Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-12-28
Throwing Off the Mask.


From the Baltimore Sun of Friday.
The thin veneerng of sham democracy
which has hitherto stood Mr. German in the
shape of disguise and served to mask his
republican sympa;hies and tendencies holds
out little premise OF lasting even to the end
OF the present short session. 1t gets thinner
every day. 1t would really seem that the
senior Senator from Maryland has taken in
earnest the Suns suggestion that he would
make excellent presidential timber for the
republicans, and is making fresh efforts to
lay that party under obligations. There is
no occasion to recur, in proof OF this, to the
record OF the lass session or the session be.
fore the last. The few weeks that have
elapsed since the present session began have
furnished Mr.. German with abundant OPP
portuntY to illustrate his claims to be
ranked not as an assistant republican"
simply, but as an out-and out, full 1edged
member of the clan, worthy TO take his seat
in the next Congress alongside of steve"
Eikins and "Gas" Addicks, should the re-
publican galaxy be further adorned by the
presence of those shining lights of states
manship.
The recent vote on Senator Gray's reso.
luton to take up for consideration the bill
for the repeal of the differentlal and dis
eliminating duties on sugar in favor of the
large majority of democratic Senators were
ready TO stand by the pledges Of the party
platform and to support the recommends
tiOns of the President. The resolution was
lost by the votes of three democrats who
voted with the republicans and the failure
OF the conservatives" -Gorman and Others
to vote at all The vote in detail further
showed what had been apparent enough
before that to secure decisive vote upon
any OF the supplemental tariff bills passed
by the House and recommended by the
President, it was necessary that some rule
should be adopted in the nature of the
cloture or the previous question, as it exists
in the House and In all other parliamentary
bodies except the Senate, to limit debate
and take away from the minority the power
OF preventing a vote and blocking all leg5
| lation.
With such a rule it was clear that all the
supplemental bills could be passed in spite
of republican opposition if the democrats
were united II was equally clear that the
democrats, if united, had the power to pass
such rule. 1t was only necessary for the
committee on rules TO report the necessary
| amendment for this purpose TO the Senate
to bring the question to a speedy test. With
this view action on the part Of the commit.
tee was strongly urged. But, as stated in
the Suns Washington correspondence OF
| Tuesday last, with Mr. German purposely
remaining away, las was generally sup
| posed j the committee was a tie politically
| and no report from minority was possible.
| Mr. Blackburn and Mr.. Harris, democrats,
d were tied with Mr.. Aldrch and Mr. Man
! dcrson, repu bicans. If, as was suggested
/ Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Harris should as
| two members of the committee, submit a
| recommendation of their own, leaving the
1
mendation, it was thought that such paper
would be objected to upon point OF order
| AS every schoolboy knows, the Senate ia
nothing if not technical.
The feeling excited by Senator German
persistent absence, thereby paralyZing the
/ committee, seems to have had its effect, and
Yesterday press dispatch in all the papers
announced a full meeting of the committee
all the members being present. Being thus
| unearthed and driven from cover, what does
German do? The same dispatch goes on e
say "Senator German announced himself
| as adverse to any amendment TO the rules
and the two republican Senators, Aldrlch anc
| Henderson, opposed a change at the presen
| time The other two members, Senator;
Blackburn and Harris, were Of the opinion
that something should be done to expedite
business, but they did not submit any propo
sitiou" OF course not. What would have
been the use with the three republican
members against them?
Naturally Senators Aldricb and Mander
son Opposed any change at the presen
! time" They had no idea of giving demo
cratic majority any powers OF Legislation
But as Senator Hill predicted, in his power
ful and convincing speech in favor Of closure
on Tuesday, the change 10 the rules viii
come and come soOn-just as soon as tn
republicans are ia majority In the Senate