Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-17


ing institutions OF the American people
as was another tribunal in regard to the
Force bill, the country would have been
in a different condition to-day-the
States with their autonomy destroyed,
q large portion of a great people struck
down by Federal authority while the
mIuions OF partisan power would have
looted and reveled In the
destruction wrought. l heartily be-
lieve, said he, that we can never arrive
at q solution OF the question that Is
harrassing rs and the country until all
parties are satisfied, as l am satisfied
that unconditional repeal cannot be
had In the Senate"
"WNl you please explain to US, "
asked Mr.. Hill, what you mean by
your confidence in the fact that the un-
conditional repeal bill cannot pass the
Senate? Why, il 3 majority is in favor
OF &C., can It not be passed."
If the Senator from New York, re-
piled Mr.. Vest, having read the rules
and having witnessed our proceedings
under these rules for two months, can
not answer that satisfactorily TO him
self, it will be arrogant vanity for me
TO attempt it, Laughter. There is
no intelligent man in this Union who
does not know that the Senate cannot
pass this bill"
at think that Is the only answer the
Senator can make" said Mr.. Hill.
1T is sufficient" Mr.. Vest replied.
We are confronted with a condition,
and not a theory"
Mr.. Hill-"If the rules Of the Senate
absolutely prevent the passage OF abill
which the majority desire TO pass then
/ il strikes me that the best thing for the
Senate to DO is 10 endeavOr 70 amend
the rules, so that majority can PISS 8
bill that they desire to pass"
Mr.. Vest-"YeS, Mr.. President, l
heard that when we were discussing the
| Force bill, in varied intonation and
much rhetorical dtterance, but the
rules were not changed"
Mr.. Aldrich-"Does the Senate be-
lleve that If a majority Of the Senate
had been 10 favor OF what he chooses TO
call the Force bill the rules would have
been amended and the bill would have
passed" ."
Mr.. Vest-"Why no. AS the rules
exist until you get into the chair an
occupant who will strike down the rule
permitting one-fith of the Senators
present 10 demand the yeas and nays,
aud who will put question and carry
10 without regard TO the votes OF Sena-
tors, you cannot effect against the op-
position Of one-tfth OF the Senators
present any legislation which is so
odious as TO require and demand this
action"
Mr.. Aldrich-The party Of the Sena-
tor from Missouri is charged with the
responsibility Of legislation not only In
this body, but Ia every department. OF
the government. II ons-ffth of the
Senate can prevent any action upon
any subject how does that Senator eX-
pect 90 pass tbs bill reported by the
Senator from New York, MIR. HID, to
repeal the election laws? How does
that Senator expect that his party
will carry out its pledges for
tarif,reform, II the doctrine laid down
bv him Is 70 prevail and is the correct
doctrine for the government Of the Sen
ate. Would not one-dfth OF the Sen
ators upon this side be justified in pre-
venting what we believed TO be ruinous
| legislation?"
Mr.. Vest-"A second Daniel come to
I Judgement Laughter 1 have not
/ said it is the correct doctrine, l have
simply called attention to the fact
| which every one knows TO exist, that a
certain status is upon US. II it is not
/ so. / will be Obliged to the Senator
/ from Rhode Island II he will tell US
/ what he would do
Mr.. Aldrich-'If l had my way the
| Senate would change its rules"
Mr.. Vest-"But you have not got
I your way Tlaughterl. II the Senator
| had his way he would have passed the
force bill, but thank God he did not
have it,"
Mr.. Aldrich said the reason he did not
I have his way was because majority oil
the Senate voted the other way. II the
majority Of the Senate had been in
/ favor OF changing the rules at that
time, they would have been changed.
1T would not have passed" said Mr..
I Vest, land every intelligent Senator
| here, l undertake TO say, will grant il
\ TO himself, II not publicly
/ Mr.. Hill said he repudiated the doc
\ trine that One-ifth OF the Senate could
I absolutely prevent legislation. The
I power TO make rules implied the power
/ TO change them, and the Senate
could not by the adoption of any
\ set OF rules absolutely prevent itself
/ from legislating. 1t could not tie itself
up so that by reason OF its rules it was
| impossible for the majority TO legislate
i and the minority could dictate legisla
I tion.
/ Mr.. Vest inquired whether the Sena'
\ tor from New York meant TO say thai
/ the majority In the Senate could chang'
rules without debate.
Mr. Hill replied that the question oi
/ the Limitation Of debate was within the
/ discretion OF u majority Of the Senate
I That solved the question. He hao
\ heard a great deal ia the debate about
+ the tyranny Of the majority 10 its bon'
/ fde efforts 70 pass the repeal bill, snC
I it has been repeatedly asked what
/ could be worse than the tyranny OF
a majority. He answered the tyranny
of the minority. The failure oil
the bin would have TO be
attributed to both political parties, and
not 10 only one. HAS it come TO this,
asked Mr.. Hin in closing, "thst the
Senate is pOwerlsss, first, 10 legislate
! and second, TO change It's rules so that
/ 10 can legislate hereafter? II il has, ii
] might as we'll diSband." "
Mr. Hall, DEM }, rising 10 persona
explanation, said he was willing when
ever debate was exhausted TO vote.
At one o'clock the repeal bill was lsiC
. before the SenSte.
Mr.. Jones, rep. Nevada, then tool
the floor aud proceeded to deal With the
function OF money, It's value and how