Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-10-12
Nearing the End.

The long and wearying delay in
the Senate is nearing an end. The
leaders of the majority-whether
wisely or unwise'y it is idle to dis
cuss-have pursued a definite pol
icy which Seems likely to be crown~
ed with success at last. They have
never doubted their ability to pass
the repeal OF the silver purchase
law, but they have doubted the
Willingness of the Senate to depart
from it's long established custom of
unlimited debate, and they have
not asked it to do so. They have let
the debate f,w N.
The stream is now almost ex-
hausted. Obstruction has become
not only feeble but ridiculous. By
another week there is every reason
to expect that it will collapse aud
that the repeal will be passed by
an emphatic majority.
The country has been necessarily
impatient under this delay, but it
is probable that Mr.. voorhees, and
his associates have understood the
possibilities OF the situation better
than their critics. None of the talk
of compromise has come from
them. It has come either from tie
opponents of repeal or from Re-
pubIicans who would be not I'M.
wiling to add to the embarrasss
ments OF the administration. The
advocates of unconditional repeal
have simply waited and have allows
ed events to demonstrate the fut-
lity of compromise and the un-
worthiness Of obstruction.
Their opponents have failed, while
they remain united. The time is
near for a decisive vote.
The challenge uttered by Sem
ator Dubois. while intended as a
bluff, indicated an issue that the
majority leaders showed themselves
ready to accept. MI. Dubois de-
clared his belief that if there was
a strong sentiment in theS Senate in
favor OF the repeal bill it would be
pas ed. "You have the power" he
said, "to resort to the means which
you say exist" to test the question.
That is all that is demanded. and
if Mr.. Dubois and his associates
have the confidence they profess,
why should they delay the test?
1t will be in order any time next
week-when al the Senators who
have signjfed their desire to speak
on this subject will have been
heard and there will remain not
even a technical pretext for delay
for Mr.. voorhees, to move for a
vote on the pending question. The
presiding officer must entertain the
motion and a majority of the Sen.
ate will certainly sustain il. Reyond
the constitutional privilege to des
mand a record of the ayes and noes.
it is by courtesy only aud not by
right that the minority undertake
to govern the action of the Senate.
and as Senator Palmer has strongly
said, the time is at hand "when the
Senate must adopt some law by
which it can govern itselt"-that
is, it must put into effect the unis
versal law of sclfsgovernment ins
herent in every legislative body.
This will be an extraordinary
exercise Of power only because it
has never hitherto been called for.
Opposition in the Senate has ais
ways been confined to decorous
debate; it was never pretended that
when debate was exhausted the
minority could still prevail. The
advantage that has been gained by
an otherwise disheartenipg delay
is that not only public opinion has
been thoroughly aroused against it,
but the dignity of the Senators
themselves has been practically APP
pealed to, and for their own honor,
as we'll as for the welfare of the
country, they must bring this dis"
graceful exhibition to an end.
Before the end of the week we
confidently expect that the Senate
will pass the repeal without condis
tons. Congress may then take up
calmly and deliberately the serious
financial and economic problems
that confront it, having given the
country assurance that in any
event the public credit and the in
tegrity of the currency will be pres
served.