New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-30
COURAGE DOES PAY.

COURAGE DOES PAY
BY what promises to be unanimous vote, the
official representatives Of the Republican Ma
tional party about to assemble in Congress Mt
Washington will tonight signify the apprec.a-
ton in which the party holds steadfastness,
courage and patience in its public men. Six
years ago a Republican Congress, which came
in with the election OF ii Republican President
upon Il platform declaring the party to be ''un-
"compromsingly IN favor OF the American sys-
item of Protection and protesting against its
destruction as proposed by the President (Cleve-
"land) and his party" elected Thomas Il. Reed
10 be Speaker TO the task Of formulating In
appropriate legislation the principle thus an
nounccd that Congress at once addressed Itself
1t early appeared that the minority in the
House had deliberately determined to thwart the
purpose of the ma jOrity to execute the mandate
of the people as it related TO tariff legislation
by obstructive tactics and all the parliamentary
manoeuvres for delay that had ever been resort
cd to by minorites in desperate emergencies
Prior to that Congress the most effective pro-
cedure IN such circumstances had been 10 de-
feat final action by the refusal OF the minority
party 10 vote upon Il pending measure. thus leav-
inc the Uouse without a quorum The minor
ity leaders placed their dependence upon this
line of parliamentary tactics to defeat any tarin
LEGISLATION. and in fact, prevent the passage OF
any measure Of partisan character by that
Congress- At the beginning of the session they
were confident of success. BY that 1t will be
understood that they set out with deliDeraton
and determination 10 prevent the transaction
to1 t,ritx- nf Can
gress.
That they did not succeed in their revolutions
airy attempt was chiefly due to the fact that Il
man sat in the Speakers chair who was abSo
luiely clear in his own mind that the men to
whom The people had delegated the duty ana
responsibility Of legislation could not sit in their
seats and cvade the duty or shirk the response
bility. He was not only sure OF this. but sure
as well that the power resided in the House TO
include for the purposes of legislation all the
members Of that body who were both visible and
audible and count them as present. even
though upon palpably false pretences they I'M
dertoo the silly paradox of rising in their places
and DENYING that they We're there. His was the
straightforward commons sense TO treat naked
falsehOOd with the simple contempt it deserved,
without waste of time or words upon technical-
ties or subtcrfuges which made no pretence OF
c0ncealment and never rose to the dignity OF
Disguise. Under his rulings there were angry
debates and stormy episodes. The minority
protested and raved and the Democratic press
of the country could hardly find terms sufficient
" denuncatOry and abusive with which to char
acterize his discharge Of the duties Of presiding
officer Of the House 1t did not change him or
affect his purpose With absolute imperturba
bility and perfect good nature he pursued the
course he had marked out for himself and for
Congress- That was a Congress elected 10 do
business and it did il. Did ii because II was
guided by man who had, with the courage Of
his convictions. steadfastness and patience. and
a conscientious purpose TO execute the popular
will.
Then for four years succeeded that strange
period of political madness and imbecility which
gave us the Waites, Lewellings. Pennoyers and
Altgelds as Governors, the longbearded and
long winded Populists in Congress. the unique
second Cleveland Administration. the paralysis
of business by Debs. the march of the CoXey
army on Congress TO be arrested for not Keeping
off the grass. the two Crisp Congresses, with the
wonderful Wilson tariff and the abortiye income
tax: the financial panic, commercial distress ana
business depression, anu nllaI! the eencral
breaking up of the Democratic party. The
period ended with the election of the Congress
which will assemble next Monday And to-
night. at the beginning of new era of genuine
craftsmanship and saving commonsense. the
country will witness one Of the revengcs brought
In by the whirligig of time when the represent
atives Of the largest Republican majority in
Congress for many years will meet and by
unanimous vote fifty voicing the Will of a unani-
nous party. choose for its presiding officer the
man who four years ago was the beSt-abuSei
Republican Of his time for doing with courage,
steadfastness and patience his simple duty. And
when on Monday Thomas Il. Reed takes the
gavel in his hand it will signify. over and above
all personal or party considerations. that the
American people do honor courage ana common
sense.