The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-14
.IMpOTENT SPITE,

Today is fixed for the Democrats of
the House of Representative to execute
war dance around Governor Browns
message and send il 10 the Senate unread
if not unsung. While THE NEWS may
imagine the specious attraction this cur
ious ceremony will have for the braves
of the Rump, we venture to suggest that
before emitting the first whoop they
take counsel with the minority report of
the judiciary committee which was pre-
sented last Friday. 1t is not supposed
that this latter report will arouse Mr.
Honey to a sense of the indelicacy of his
position, but it may be of assistance to
some of his alleged followers who have
not lost all regard of their political re-
putation.
This minority report regarding the
disposition of the Governors message is
as striking contrast to that of the ma
jority as white is to black. 1t is brief,
dignified, non.partisSn and character
lied by a spirit of respect for the other
departments of the State Government.
II is perhaps needless to add that its
statements are true and its arguments
rational, and in general it is n reflection
of the attitude taken by the Republicans
throughout this controversy. The re-
port of the majority, framed by Col.
Honey, on the contrary, is verbose, un-
dignified and sprinkled with contemptu.
Gus allusions to the Court, Senate and
Executive. n@ afH
The minority report sets forth that ID.
Russell Brown was duly electedGovernor
in 1892 by majority of the votes of the
electors, and no one has yet been
elected to the Office and qualified in
his place. He is, therefore, the law
full Executive by the will of the
majority of the people and is clothed
with all the powers of the high Office.
1t has been the practice Of every Cover
nor since James Y. Smith, in 1868. to
submit similar message, and they have
always been respectfully read and care
fully considered by the General Assem-
bly,. The only reason given by a
majority for departure from that
well settled and reasonable practice is
that elf certain things had been
done which have not been done and
which they think ought to have been
done by the Senate, he probably would
not now be Governor" AS the last
April election gave Governor Brown a
majority of the grand committee, only
the acquiescence of the Senate in the
illegal actions of the House could have
deprived him of the Governorship. SO
self-evident is this fact that the minor
ity are content to simply urge that to
return the message unread to the Senate
would be "an exhibition of impotent
spite unworthy of the House of Repre-
sentatives. and, of course, not justified
10y the allegations urged as reason
therefor"
Messrs. w. w. Blodgett and J. l..
jerks, the representatives from Paw
tucket who make this report, have very
cogently and happily sounded the
animus which prompts the Democratic
majority to this folly. If Governor
Brown had not asked the Supreme
Court for an Interpretation Of the law,
the Democratic House might have bullied
and hoodwinked the Senate into its
scheme of stealing the State govern
ment. Bafiled and beaten because the
light Of the law was thrown upon Their
revolutionary project, and defeated at
their game of bluff because of the back
bone aud grit shown by the Senate aud
the Governor, they now turn ut bay, and
in their "impotent spite seek revenge
10y the undignifcd course of returning
the Executive message unread.
While there may not be sufficient
number Of Democrats in the House with
Independence enough torefuse TO become
party TO this exhibition Of impotent
spite" there Is no fear but that the
electors two months hence will return
such verdict thgt the report of the
minority will become the report Of the
majority.