New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-28
HORSE THAN OUORUMCOUNTING


Experience is teaching the Democratic House
that there is much in its procedure that Is
worse than the counting of quorum With
large majority available for the rapid transac-
tlon of business il Is helpless incompetent and
demoralzcd. Mr.. Bland with his proposition
to coin vacuum" has paralyzed the legis-
| lative functions Of the House. and introduced
system of Jail delivery" which has brought
It into general contempt. With the appropria-
ton bills held back and with a vast amount
of urgent legislative business in arrears, day
after day is wasted in disorderly wrangling
| and unavailing efforts to secure a quorum from
the Democratic majority. The tactics Of the
Republican minority are justifable since the
J Democratic majority lacks the courage TO face
the issue which Mr.. Bland has raised, and also
the common sense to regain control Of legis-
lative business by counting the quorum when
it is there and ought to be recognized. The
Democratic House prefers to have these degrad-
ing scenes enacted and to exhibit daily its In
competence to conduct legislation rather than 10
admit that the party four years ago was on the
wrong side Of great public question.
Whatever else may be said of the last Repub-
ncan Congress, it cannot be denied that there
was a working House. The record proves it.
the complex system Of tariff and internal reye-
nue. law reformed the current methods OF GUS
| toms administration, passed a compromise Sill
yer Coinage act, refunded the Direct Tax, intro
duced comprehensive system for the relief OF
disabled veterans and their families, suppressed
the largest gambling business in the world
through the Anti-Lottery BILL admitted new
States into the Union. revised the maritime
In I'm rl1p NO wit advice
national ConfeNnce, promoted American ship
ping interests by ocean mail subsidies, and
enacted the Worlds Fair, Foreign Contract,
Eight Hour Antitrust Meat Inspection, Copy
right, Reapportionment, Army Promotion, Land
Grant Forfeiture Intermediate Court Of APP
peals, and other important measures. This
record of legislative industry was made by
Republican House which had a working ma
ority hardly larger than bakers dozen.
That majority recognized clearly the fact that
Il was in power 10 legisate for the country.
II did the work which the American people
had commissioned it 10 do, and did not evade
a single great issue. 1t accomplished its mis-
sion by counting a quorum when Ii was pres
ent, by suppressing minority conspiracy. by
enforcing the supreme principle of majority
rule and by restoring the working functions OF
the House. The conspirators who were dis
armed made frantic cutlery. The country was
entertained for many months with denunciation
of the tyranny OF the Republican Car and
the assassination of minority rights. In that
new order of political regeneration to which
the Democratic party under Mr.. Cleveand's
leadership solemnly consecrated itself there
was to be no counting of quorums, the rights
of minorities were TO be religiously respected
and legislation was to be conducted with de-
liberation and decency and not by imperial
ukase"
Prodigal In promises. the Democracy is al
ways beggarly in fulfilment. Since Mr. Reed
left the Speakers chair there have been two
Democratic Houses. The first, elected in 1890
with an overwhelming party majority, did not
enact a single measure Of magnitude. Not one
pledge to the country was redeemed. The lead
ership was in commission, discipline there was
none, and the session closed with fibusterng
raids headed by the chairman of the Committee
on Appropriations in House where two-thrls
of the members were Democrats. If the second
House. elected in 1892, has repealed the Silver
Purchase clause and enacted q tariff for pro-
ducing National bankruptcy, it has registered
the arbitrary DEGREES of the Committee on
Rules suppressed debates by "ukase," and
legislated on two most important subjects with
preciptate haste and without elaboration. In
licensed flibustering and gag law have gone
hand in hand. Never have debates been more
disorderly nor legislative blocks more frequent
Finally we have the spectacle Of Mr.. Bland
and his gang of fanatics holding up the House,
compelling arbitrary arrests and Jail deliver
les and suspending all legislative business
The Sergeant-at-Arms issues "ukases" and
Pandemonum reigns.