New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-29
manufactured products with the Spanish and
British West Indies, San Domingo and the Cen
tral and South American republics.
UTTER INcApAcIrY DEMONSTRATED


These are the main achievements of the Demo-
cratic majority in Congress in the session that
ended 50 ingloriously to-day. The record of
broken pledges is a long and dsgraceful one. and
that of achievement is short, but even more dis
creditable To the latter one thing must De
added however in order TO make it complete
The Democratic majority demonstrated to the
satisfaction Of nearly everybody, including the
Democratic President. its utter incapacity and
unitness to make just. equal and wholesome
laws 1t was all the time controlled by a MI
nority of itself In both branches OF Congress. In
the House of Representatives this fact was PAIN
fully notorious. There IL was first Democratic
minority varying in numbers. and second a MI
nOrity consisting of the Speaker ana TWO OF MS
party associates who composed the triumVlrate
that controlled legislation. This was done by
means of a series Of special orders which not
only provided for the consideration of measures
but suspended all the rules of the House ana
nullifed all parliamentary precedents-even the
Manual" Of Jefferson Under these specia
orders the Republican and Democrat. mlnori-
ties were both bound hand and foot. Twice were
such special orders made 10 carry the late W IL
son bill through a House with Democratic
Populist majority Of ninety, and one was required
to force the Gorman-B Brice "Bill Of Sale through
the same body. BY the same means were the
four 'popgun" tariff bills passed.
In April a quorum-counting rule was adopted
a bungIing and weak artiftce designed TO effect
the same result that was obtained In the List
Congress without being copy OF one OF the
Reed Rules" Like all weak limitations it failed
WORK well or erect tnt utsHeu opJeNl' anu
after It's adoption 1t became necessary TO resort
to special orders in no fewer than a dozen
cases. one Of which was that of the regular an
nual Indian Appropriation bill. But there nhaiy
came a time when even the special order lost
It's potency and the House became utterly I'M
potent Speaker Crisp himself acknowledge tnis
fact when he said that special rule would be
brought in to carry the Anti-Anarchist Dill
through If II would do any good. but that a
quorum could not possibly be mustered to ADOPT
H. And So consideration Of that measure was de-
feated on three separate occasions by the OBJ
jections of an equal number Of free trade Demo-
crats-Rland OF Missouri; Warner, OF Newly ork,
and English. of New-Jersey.
r. such a condition had the Democratic ma
iorty been reduced when the concurrent reso-
luton providing for an adjournment sine die was
introduced that single objection would have de-
feated It in either branch Of Congress- and II
was actually considered and adopted by unani-
nous consent in both branches. Had that not
been possible Congress would nominaly have re-
ma!ncd in session for Indefinitely longer
period 80
Such in brief Is resume Of the history OF the
session that expired to-day The review is inn
perfect as 10 many details the inclusion OF whch,
however would only serve 10 make the roll or
GishonOr" longer. darker and more painful In the
sight OF every honest patriotic citizen.