New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-03
THE QUESTION About RULES.


Tho discussion on rules in the House OF Repre-
sontltiycS has brought to light the fact that the
Democrats themselves cannot agree about the
matter 1t was not convenient for some OF these
Democrats to condemn the counting OF silent
members in order to constitute quorum De
causo Senator Hill. of New-York, had done the
same thing and his present position IN lhe parry
make, it decidedly awkward to accuse nm OF
usurpation and tyranny. Speaker Reed could
no longer be held up TO cxcclatlon with much
, success under these distressing circumstances.
Accordingly. Mr.. Cochran, i'll his capacity OF
spokesman for Tammany and TammanyS can
didate. went about as far as a Democrat could
90 toward iustifying Mr.. Reed in all that he
had done, and if his speech was not comforting
to the Democrats who had raved like lunatlcs
about the Gar and his despotiSm 1t was at least
calculated to instruct their minds.
Behind this difference there appeared another
early in the discussion Some Democrats
want to get something done before this session
of Congress ends. They want at least to pass
some sort of Tariff bill in the House. This is
absolutely necessary to their personal well-being
in certain districts, and to the success OF their
faction, so that the party may at least appear
willing to redeem some OF Its pledges. III IL
cannot take even one small first step toward
Reform" with a majority of more than two
thirds in the House, what sense IS there III eA-
pecting that it can ever get anything done worth
doing? Just the same difficulty exists regard
ing other measures to which the party stands
uledced. Thus some Democrats have been pro
foundly impressed by Speaker Reeds warning
that they would find themselves absolutely I'M
able even with their great majority, to pass any
measure of importance, if they tolerate the
tyranny of ilibustering minority, as the Dem
ocratic House used to do in days when Its prln-
cpal function was TO do nothing.
These men are already alarmed to see that
the country begins to style this Do-NOthng
Congress also. 1t has been in session already
two months. 1t has spent all this time in trying
to get ready to decide whether it wants to do
ANYTHING If il wants to do nothing rs Demo
cratic leaders like Mr.. Randall and Carlisle did
in their day, it will be proper TO have such
rules that a small minority can block legislation
on any subject. That is the effect as Mr. Reed
shows, of the re-enactment of the rules enforced
by the latest Democratic House. But if the
Democratic majority is going TO try to do any
thing whatever, the defeat in that undertaking
would be Illuminating anu uIedsliOus anu ~ II
therefore necessary to have some means Of ie-
straining the obstructive power OF small
minority.
This is equally true whether the Republicans
resort to obstructive tactics or not. In most
cases, it is probable, the Republicans may find
it more to their advantage 10 give the Demo
cratic party in tho House plenty OF rope with
which to hang itself. The bills it would be
likely to pass are exactly the bills which Re-
publicans would be glad to place before the peo-
pie as proof of tho Democratic purpose. But
minority of Democrats, who are desperately de-
termined to defeat this or that candidate for the
Presidency, could not be expected to restrain
their filibusterng zeal. 1t is a question whether
the dictates Of any Democratic caucus would re-
strain them when the Presidential contest gets
hot. If the passage of any measure is thought
essential to the success OF a particular candidate
there will be some Democrats whose opposition
to that measure will be bitter and obstinate In
that event the rules thus far proposed would
make this a Do-Nothing Congress indeed