New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-25
AN IMBECILE MAJORITY.
SLOW PROGRESS OF BUSINESS IN TILE
HOUSE
TIL. SPEAKER AND HIS FRIENDS GETTING AXX-
IoUs- HOLMAN: IRRITATING EX\CTIONs.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TKIrrxE.,

BY TELEGRAPH 10 TIE TklBCNE.!
Washington, April 2I.-spcakcr Crisp ana his lieut.
tenants and advisers have been extremely anxious
as well Us impatient on account Of the slow proerps,
made by the llou-c with business which must be dis
posed Of before Congress can adjourn. Some time ago
the statement was made that all OF the general appro
priaiiOn bills would be through the House by May l.,
ana Speaker Crisp himself set May 10 as the latest
date. since then only one Appropriation bill has
passed that body. In the fourteen working days be
tween now and May 10 1t will of course, be impossible
TO pass the eight general appropriation bills which
remain undspo,ed Of several Of which have yet TO be
reported from the committees which have them in
charge. Among the bills yet to pass the House are
the Sundry CIVIL the Legislative the River and InrbOr
and the FOstOfce bills which alone will carry appr0-
paton amounting altogether 80 at least Sl45oOOOJ0.
The committees were appointed about eighteen weeks
ago. and only six Of the general appropriation bills
have passed the House down TO date. 1t will there
fore be perceived that, unless the wheels Of legislation
shall be caused 10 rcvolve with much greater apdiy
the end OF the fiscal year June 80, will come before
the last appropriation bill has left the House The
National conventions Of both parties will be held in
June, and AT least weeks must be deducted from
the time available for legislation In that month.
The prospect that business will make rapid
progress hcnccfOrward does not appear specially bright
to the managers Of the Democratic majority In the
House. Thus far there has been lamcnnblc absence
Of disposition or ability or both, to keep the House
down business. Mr.. Springer. the nominal leader
u the majority has been disabled for several months
and Mr.. McNIllu who has naturally taken his place
has shown the ability required to make his leader
ship efficient: indeed. Of the Speakers friends
do hesitate 10 say, privately, that Mr.. McMlin Is
indifferent and inefficient because lie chooses TO be So
and that he i, unwilling to have the Crisp al
minl,tr aton voted failure. with view 10 his own
possible elevation to the Spcahcrship I'm case The
Democrats shall control the next House.
lIu Mr.. McMillin is no, the only Democratic leader
who APPEARS indifferent; the wOuGds received I'm the
>peakorshp tusslc oJstnatey refuse to heal and The
ranks OF the majority not only torn by opeI
personal di,senscns. and weakened by private foud
and jcaouse bat confused and dcmoralizcd BY differ
enccs on questions OF party policy. In n word
there Is no conference Of purpose. no harmon,
II action on the part Of tho majority
Tho silver and the anti silver men, the Ccvelan'
men and the uti-Clcvcand men. stand ready to ~
at anothcs throats at the slightest provocation
Tho pcccmca policy Of tariff reform" is openly de
ridcd 10y one hlf Of the Democrats. md l. >ccrct
voted failure by good many who at first hailed
a brilliant stroke Of genius and craftsmanship, am
this scheme. which devised to divide and demon
allie the advocates Of the protective pjIcy. has no
only failed 10 do 80. but has reacted it, author
and discouraged and dcm0mll2cd the Free Traders In
stead They hnve lost all interest In the fate q
,pr.ngcr's holcpunching bills which. a. they nov
perceive, have not only awakened no enthusiasm 4
tho ranks OF the party. but. on the contrary. hav
produced feeling 4 indifference. II not 81 cntcmpt
Moreover. good many Democratic Representative
realize that the majority wcTc guilty Of grca
blundcr Wien they formally committed then
elves to TIE Holman idea 4 economy Many 4 then
when they did 80. honestly believed that they were Dc
Ing right that the etorlc, " Wild extravaganza While
had been dinncd into their by domagoguo, dur1n
| the last two years were true. some of them hav
learned better already, and most Of them have dis
covered that Holman Is an unsafe .uldc. lie coul
| not pass hi, economy" resolutions through III
| House now. III, course IN regard 10 the Nava
Appropriation lin Ill, su,tod many Democrats who ha
| stood by him and then discovered that his oppos
ton to appropriations is unpItrotic rs II Is bin
| and unreasonable.
| The truth Is that the innrmcs Of agc have dullc
! Iloluan's cunning 10 considerable extent and III
loss If physical energy has greatly impaired Ms IL
| nucncc A. chairman Of the Appropriation, Committee
he il "a dead failure, except as an impatient and IL
| competent censor Of hi, colleagues. who have all "a
| hard work 90 do, and yet hc j. mofc cNactlng tina
! ever. He /, not content with revising their worl
| but I, constantly m'ddlug ~ The bn,iu">, ~ othe
| committees which have charsc Of appropriation bil
and hr carrie, his opposition into the House at ever
! opportunity To lin mo.r than {" any Other ma
or dozen mcn-In the House may be- charged IA
! backward condition ~ the public hu,iuc-,. For e.,
! 81 IL, regular order W., - be- taken up q
, Don ID" Noy Rockwell case Wa out Of III
way but ON IHul-oN thurman H"uhln dl'"l
! ucaled, without notice tn h, coll 'deuc,
! me Subcommittee which framed the I'm and the
were surprised to l'niu that he had gou" Ia Indian
In III absence nothing ooud - done. ana yr,tcTda
wa, devoted 70 dI-' SION % ia" grievance II Grorl
Fred Williams against hi- colleague Ecprc-"ntatl'
| Walker The hih cannot II taken mp until II j. u
plts>ui" OF Judr" Holman io return. because hr pr
poses 81 light me 80 tn PROVISIONS Inserted there
| ty his own commit o. although thr measure r
ported b. calculated -cron'ly T." m1m 'c'crll hrrncr
| - the pIhic -.rvicc.
On thr whole. thcrf r.. t"fc l. good reason for q
Impotence and anxiety 81 speaker Crisp and hl, "a
Vl-'rs The Hons" daWdlo- over everything. neccs-a
business !, neglected i'm order that individual mcmhc
MAJ force the front personal grievances mra ur
upOn which their rrnruinriipI f. supposed 10 Deepen
and legislation proceeds. when IL proceeds AZ all. In
lazy. haplaZatd flsion which promises 10 result In
record Of iml~clllfy never pa--cd. even II cquae
by any "dO.uOhlng" Dcmpcr1tic House In the past