New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-02
BOUND BY SUPERSTITION.
DEMOCRATS STILL SAY THE MINORITY
SHOULD RULE THE MAJORITY
FRCITLEss ENDEAvoRs IN THE uOrsE To TAKE
AWAY TIRE POWER OF THE iIIIBrSrEI.
By TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrNt.J

| AWAY TIRE POWER OF THE tITIBISrEE-
| lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrNt.J
| Washington. Sept. 1.-The Democrats in Inc
House OF Representatives still cling to the ancieh
| superstition Of their party faith. which requires
| them to uphold the right OF the minority 10 rule
| the majority. Judging by present Appearances II
will take a long time 10 overthrow that superstl
ton which is held sacred II 1t is not so power
| ful among Democrats in Congress to-day as II
| was In the winter OF lsG06l. 1t is true that the
| missionary work begun by the Republican major
ity in the List Congress has not been altogether
fruitess. but that educational processes when APP
piled to Democrats are painfully slow. as wen ~
somewhat uncertain. clearly shown To-Day
when every attempt to curta the power of NIL
clustering minority was defeated
The Boatner amendment. which was designed TO
bring any pending proposition To a vote AFTER
sufficient debate. was rejected by yea-and-hay
vote OF 80 TO l3l. Only q Democrats voted In the
affirmative. against l2O in the negatives Demo-
cratic majority OF 9 to against the proposition.
The adverse Democratic majority would have been
much smaller and the amendment would nave
been adopted If 1t had not been for the desperate
and unremttlng efforts OF the Democratic leaders
to drive their followers back into the party traces.
from which good many OF them were struggling
to escape. Speaker Crisp was compelled 10 'ahe
the floor and deliver feryent party appeal In or
der to recall the wanderers ana enforce party as
Cipline. and the other DeinOcfallc menD'IS VI Wv
Committee Rules and their observation-disclosures
Dockery Holman. Richardson. McMillin and
others busy day and night hunting the strag-
Glers and bringing them back into camp The
argument which they found most persuasive ana
effective was submitted in the form of question
"Do YOU want TO be Tom Reeds bcdfellow' IL
was every bit as logical the old argument which,
as every body remembers was equall' advanced
with such force and emphasis long years ago by
every Democra; who contended against Repub-
lean and which always put in the form OF
4 question. 'liow would you IKE to have your
daughter sister marry a niger" "
In the present case the argument was all the
more patent because it was addressed by Democrats
10 Democrats Hence the Democratic vote for the
Boatner amendment Is by no means fair gauge Of
the strength Of Democratic sentiment in the iions"
in it's favor Mr. Boatner yesterday estimated that
seventy Democrats. or more. favored the amend
ment and this estimate probably not exaR-
gerated but. the vote showed. more than two
thirds OF the Democrats who would have rejoicen
10 see the proposition adopted were either driven
to vote against it OH partisan grounds or per-
suaded to dodge" the question. The rol-caii
showed ~ absences. OF whom no less than sew
enty-sy Democrats and Populists.
The Democrats who refused to swallow their con-
victions and obey the crack of the party lash were
Messrs Bailey and Hutchinson. OF Texas Baldwin.
OF Minnesota Beltzhoover of Pennsylvania; Boat
ner and Mayer Of Louisiana: Bower OF North Care
lima. Geary OF California; Harris and Hudson. OF
Kansas: Hnyes. OF Iowa Lynch. OF Wisconsin,
Mallory Of Florida. Mcdonald and Springer OF
Illinois McRae and Neill. OF Arkansas; Richie. OF
Ohio: Stone. OF Kentucky; Washington. Of Tonnes
see and Williams OF Mississippi
Mr. Bryan. Of Nebraska who was absent. was
also paired In favor Of the amendment with Mr.
Bum. OF North Carolina. who was opposed TO IT,
In The OF the day several other amend
ments offered by Democrats az well ~ by
Republicans. which. If adopted. would hav' measuI-
ably cripple the nbuster All OF them were sup
ported by tn, Republicans. and som, OF them re
ccivcd a few Democrat, votes. but the hlibusters
and their friends wcr" strong enough 10 defect
every proposition to weaken In any degree IN"
power OF a minority. however small and insight
icant or by whatever motives inspired. to nullify
the will Of the majority. except IN such cases as
the three Democrats who compose N" majority
Of the Committee Rules shall! deem II "Xpe-
dent 10 interf re- one Of the amendments offered
by Mr. Springer proposed 10 give to all ~ the com
mttee. which have the righl 10 report at any
time except the Appropriations Committed the
same authority to bring the measures reported by
them to a vote that is now possessed by III" Com
mittee on Rules in regard to business brought
forward hv any and all committees. In the dcba,"
On this proposition. which was supported hy Mr..
I}oatncr and violently opposed by MI McMillin.
who declared that hc had never known any good
legislation TO b" defeated hy nhust"ring." Mr.
K ilgorr sarcastcally said o. Mr. Springer. You
want to have another business Congress " and
the laiters prompt r"tort. Il wan' Congress To-
10 the business which ought to be done. won
: round Of applause.
An amendment orerel by Mr.. Dinglcy. providing
hat on certain dlaiory motions. which are EN-
bodied I'm and recognized hy the rules a. they now
stand not more than one VOTE by yeas and nays
'hOuld be- allowed the same legislative day. Such
, proposition would prevent the wasting Of hours
md days prObabl; weeks-iu fruitless and IN
necessary roll-calls during session 90 Congress.
iut IT. was promptly rejected by party vote. A. !
, quorum dd not vote the division. Mr. Dingley !
aised the point and gave the democrats an object
cssOn' by compelling roll-cAl which consumed
orty-nvc minutes Mr. Reed offered two amend +
ncnts. both OF which were designed 10 eliminate .
crtain motions which recognized bN the rul"s i
md never used except for purposes OF obstfuc- /
ion Those amendments were rejected by a parti I
'Ote IN each case. which afforded Mr. Reed an OPP b
,ortunity to give the Democrats two more object /
-ssonS' in succession. A. a y"a-And-iiay vote was /
equired In each In order to muster quorum.
here hbustcring. however. for every /
emand made was legitimate. and every Republican 1
resent who not bound by pair voted. and .
otes had been necessary TO complete the quorum.
The Democratic majority thus deliberately placed .
self on record three times in succession In favor
I retaining and recognizing series Of motions
hose sole object and functions. are to strengthen r
he arm Of the hlibuster and ais" In favor OF al.
owing unlimited waste of time in calling the roll