The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-02-26

How AImNrI4<@ sH>F<<@f3 - 49, -
ehe feopie-
Il 4 true. = contendcd b. Mr. Reed
and his associates that ours i -
government Of majoritie>" but Il i 81
majorisics duly aseertained and duly
recorded
Thcre was : majority Of democrats
In this country in 1876 but their vote
was not duly recorded" and the r.
suit was that Mr. Rutherfori II Hayes
dlled the Office 10 which Mr.. Tildcn
had been chosen.
In 1855 majority Of the people In
this country preferred Mr.. Cleveland
for president 10 Mr.. Harrison hut that
fac, was not duly ascertained.~ and
consequently was not duly recorded. :
aud Mr.. Harrison for the past three
years has been president 81 the United
States
Ours Is a government Of law. The
law Is formulated by the majority. de-
Gently and in order. bn. the Law i
above the M joriiy until the majority
changes H.
In discussing the new rules. Mr. Reed
SAYS: The principle that the presence
Of majority OF members constitutes >
quorum has had the sanction ~ every
court 10 which il has been referred.
and think il ought TO have ths sane
tion Of this house"
Not at all This principle was re-
ferred 10 the highest court in America
the court Of the people; Mr.. Reed and
his congress were tried before that
tribunal. and the principle was not
sanctioned On the contrary i Was
repadiated as forcibly As a people can
possibly repndiate any thing
What the people hold % Is tia; the
presence Of = majority. duly aseer-
tanned and duly recorded constitutes >
quorum The rules for zscertainin-
and recording this majority are well
known: the chef Is that Of ealing the
roll Zach member OF the house an
swers or declines 10 answer. Is in his
judgment best fits the situation From
that roll cal there i no appeal
There has never been = time in the
history of the country when the major
ity could not-by patiently pursuing
its own end. and holding it, followers
togcfher-enact any law that seemed
TO be wise. or repeal any statute that
seemed 10 il in iurioua
Mr.. Reed laid down the new princi-
pie. that the speaker should hiinselt
determine the presence Of = majority
not for the purpose Of giving force and
effect 20 the viii OF the majority q the
house. but in order 70 retain in the
hands CT "a ms jority Of the republican
party which is quite = different
thing-the control Of the house.
The leaders Of the republican party
had formulated certain measures that
Were abhorrent 70 large part Of their
came from the people had weakened
the forces which Mr.. Reed thought 70
hold together
All tina. the democrats c0n-ended for
was that Mr.. Reed should fring into
the house bis majority. and keep i II
the house. and thus put the full resp0n-
sihilify on his party This he was IN
able 10 do Some II his members failed
him on one issue and some on another.
some were unwilling TO 70 upon record
as openly defying the party caucus
and equally unwilling 70 participate i1
the Il gisiation that Mr.. Reed Thought
niece ssary.
The result was thai they absented
themselves The democrats took I'd
vantage Of this position Of affairs as
they had right to do They insisted
that Mr.. Reed bring his majority 20
the house and place il ON record He
~..freal ~ a. @hfz and instead CHANGED
the time honored method Of ascertain
ing the press ace Of majority. substi-
tuting for il his own will
II is urged in behalf Of this change
that such rules prevail in other iegisla-
tive assemblies. II IS true that they
prevail chiefly in countries That only
have recently adopted parliamentary
government They prevail il. countries
that are just beginning 70 free them
selves from personal government and
50 the personal element still largely
predominates in their parliamentary
| formA
| In England and Americs the 81
premacy Of the speaker has not ben
accepted and will not Be &C.
cepted Is long - the people have
| representative government When
they are willing to substitute for r. Z
government BY caucus or : govern
ment BY . steering committee or {
government BY the speaker. then tn
| principle that s'the presence Of ma
| jority Of the mem bers constitutes {
| quorum that presence ascertsined b
che <neaker hfmselfs will not be die