The Portland daily press., 1892-02-05
A TALK WITH MIR. REED.
House Rules Adopted Yesterday Show
Republican Teachings.
LOTTERY'S DEATH ANOTHER TRI-
UMPH OF LAST CONGRESS-.

How the Anti-Lottery Law Was Passed
Power Given tho Rules Committee in
the New Code Exceeds Anything of the
Last Congress-But Members May Still
Be Present in Order To Be Absent And
the Fi1ibuster Still Exists.
WASHINGTON, February 4.-After the
House today had agreed to the new code
of rules, ex-Speaker Reed was asked by
an Associated Press representative to
talk upon the subject. Mr.. Reed said:
"The withdrawal by the Louisiana lot
terry of it's demand for a new charter is
one of the triunphs Of the 51st Congress.
The country will remember the prompt
ness with which the House committee
on post Offices and post roads, under the
Craftsmanship of Gen. Bingham, even
before the Presidents message on the
subject, considered and, on the 2Sth of
July reported, a bill to deprive the lot
terry of the use of the United States mails.
Thescommittee on rules, very soon after,
set apart the 10th of August for it's con-
sideration by the House and the bill
passed that body that day. Now that
the Supreme Court has sustained the
constitutionality of the act, even the lot
terry company recognizes the futility OF
its future existence. The acts OF the
51st Congress are
All Standing Well the Test of Time.''
With regard to the rules just adopted,
Mr.. Reed further said the principle of
responsible government in the House
was more ruthlessly recognized in that
part of the new regulations relating to
the power of the committee on rules than
was ever dreamed of in the 51st Con-
gress The power to enforce the will of
the House is lodged, in important meas
ures, in that committee SO that party
legislation could have full swing, while
the bill of an individual member, even
if approved by the House, is left to
the mercy of the filibusterer. The right of
the present quorum has been denied and
the farce of members present for the
purpose of being absent has been re-
vived. This question of a quorum is
now before the Supreme Court, but
meanwhile it will be a source of re
gret to the country that more liberal
useful, non-partisan, and necessary leg
islation had not been adopted. 1t might
have been done had the House really
wanted to do it, but the majority, having
fought the campaign somewhat on abuse
of the rules of the 51st Congress, it was
too much to expect of
Poor, Fallen Human Nature
to make such confession of error.
Mr.. Reed continued: sThe debate has
shown that the good example of the last
two years has not been entirely lost.
What used to be called tyranny is now
on the road to be called good sense and
has been established in the great and un-
exampled power conferred on the COM
mittee on rules. The folly of wasting
the time of the House in the reference
of bills has been forever done away
with. This, with the sound expression
as to the folly of the doctrines of the
rights of minorities which fell from the
lips of eminent Democrats during the
debate, shows conclusively how sure
reason and sense is to assert itself in
some measure even after the fi@cest con-
fiict. I am disposed to thank the Demo-
Gratis for some progress, and hope during
the session that further wisdom may
come to them. In the new regulations
the
Old Member Who Knows the Ropes
has preserved much of his obstructive
power. The veto power has been con-
ferred on each member who knows how,
except where the committee on rules
shall intervene. But this will do less
harm than formerly. Thanks to the ex-
ample set by the last Congress, the coun-
try knows that the House can do all it
wants to, and that what it doesn't do
now, it is responsible for. The ostrich
has left off concealing himself by putting
his head in the sand.''
TILE Dill &c Al0pIEQ.