The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-30
THE "DIGNIrY" or TIE SENATE.


Colorado. said in the Senate:
Il mean to say that the senator from
Rhode Island will have a vote in such
reasor able time as the WISHES Of those
who debate the question on this floor
shall determine may be reasonable, and
not before"
The vote referred to is the vote on
the bill to repeal the Sherman act. A
majority Of the United States Senate
believes that the interests of the people
OF the United States require that this
act shall be repealed and a minority
refuse TO allow this majority TO do that
which the whole country proclaims that
its interests require.
And observe the language In which
Senator Wolcotts defiance is couched
He does not say that vote will be taken
as soon as all interests have been fully
and fairly heard Oh, 40. A
of the Senate to enact law
imperatively demanded by the in
terests of the people when the
wishes" of that minority shall be sat
isfed to permit a vote. There is no
question here Of argument. Whether the
public interests shall receive that recog-
milton for which they cry aloud is to
depend upon the whims and humors,
the perversities and all that go to make
up the wishes" OF few senators. Pub
lie necessities and Judgment are to count
for nothing. Everything is to turn upon
the imperial wishes of few senators.
1t is not often that we find ourselves
in accord with Senator German. His is
school of politics whose god is pat
ronage" land bond of union rings"
But we heartily concur in the following
words uttered by him in the same dis
cussion;
But. Mr.. President, the manner Of
conducting the debate. the scenes that we
have witnessed in this body in the last
week, are without parallel in the his
tory of the Senate. / beg to call the at
tentlon Of the senators who are indulg-
ing in this acrimonious debate to the
fact that they are doing that which has
never occurred before in the history OF
this Chamber They are doing more, Mr..
President. TO belittle this great body In
the eyes of the people OF the country
than anything which has heretofore oc-
CURED. / believe the time will come, and
that speedily, when some Of the actors In
il Will regret the part which they have
taken and will atone as best they may
for having brought this great body from
a deliberative assembly to the level OF a
county convention or board of alder
men"
We say amen to this. The Senate OF the
United States is permitting a minority
OF it's members to bring itself into pub
lie contempt. They are allowing them TO
degrade 1t in the popular mind The
people are beginning TO lose all respect
for the United States Senate, and 1t
will be called upon TO show cause before
the bar Of public opinion why It shall
not be modified or dispensed with as d
body that has outlived it's time and be-
come effete
The people have marked out TO the
Senate chart by which its course is
TO be steered. In the constitution Of our
government they have declared that the
Senate shall make such rules 10 govern
its own procedure as shall enable a ma
jority OF It's members to transact the
business that the interests OF the people
call for. In contempt and defiance OF
that command OF the people, the senators
persstently refuse TO establish rules OF
procedure which win enable a majority
Of senators TO enact laws that the
people demand. and they thereby permit
minority Of senators TO arbitrarily and
perverseiy thwart measures that are
absolutely necessary to the prosperity of
the country. They are defying the COM