriness, and was content
to accept it as marvel of industry il
one or two measures of the first import
ance, in addition to the appropriation
bills, become laws. But the work done
by the last House set new standard, in
comparison with which the failure of the
Democrats as legislators becomes pain
fully conspicuous.
1t was and is the position of Mr. Reed
that members of Congress are elected by
the people to make laws for them, and
not to sit around and answer roll calls
and respond to their names when dila-
tory motions are proposed. The Repub-
lican party, under his leadership, boldly
rescued the House from the snare into
which it had been enticed by fictitious
reverence for Anticipated traditions of
parliamentary procedure. 1t asserted
the right of the representatives of the
people to transact business for the
people, and demonstrated that this could
be exercised without Infringing upon the
rights Of the minority The practical re-
suits of his position were seen in larger
amount of valuable legislation than is
found in the record of any other Congress
assembled in a time of peace. The
Democrats were just foolish enough to
protest against Mr.. Reeds necessary
rulings, simply because they were those
of Republican, not forseeing the time
when they might find these rules indis-
pensable. They made the country ring
with cries of 'usurpation'' and tyranny
and the rule of the 'sczar,' and chose
Lillo 81 OlSLluClly do d. CdLl pdISA lSSuC
thai to disavow itwould be to cover
themselves with confusion. The present
House, elected in moment of popular
discomfort and revolt was committed to
nothing else so definitely as to a reversal
of the policy of Nh, Reed in the Speakers
chair.
He could ask no better vindication
than events have given him. In the first
place, the new House found it necessary
to retain one rule which had been most
fiercely denounced. This is the pro-
vision authorizing the committee on rules
to report at any time, recommending a
measure to the consideration of the
House and fixing date at which debate
shall cease and a vote be taken. If any
of the machinery adopted to facilitate
| the transaction Of business might prop
erly be considered arbitrary or an en-
croachment on the freedom of debate or
| the rights of the minority, it is this. But
the fal less important rule directing the
| Speaker to count quorum when one is
actually present, and members refuse to
answer to their names, is rejected The
House will and can have none of it, be-
cause it is part of the abused policy of
Mr.. Reed. And the consequence is that
it is dawdling away day after day and
| week dIL6f week WlUHOuU accomplishing
anything. The leaders find that, al
though they have more members than
they know what to do with, it is hope
less task to secure the attendance OF
enough Of them to make constitutional
! quorum. The Republicans are quite
| right in refusing to vote on measure to
which they are opposed, because this
issue was made before the people, and
the Democrats claim that they were
elected partially because of it. If that is
true, it is proper to show the country
that the rulings of Speaker Reed were
necessary, if all business is not to cease
whenever bakers dozen of members
decide that nothing shall be done. Mr..
Reeds party is giving the opposition and
the country splendid lesson in the pro.
priety and necessity of the old rules, and
the Democrats will waste long session
without accomplishing anything except
the vindication of Republicans from the
charges made against them when they
adopted these rules because they found
that legislation could not go forward
without them.