Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-05-10
REEDS TRIUMPH.
He Is "The Man Who Laughs Now and
All Republicans Are With Him.


All Republicans Are with Him,
The unconditional surrender of the
Democratic house of representatives
to ex-Speaker Reed is at once one of
the greatest personal trlumphs of
parliamentary history and the vim
dication OF thoroughly sensible
principle of legislative procedure.
The great rallying cry of the Democ-
racy in 1890 and again in 1892, was
'Down with the .czar' and his intol-
cradle tyranny" Even mckinley
ism" did not excite the animosity
that "Reedism" did.
With a majority of about 100 the
Democrats thought they were album
dainty able. especially with such q
parliamentary leader as Speaker
Crisp in the chair, to get OH without
the Reed rule. and though the heav-
ems should fall they would never re-
sort to that rule They held to this
defiant position to the very last.
One of Victor Hugo's novels bears
the title. The Man Who Laughs"
Thomas B. Reed may we'll be ex-
| cused if he is that man to-day. For
all the invective and abuse he has
endured from the Democracy that
one triumph paid him ten fold. He
might live thousand years and not
win another personal triumph SO
signal and satisfactory. He is the
! same kind of "czar" now that
General Grant was when he enforced
his demand for unconditional sur
render. Verify, of truth peace
hath its victories no less than war. "
But there is deeper meaning in
this triumph than personal or even
political viudication. 1t is the
establishment upon basis of un,
questionable authority of sound
and much-needed parliamentary
| principle. About year ago Pro.
fessor Roberts, author of Roberts,
Rules of Parliamentary Proceed.
ings,' was asked his opinion of the
Reed rule. 1t was private CONVEX.
satiOn, but now that the controversy
is at an end, practically, it is no VIC
lation of confidence to give his reply.
1.-The rule he said lis undoubtedl
sound and just. but it is unfortunate
that it was not put in force without
involving party animosity." He
feared that it would never gain that
general recognition in the Legislative
proceedings OF the country which it
ought to enjoy, oven though recog-
nlzed and sanctioned by the supreme
court of the United States. His appre-
hension seemed to be we'll founded,
but future editions of Roberts rules
can incorporate the Reedism of in
GLIDING the members present and
not voting in determining the quo
rum of any legislative BODY. Hence
forth even the Democrats cannot OBJ.
| ject to the rule.
1t is aDhorrent to every sense of
fair play to allow a hostile minority
to block business by mere silence
says the Chicago Inter Ocean. 1T is
the privilege of any member to re-
frain from taking an active part in
proceedings. The record of roll
call should be three-told, if the facts
| themselves warrant it, namely,
Yea" may" and present but not
voting" and henceforth that will be
the standing rule. In little while
the old blockade Of mo quorum, "
when as a matter of fact there is a
! quorum. will be remembered only as
the stumbling block of Democracy,
which in its final removal made that
party the laughing stock of the coun-
try. However glum the Democrats
may be over the matter, every Repub-
lican is with Reed himself, 1.-The man
who laughs