Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-05-12
REED ON I4s RAMPAGE.



The Great Issue Proposed to the Country
BY the Ex-Cxar.
Republicans think that Mr.. Reed 10
rendering great service to the conn
try in exposing the partisan character
Of Speaker Crisp's rulings as we'll as the
absenteeism OF the democrats.
The less Mr. Reed has to say about
partisan rulings the better. No speaker
was ever more deliberately and osten-
tatiously unfair than Mr.. Reed. 1t has
happened that he has been repeatedly
shut off in his attempts at filibustering
by following pfccedents which he him
self established.
As to the absent teeism OF democratic
members. it Is wholly inexcusable, and
there can be no objection TO having at
tention called to 1t, OF course, absent.
eeism is not confined to democrats,
but the latter. he,ng responsible for
(egisl alton, have stronger reasons for (.
being N attendance than the members
Of the opposition. tsH
Nevertheless, It Is only Just, while
ex-Speaker Reed Is calling atteD ton to .
democratic neglect Of duty, that tho at-yy
ltention Of the country should be called
10 what Mr.. Reed Ia doing. He v Oh.
structing the business OF the house.
He is refusing and instructing his fol-
lowers to refuse to attend to the bnsl-
ness for which they were elected to
congress- He Is violating the rules OF
the house. While present at the daily
sessions he is pretending TO be absent
line OF conduct which he has re-
pes tedly characterized as wholly inde-
fensible. E>
For what purpose Is Mr.. Reed doing
this? To prevent the passage OF some
revolutionary measure? TIC protect the
people from some invasion OF their
rights by an arrogant ant unscrupu'
lous majority? Not at all. Such
emergencies have occasionally arisen
In congress, and have been deemed Jus.
tification for resort to every sort OF .
obstruction that the rules Eut in the
power OF the minority. 1t n known
that some OF the worst measures ever
introduced into congress have been de-
| feated in that way, and the s"ber sec
ond thought of the country has ap-
proved both the means and the end.
But Mr.. Reed is not engaged in any
work of this sort.
What Mr.. Reed ia trying to Do Is to
force the house to adopt his patent de-
vice for securing quorums whether
majority Of the members vote or not
OF counting members present, but re-
fusing to vote, and occasionally count
ing members that are not present The
country got along for hundred y.nrs
without any such rule, but Mr. Heed
wishes to demonstrate that it cannot
now 60 on for single session without
1t. 1t requires no demonstration to
prove that, II a majority Of the NOM
bers will not do their duty, business
cannot be done under any system OF
rules. But Mr.. Reed Is desirous of OBJ
tanning from the democrats vindica-
ton OF his autocratic methods, and he
processes to think this important
enough to justify him in obstructing
public business While he is focusing
public attention upon depocratic alb
senteeism, he is also giving the country
the measure Of his conception OF states
manship
No change in the rules can vindicate
the conduct of Mr.. Reed when he cccu-
, pied che ahair ffe ann hix frienda are
fond OF referring to decision OF the
! hnt ha ii
make rules authorizing the speakc to
couut quorum. They call this Wins
dcation. As usual, they suppress the
real point at issue. Mr.. Reed couIted
Quorum before any rule was made
authorizing him to do SO. lie put under
his feet ruthlessly the precedents IS OF a
hundred years before they had been
rendered inapplicable by change in
the rules IL is this act that no change
of rules can ever justify.
1t is understood that Mr. Reed is q
candidate for the presidency. 1t is. no
doubt, grateful to his feelings to have
his action as speaker kept prominently
before the country. 1t is pleasant for
him to have the business Of congress at
a standstlll awaiting the yindit alton OF
the rule which he created and enforced
before the house adopted II. Besides.
he must enjoy the spectacle OF seeing
the friends and supporters OF his rivals
for the republican nomination cheer
fully doing his bidding while he seeks
to make himself the great issue and to
demonstrate that business cannot be
done without his consent Neverthc-
less, it remains to be seen whether this
course will impress the country as
demonstration of the surprising states
manship Of Mr.. Reed. The great issue
which he proposes to the country Is
whether it Is proper to obstruct pub
lie business in order to vindfcate the
action OF member whom the conn
try's bad luck elevated to the speaker
ship four or Ave years ago. This is
, the tremendous issue that the nomina-
. ton of Mr.. Reed would present to the
. country. ry.-Louisville Courier-Journal.
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