The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-10-26
RIGHTS OF MINoRITIEs.
Senator sherman Expresses Ills Views on
 Obstructive Tactics.

so as to make It snow the presence or senators who were actually present but who refused to vote, Mr. Sherman O. spoke at some length. He said the rules of the senate were made to expedite public business in an orderly, proper manner, and their islate While that was the primary object of all rules it was equally inn portant to give the minority full and free opportunity of debate. But when the rules were used by the minority to obstruct legislation those rules should at once be altered. Whenever minor- ity used means of obstruction unduly it created revolution.
 Mir. Sherman said the obstructive methods which had been pursued in the last two months had gone far be- yond anything he had ever witnessed in his senatorial experience. In fact obstructive measures had been resorted to which had never been invoked since the senate was first organized. It was then dignified body of twenty-six members and it went to the extreme verge of liberality on debate. The practice of stopping a senator in the midst of his speech to suggest the ab- sence of quorum was an innovation and was kind of obstruction that had never been resorted to be fore. The re- fusal of senators to vote was a viola tion of the rules of good order He thought therefore, probably not at this huf ha hnI I aY,.;p yhax the senate must adopt rules to prevent obstruction to publ ic business. There was change in he senate-not on the score of ability, but due to increased numbers.
 There was no legislative body in the world that had not some power to close debate. The proper way to secure next session of congress to have the committee on rules strengthened in numbers and have it examine all the various rules and report rule which would give the minority the full power to express their opinion and prescribe the time when and the place where the final vote could be taken. The present session had continued two months and nothing had been done-not single measure had passed the senate that was of the slightest importance. The house of representatives had performed its duty, but in the senate there had not been a vote on any question presented where there had been any difference of opinion.
 If that continued, the senate would no longer command the respect of active and intelligent people-and the Americans were men of action in all departments of action. He said the re- sponsibility in the present situation rested upon the democratic senators. It was said they could not agree. He would say to them that they must agree or else surrender their political power. If the senate as now organized could not make law without long and protracted debate, and if the demo- cratic senators were unable to meet together and formulate some proposition, the people of the United States would take them at their worth. Those on the repub- lican side of the senate had remained silent, largely desiring to hear from the other side, whom the people had honored with a majority. The presi- dent had expressed his opinion and while the republicans did not believe in him or his policy and were under no obligations to him, yet they furnished two-thirds of the votes nearly to carry out his will, while the party that the president represented stood unable to formulate a policy or to say what they desired. If they did not agree with the president, let them say so, or let them formulate something else.
 There were three or four important matters that demand solution and the senate stood in the way. One was whether the United States should con tinue the purchase of silver bullion and on the whole he thought it was not wise to further continue its purchase as there was now bullion enough on hand to supply all that could be coined in the next two or three years. We simply want to suspend the coinage of silver, not to demonetize it. ''In the past" said Mir. Sherman, ''when repub- licans were in the majority, we never shrank from the responsibility which is now upon the demo- cratic party. We were republicans be- cause we believed in republican principles, republican men and meas ures, and whenever question came up in the senate we never did the baby act We ask our brothers on the other side to meet together and consult with each other. If they do not like the presidents plan, give us some other. and in Gods name let us settle this inn portant question for the people of our country. If we can agree with you, we will; we will not follow your example. If we do not agree with you we will give you manly mo"
 MT. Sherman argued in favor of strengthening the gold reserve and said that he had seen letter from the secretary of the treasury to the effect that there would be deficiency of at least $50, OOO,OOO. In this exigency the erection of public buildings and public improvements should be stopped 1t was said it would be unpopular to in- crease the public debt, and yet it was being increased by a great govern