The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-03-03
A Dfssreood House.

A0QI0Oout&t4vC0 last WEEK III tQ0
fruitless contest over tho seignior-
age silver bill were perhaps the
most disgraceful and certainly the
most inexcusable ever witnessed in
that body; and that il saying !
great deal. There have been. It ID
true, many memorable contests in
the House somewhat similar in
character, but mono so utterly I'M
warranted by the situation. For
days and days Mr.. Bland in charge
of the coinage bill has been endeav-
oting to bring the House to vote
upon the measure or to an agree-
ment 40 to q time when Z vote may
DO taken. And yet, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the roll-call has
shown the presence Of a quorum at
all times, whenever q vote upon any
proposition relating to the bill has
been had the quorum has disap-
peared, through the refusal of the
filibusters to answer to their names.
No rational excuse has been CIV
en- for these proceedings. Such
practices have been resorted to on
other occasions by one party or
the other when it was claimed that
tho majority had refused to allow
the time demanded for debate when
it was commended that the measure
had been forced forward to the ex-
clusion of some other bill which
had = higher right to consideration,
or some equally reasonable objec-
ton was urged. But in the present
instance there had been no pretense
of the kind. The seigniorage bill
had been freely debated in COM
mittee of the whole for many days.
When the subject had been ap-
parently exhausted Mr.. Bland
raised the question of closing the
discussion. He asked the opposi.
ton how much longer time they
wanted. They declined to state.
He asked them to agree to any
specified time in the future. They
refused. He then in strict accord
ance with parliamentary practice in
the House moved to fix a time for
voting on the bill. Thereupon the
fllibustering began and has con-
tinued since a week from Friday. |
During this time the country has
been made the witness of several
exciting and dramatic episodes and |
Of number of very disgraceful
scenes. On Friday last the affair
eliminated, though it did not end,
when Mr.. Bland made one of the
most extraordinary speeches in the
way Of denunciation ever heard in
he House.
While this unwarranted and un-
filibustering opposition
vas set on foot by a small band Of
Eastern Democratic members, led
~ Tracey of New York, it could
nave had no effect but for the as
Instance afforded by the mass of the
Republicans who were encouraged
Ind directed by Reed. We do not
,esitate to say that Mr.. Reed and
be Republican members who have
iollowed him have stultified them
elves and their party.
In the Fifty-first Congress Mr..
Reed as Speaker and the Reppbli-
'ans contended for the right Of the
majority, representing the party in
power, to carry on the business of
he House and legislate. How they
an now deny that right to the
Democratic majority and resort to
he same diegraceful tactics which
hey then condemned we cannot
ee.
The majority of the House repre-
enting the dominant party respon-
ible for legislation, that is to say
he majority of the quorum actually
resent, have the right, the consti-
utional right. to carry forward the
usiness of the House aud to legis-
ate. If the Republican contention
1889 80 meant anything it meant
his. In refusing to accord the
anne right to the party now in con-
rol of the House Mr.. Reed and his
ssociates have reversed themselves,
fulfilled themselves AZ We have
nd.
These considerations incline US
. approve the harsh language ueed
y Mr.. Bland in his severe attack
pom the filibustering minority on
riday. He characterized the OBJ
tructive proceedings upon which
e.animadverted 80 severely o. rev.
lutionary and anarchial and
,ough his philippe was perhaps
20 violent to be in good form it
as not too severe and was reason
bly, justified by the situation.-
an Francisco Chronicle.