New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-18
1.-THE DEMOCRATIC SURRENDER"

IHE DE mOChi ~ 90 mn L-NDII''
After trumphs everywhere else the Rcpub-
leans have carried the Democratic House Of
Representatives. Their victory there yesterday
involved some of the most significant of the
long list of confessions which the Democracy
has been compelled TO make. 1t was n con
fession of many things-frst. that their furious
dcnunciatons of Mr.. Reed and the List Con
grcss We're II gross indignity and wrong: that
the outcrics they made against Mr.. Reeds de-
csions were false and insinccrc; that the prn-
cpe he SO splcnddly proclaimed and vind-
Gated lay at the very heart and root Of popular
government; that the doctrine they preached
of the right to iilibustcr was dishonest and that
in arousing prejudice and public camor by their
protests and appeals they were partisan dcma
gogues and not fair-nindcd politicians They
confess, too that in all their subsequent oppoS-
ton to the Reed rules they have been resisting
their true convictions because they had not
the manly courage To avOw an error and 10 offer
amends And they confess that they have been
forced into all these confessions by the shame
less abscntecsm of their members. who, though
they are forty more than quorum. are never
present in Washington in sufficient strength To
pass contested legislation. They have owned
the saving grace not of truth. but Of necessity.
unweldy, lcadcrlcss mob-to a small, compact
minority. Just such a spectacle was necessary
to the demonstration Of the great work OF the
Republican majority in the List Congress. They
were eight more than a quorum: the Democrats
are forty more in this Congress. But per
feet were the discipline and party spirit Of the
Republicans when they were charged with re-
sponsblity that quorum was always at hand,
xx,ilo ~ nnmnrrafS In raS
despite their huge majority is so rare and so
difficult to get that they have abandoned the
fight Of four years rather than continue the
constant struggle Of keeping their members 10
their duty With the events Of yesterday ends
Il long chapter Of Democratic Misrepresentation.
1t is not to be wondered that the Republicans
laughed heartily when Springer talked about
the right Of majoriticS 10 rule on that they
checrcd the patient, strong and rcsolutc leader
whose courage has given them this triumph,
their party this satisfaction and the country
this assertion Of true and necessary prin-
ciplc. 1t is not surprising that they drowned
the announcement of the vote in storm Of
cheers and that the rest of the day was given
up to their jubilations. They had earned some
thing worth having.
Mr.. Reeds language in the tWO-ininutc speech
he made in closing the debate and in receiving
the surrender of the Democrats was worthy Of
him and Of the occasion. He indulgcd in no
vangory He said truly that the spectacle told
its own tale and taught It's own lesson. But
the people will not receive il quite 50 calmly.
They have an account 10 settle with a party
which writes down its shame and their injury.
which cannot legislatc because its members per-
sistently neglect the duties they have sworn
faithfully to discharge, which in one act OF hui
initiation comedies both its dishonesty and It's
ncompctency; and they will take the DcmOc-
racy at its word. They will accept the estimate
it places on its character. They will put it
q QlOrunl.