New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-06
DOJNC NOTHING dBLY

The ancient problem, How Not To Do 1t, en-
cages the minds of Democratic statesmen at
Washington. Upon that they bend the utmost
force of intellect they possess, and the prolonged
incubation of the rules has made it plain that
the Do-Nothing party has much the upper hand
as was inferred when Speaker Crisp was nom
mated. Mr.. Mills stood for an attempt to do
something, on the tariff question at least. Mr..
Crisp gave assurance that the great work OF
Tariff Reform should 20 on without hesitation
in bis hands, but was profoundly dlsristed On
the other hand, he was a recognized believer
in free coinage of silver, and in eecting him the
silver men exulted in their belief that they had
as good as passed their bill already. But now
comes a distressing suspicion that, by turning
over to Speaker Crisp and his Committee on
Rules the power to control the work OF the
House the silver men have really strangled the
Free Coinage bill they meant to pass.
II the suspicion is anything but complimentary
70 Speaker Crisp THE TRIBUNE is not espon-
sible for it. The important news comes through
1.-The Herald's" Washington correspondence,
which represents that the silver men are greatly
exercised about the situation They have aided
the Democratic managers 10 reject the cOunSels
of Speaker Reed, and scornfully to refuse his
methods of emancipating majority from the
tyranny of a flibustering minority. In order TO
keep up the pretence that Reed and the Repub-
licans were all wrong, practically unlimited
powers have been intrdsted TO the Committee on
Rules to fix day for the final vote on any meas
ure the majority asserting, and to suppress all
filibustering on measure which may De th'H
favored But if this little committee declines
to make free coinage privileged measure, any
small minority in the House can defeat 1t by
6libusering, and the new rules give the ma
iority no power whatever to reach vote. Now
the dreadful suspicion haunts the silver men that
the Speaker and the other managers OF the tor
man Hill Brice combination have determined
that the Committee on Rules shall not give
ee-Conage bill any chance.
The plea is that the passage OF such meas
ure at this session would commit the Democratic
party irrevocably in favor of policy against
which New York, Connecticut and other North
ern States would surely vote. But this seems
exceedingly funny. How many times must the
Democratic majority in Congress vote for par
ticular measure in order to commit the party?
Is once enough? Ii it is, the Democrats in Con-
gress have voted for free coinage already, and
another vote or refusal TO vote could not alter
ANYTHING. Or are two or three votes Of the same
sort necessary in order to commit the party?
If so, the Democrats in Congress have voted al
ready more than twice for the same measure !;
80 many times, in fact that search OF the
records would be both useless and wcarisome
In June, 1890, after Free-C0inagc bill had
been passed in the Senate mainly by Demo
cratic votes, only three of thatparty opposing, a
long struggle occurred in the House, in which
for three days the Democrats voted constantly
for free coinage, and on the final vote, June
20 more than fOur-iifths of them voted for the
bill, including Messrs. Crisp, McMillin and
Catchings, who are now controlling the House,
as well as Messrs. Mills and Springer How
MANY times must the same men vote the same
way in order to commit themselves or their
party?
The Democratic party Is committed already
But some Democrats want to nominate Prcsi
dental candidate who can play the trckster and
dodgcr on this question, and TO avoid any fresh
vote this year which may interpret his position
This is the true inwaldncss OF the matter, and il
is quite possible that Mcssrs. Crisp, McNlillin and
Catchings the three Democratic dictatOrs Of the
Committee on Rules, may presently be explain
ing that they arc not in favor Of dividing the
party on the silver question this year. In order
not TO divide, On that as on other questions, the
party must do nothing. Hence do-nothing rules
turn over the Democratic majority, handcufed
and gagged to three men who are expected TO
keep it out Of mischief Meanwhile we shall see
what the people who want something done and
,ro In oarncs+ about IL will think of A do not hing
Congress.