Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-10-23
BLocKmIye ruDmc BUSINESS.

A few weeks ago the Hon. Mr..
Frye, Ia the course II discourse on
the floor Of the U. 8. Senate ON the
subject Of unlimited debate, remarked
that tho Senate was "lhe most dis-
ulfod assembly Ia tho world" at
which the galleries roared until the
authority OF tho presiding ciiccr was
required % restore silence.
The spectators were but expressing
due appreciation Of what struck thom
a. mos. Jolly buresquo. They had
lived near enough TO that august body
to discern between the solemn airs
Of the average senator and
the tragic attitudes " tho stage player
q timiltude 10 striking ths, for mo.
meni they forgot and doubtless thought
they were at a play house Of another
sort until reminded by the PRECEDENT
that MIR. Frye was not = performer bu,
lawmAker Of great nation, aud
shat the Senate house was not
buflssque comedy, but place where
grave anu reverend ftaio,men were
assembled T. discuss the inlere,t,
OF dxty.hve millions Of people.
Tho audiouos nevertheless thought
II was "a merry joke, all the same,
aud surely Il was. Whether the people
Of these United States who arc 20 far
away as necessarily to mlrs the In.
toxicAtinE iuiluoEca OF this grave bur
league, will be- a. well pleased With tho
Joke as was the Washington audience,
Is q question Tor debate.
Tue Congress s0me months ago was
called IN special session to decide upon
some means by which the country
could be- relieved from ils p,Csvn, dis
tress. Tho nature Of tina. distress de.
msndod above all things immediate
action. The House OF Repre-
sontatives went vigorously to work
on the problem Mt Issue, aud
alter giving every feature Of the oAsv
u fell, caniiI inspection, hRslened to
got the judgment OF meJority OF thu
members upon final decision,
Whether we out Wesl, or the country
at large, may agree with that decision
or not, the House rs a boiy did lts fulI
/ duty. II the people aTe dissatisfied
the proper remedy is in the ballot box
II the present personnel Of the HOUSE
does not truly represent the sentiments
Of the majority Of the country, voter.
should see to It that mon are hereafter
sent there who do think as the poo,
pie DO.
But what contrast have we IN
this august "upper house," Under
an exalted notion Of It's dignity, that
body has declared that its members are
above restraint In matters OF debate;
that the privilege 10 talk on the hoor
OF the Senate shall be inviolable Rnu
unlimited. The effect IL that In mega
ton there Is no minority. A single
member can block the wheels OF the
Senate, aud thereby the entire logis
la,iye brguoh OF government, eternal.
ly, II his powtrs Of speech were physi.
cslly sufficient Tor such task. And,
n one member Is not able to pre-
vent, by endless and pointless har,
angur, the passage OF u measure
which he objects to, thirty or more
members, though they are hopeless
minority, eau do It. That Is precisely
what tue minority OF tho Senate has
been doing for the past several wees,
aul with no c1ncgalment Of It's moiiyet
or ils Intention to so on indefinitely, u
necessary, IA the same Inns OF bust
ness.
without In any way agreeing with
the Will OF the majority Of the Senate
in this Gaze, We DO not hesitate b clu,
denim without qualification tie position
Of the minority RnI likewise Ia,
iiiotic rule which makes such q
position possible. The Senate WA
designed Tor working assembly an,
by the terms OF the Constitution AM
thu unqualified viii OF tho people,
majority, when 10 comes TO nua
| judgment, Is the Senate, aud the m.
uorlty which places Itself ia tho wa,
Of a. ultimate assertion uf Gu,
will OF thal majority Is n).hinp
better thuu body Of nulitlrrs. sue,
"a method OF procedure D. uu'Amohra.