The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-08-26

100000 words, under a suspension of the
rules, with fifteen minutes debate on
either sidel One minute to every 10000
words and forty seconds to every 81, 000,-
600. On the same day was passed, un-
der similar suspension of the rules, a
bill to admit Arizona as a state, propo-
sition hitherto never seriously discussed.
Fifteen minutes were allowed each side.
On the same day also New Mexico had
a bill passed to admit her as a state,
with like limitations as to debate. Just
think of Fifteen whole minutes to
discuss such question as thatl Surely,
there never was such farce! The ques-
ton of the admission of New Mexico is
not at all political question, or, if it
is, the politics sink into insignificance
compared with the complex question
arising out of the nature of the popula-
ton and its relation to the rest of the
union. On this question the wisest men
of both parties even in New Mexico
hesitate, and this Democratic house
illustrates the freedom of debate and the
wisdom of deliberation by deciding the
whole matter in thirty minutes. This
is wisdom shod with the shoes of swift
ness. On that same day also, under a
similar suspension of the rules and with
fifteen minutes of debate on either side,
the antioption bill was passed. Fifteen
minutes of debate ON the antioption bill
in house of 332 members! Why, one
senator, and he a new man, took five
hours to state his views, and during the
time l listened to him he did not seem
to be wasting words. Here was bill
which may disarrange the commerce of
the world-a bill on which hangs more
hopes and fears than any bill of the
last ten years, and this bill has passed
the house on the theory that the house
has only fifteen minutes Of wisdom to
be bestowed on either side of the ques-
ton.
Against these bills there had been no
factious opposition and not even hint
of proposed delay. They had never been
debated before and attention had never
in any way been called to either of them.
No public discussion of them had taken
place outside, and the excuse that the
subjects were familiar could not be
urged. 1t was simply wanton incom-
potency. The time of the house had
been 80 wasted by lack of system and
want of leadership that debate was i'm
possible and deliberation unattainable.
The great appropriation bill went its way
unexplained and the antioption bill was
hustled through as vote catcher, not
withstanding the lurid and, strange to
say, accurate declaration of Amos j.
Cummings, of New York, that it was
more unconstitutional than the force
bill. This could easily be, since the force
bill was not unconstitutional at all and
was allowed six entire days for discus
sion. Six days for the force bill, thirty
minutes for antioption! Six days was
called "gagging" in the last house, thir-
ty minutes is deliberation and debate in
this.
On another day bill to repeal in eff
feet all the careful work, extending over
so many years, of Senator Edmunds and
Randolph Tucker in regard to Utah was
passed under suspension of rules. In
fact all the important bills have been
passed that way.
Even what Democratic Mr.. Pierce, of
Tennessee, called the "popgun tariff
bills were, many of them, passed under
suspension.
To be exact, just one-half of them
were passed that way. This was the
fact, though such bills have a right of
way on other days. Binding Irvine, bag
ging for cotton and its machinery and
the wool bill were the only ones which
had normal passage. Some one may say
that this action on the tariff bills was
because the Republicans filibustered.
We did filibuster, and that because it
was sinful waste of public time to be
eternally maundering around about bills
that nobody wanted or believed in; bills
the only purpose of which was to pre-
vent Democracy from even making be-
lieve doing anything. If anybody asks
why we who ourselves suppressed fill
clustering INDUCED in it the answer is
very plain. We offered to suppress it all
around the board, and made the offer so
that it would be effectual against us and
against any members who were in the
minority. The Democracy refused to
accept it. On the contrary, they DELHI
erately re-established it, giving to any
minority the right to suppress legislation.
Filibustering had the sanction of the
house, except where the autocratic COM
mittee on rules held sway. This was all
wrong. But minorities are in this house
given the power, and the right to fill
buster is reserved for whoever chooses
to exercise It. Some Of the crafty old
leaders wanted it for themselves and 30
they had to give it to us.
But while the Democratic house has
failed in all other respects, the most sig
nal failure has been In the matter of
economy. All the circumstances con-
spire to make that failure conspicuous.
The abuse which was poured out upon
the last congress comes back with added
force on this, and the time has now come
to do justice to one of the most really
economical statesmen we ever had, the
Hon. Joseph G. Cannon. His conduct
as chairman of appropriations in the
Fifty-first congress was worthy OF all
praise. He was careful, economical, up
right and just, and has always deserved
a 4 l.. 4 81