Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

One Good Bill That Failed to Pass
One measure, introduced and discussed in
both branches, which should have passed
easily and with little discussion, was sup
pressed in both, and that is the hill provid-
ing for the election of United States Sena-
tors by direct vote of the people. Every
body seemed to favor this proposition, but
by some mysterious influence it got no
further than a few high-sounding speeches
Admitting that the House (always the
main target for criticism) has done some
good things, what shall be said of the time
occupied doing them. and of the general
conduct OF the body? 1t has been
wretchedly, narrow, partisan majority from
the beginning. Mr.. Holman at the outset
had resolution passed declaring
that practically nothing should be
done except to pass the necessary
appropriation bills, all for political effect.
Mr.. Bankhead announced that no new pub
lie buildings should be provided for, a
declaration which came nearer the mark OF
truth than most of the promises made. The
session should be short time so far as the
House could influence action. Adjourn
ment would take place 1st of June, before
the political conventions. The billion-dol-
lar Congress should be put to shame. Gar
ism should be rebuked. Economy should
reign supreme.
Along Time for Little Work.
1t is true that little else than the appro-
priation bills has been enacted into law,
but why should the appropriation bills
have required more than eight months for
their passage? Intelligent and industrious
work should have disposed of them within
three months. In the early months of the
session the speakers of the majority were
prolific with irony and sarcasm at
the expense of the billion dol
lar Congress and of ex-Speaker
Reed, the "Czar" OF that Congress. No
sooner did the demands of the appropriation
bills begin to dawn on the Democratic
Iesders than they suddenly dropped into an
awful silence in regard to the billion dollar
Congress. and little later, when the
impotence of the rules of the House was
made distressingly evident, all reference to
Gar Reed and to the severity
and originality of his rulings became a
thing of the past. When at various times
flibustering would take the place for days
of all purpose of intelligent legislation,
Democrats of the obstructed faction would
be heard frequently exclaiming: ''Oh, for
one hour of Tom Reedr'
There is not one Democrat in this House
who in his candid moments does not admit,
confidentially if not otherwise, that the
only way which the; House can be success
fully controlled, the rule given to the
majority, and legislation conducted in a
dignified and civilized manner, is by the
adoption of the rules of the last House,
which gave the Speaker the power to count
quorum and to refuse to entertein
motions plainly intended to be dilatory and
obstructive.
Present Rules Not Eficient.
am CON vim ced that if the next House be
Democratic it will adopt some thing nearly
akin to the rules which governed the Fifty
first Congress, as otherwise a mob consist
ing of a small minority can successfully in
troduce obstruction and misrule. The
House under the present rules is constantly
menaced with the danger of falling ir-
remediably under the control of these
Legislative anarchists" as they are
termed by Mr.. John O'Neill, of Missouri.
During all OF this long session, of more
than two-thirds of year, the House, with
its 143 Democratic majority, has been an un-
controlled mob. maintaining a semblance of
dignity only through the self-respect of the
mass of individual members 1t has been
without organization and without leader
ship.
The speakership fight disorganized the
body at the beginning. Mills, Springer
and McMilIin were defeated. Crisp, less
prominent up to that time than any of the
others, was elected. Mills scolded, "cussed"
and sulked Springer was disgruntfed,
but played his CARDS tor the head of the
Committee on Ways and Means McMillin,
on account of his friendship for Mills. was
put aside secondary with positions on Ways
and Means and Rules committees. By the
severe and prolonged illness of Mr..
Springer, McMIllin, next on Ways and
Means, became acting chairman and ex-
ofiicio leader of the House majority. His
leadership was, however, not fully acknowl-
edged. Holman, Dockery, Cultivate and
| others, by turns, assumed leadership, and
at such times McMillin would. in fits OF
jealousy and ill-concealed indignation,
thrust in his advice where it was not
wanted, and would get snubbed or laughed
at tor his pains.
mol .adpr and No agreement.
No one mind had any well defined grasp
or influence upon that great majority, and
at times when flibustering seemed to be Q
| good or amusing thing Mr. Kilgore or Mr..
| Barley or MIR. Cummings would become the
! leader.
There was no Democratic agreement upon
| anything; not a measure, not a resolution,
could be proposed which did not find Dem
ocrats arrayed against each other. The sill
| yer bill narrowly failed to create a lasting
breach In the House majority and in the
|
passed were not wholly without Democratic
| opposition in committee that at times
was very bitter. A common sight
was that of Democrats flibustering
against measures advocated by Democrats,
| and sthese anomalous conditions were aptly
concluded by the spectacle of the combined
leadership of the majority filibustering fol
more than a week in company with a mi.
nority which had been squarely voted down.
1t may be said, however, that the Democrats
admit they have been taught severe par
liamentary lesson, and that just as soon as
their pride will let them come to it they
will adopt code of rules that will enable
the Speaker and the majority to control the
whole body.
Pennsylvania Not Badly Treated.
In the general wreck of measures outside
of the usual appropriations, Pennsylvania
Jared about as we'll as any other State Of
the Union. Besides the appropriations for
her great rivers and harbors, two i'm portant
public building bills, providing for the
new Philadelphia mint building and for the
purchase of a site and commencement Of
work for the new postofice in Allegheny,
and these, of the several building bills
Pennsylvania introduced, were the only one,
to pass finally, both of them being attached
to the sundry civil bill. Both bills
came to good end through many vicissi
tudcs The mint measure was defeated by
bare majority in the committee of the
whole House, but upon the report of the
sundrv civil bill to the House from the
Committee of the Whole it was retained ir
the bill, thanks to the really terrific exer
tions of Bingham, O'Neill, McAleer
Reilley and other Pennsylvania members.
Harry McAleer, the successor of Randall
worked heroically among the Democrats
and for this work alone, not to speak of hi,