The Columbus journal., 1894-12-19
At IL Again.

II <AIuClASoA RCORAC 1 OIL
| of the better or the baser sort, and when
congress begins its work, all eyes are In
stinctively turned toward Washington
to see how Uncle Samuel's boys, whom
he has sent down there, are doing their
duty, or Sinking their duty, because it
is either one or the other. The whole
, world of mankind is divided into the two
kinds, the doors and the shirkers, the
fellows who mean to do, and try to do,
and do do what they ought, and those
who don't intend to do anything of the
sort II they a by any means avoid it or
prevent it, in other words live out a lie
that started them in their career. There
are both kinds in congress OF course, as
Tom Reed found when he was speaker OF
| the house, and some Of the members
| wished him to see them or not to see
them when counting a quorum accord
ing as suited their own fancy.
But Tom wasn't built on that plan.
Take the fighting chances and when You
have won your victory, or suffered your
| defeat, rule or be ruled, according to
laws of the land-no monkey and parrot
business.
The level heads among the democracy
learned by the experience Of last winter
and the after results that there is no way
like the right way. But it remains to be
seen whether the senate will follow the
example set by one of their own number.
Hill Tin the general assembly of New
York; and by BOSS" Reed, or keep on in
the old way of allowing dilatOry meas
ures to interfere with the majority trans
acting business.
1t is interesting to note the speech of
Senator Vest of Missouri the other day,
(who. by the was, is one of the very
ablest men the democracy have in the
~senate), on his resolution i%nstructing the
committee on rules to report by Dec. Is
a plan for closing debate.
He said he had formerly opposed clO-
ture, but he was o convinced that
cloture was inevitable, and that it should
he effected as oon as possible. The
question was thoroughly understood,
having been debated for years, 80 that
the senate was in a position to act at
once. When the senate numbered forty
members there was no need OF clOture,
but with the senate increasing SO that its
membership would soo reach 100 it was
imperatively necessary to have a rule
bringing debate to a close. In reality
the present rules stifie debate. Senators
will not debate a question when they
recognize the hopeless opposition under
which they labor.
These rules encourage parliamentary
blackmail," declared the Senator.
amendments to bills are offered under
the deliberate threat that if they are not
accepted an indefinite opposition will he
inaugurated."
The senate had been brought into pub
lie disrepute by its rules. 1t was pOpu-
larly regarded as impotent and unableto
perform its functions of legislation. Bills
of vast public interest fingered here
until they were dead, and the people
were weary and disgusted with the spec
tacle Of a powerless senate. Even when
the bills passed, after such a contest,
they were SO discredited a to have no
moral support from the public.
Mr.. Vest said he had no Interior pur-
pose of securing the advancement of the
separate tariff bills. He would vote for
those bills. But in the present case his
only object was to secure the change of
rules which was essential and inevitable.
There are, however, SO many cuts and
turns in legislation that gladiators in the
political arena have to be alert all the
time for fear of being tripped up. After
Vests speech Harris of Tennessee dem
ocrat), added his opinion in favor Of a
change of rules, but suggested that in
the absence Of Chairman Blackburn of
the committee, it would be unwise to
compel a report OF a form of cloture by
Dec. Is, but he undertook to promise
that some such resolution would be re-
ported soon after the return of Mr..
Blackburn.
The after proceedings on the subject
form a pretty little picture Of senatorial
dignity and suavity:
DO l understand" said Mr.. Aldrich
rep, r. l., with irony, "that this new
rule is not to apply to legislation of this
session-not to the pending tariff bills?"
1T applies to everything" said Mr..
Vest.
IF this new rule is adopted" asked
Mr.. Allen (pop., Neb.(, will any effort
be made toward financial legislation on
the lines of the Presidents message?"
MIR. Vest said he was not authorized to
state what would be done in that regard.
In order to terminate the random dis
cussiOn, Mr.. Harris moved to go into
executive session.