The times., 1897-04-02
The Reed We Lean On.

a most serious legislative question pre-
sents Itself: VIII Mr.. Speaker Reed now
make an assignment of the House of Rep
resentatives, apply for a receiver, sell Off
the effects at auction, or allow the husi-
ness to continue at the old stand? Under
the original program, prepared by the
trusts and the AUtocrat, the House, after
'ljamming through" the Dingley trust
bill of the people, was expected to lapse
into legislative nimbo. and await the
clarion call of the Recording Angel, TO
pass a joint resolution congra tulating the
country upon its services, and then depart
in peace to wherever it individually came
from
But, as Mr Cleveland, the great apostle
of trusts and good politics. . very justly
has remarked, lit is a condition and not
theory" that we are called upon to face
The House has registered the viii of the
trusts ana, To that extent, is out of job.
1t is doubtful if L will be allowed to re-
main so There are great and vtalinter-
csts demanding further sacrifices from II.
As has happened heretofore, the Supreme
Court has been interfering in things be-
longing TO the dominant factors in the
national problem of control and proprietaryr, .,
and something will have to be done
This fact seems TO justify the deduction
that the House, since il is here in an or
ganiZel condition, might as Wen take up
matters OF general legislation, even if TO
do So it must beg the Autocrat, and the
Committee on Rules, toperrnit that course.
We are not sure as to whether the policy
OF the Speaker, perhaps known only To
himself, Will allow this. His relations to
the policy of the Administration, outside
of the tariff question, as well as his
eSoteric ideas concerning wnat may be
good for himself and his personal party
following, is shrouded in the deepest mys-
terry Only time and Mr.. Reed can unven
them. With that consideration in view,
the country ought to be willing TO stand
aside and wait.
But then, it IS said that the great under
lying forces behind the Republican con
tingeny in the Congress, desire and de
mand action upon several things, and we
are interested to see what win be done
about them. VIII Mr.. Reed continue to
hunt with the hares, or will he Offer a lit
tie object lesson in the opposite direc-
ticn2 There are a few important matters
OF legislation, III addition to the pooling
bill, that the Senate viii lee likely to send
over. One Of them is general bankruptcy
act, and something even may be consid-
cred in the upper House relating to the
currency.
But il is very plain that all these things
are in the hollow OF the Speakers hands.
He is the great Centurion who can say to
the Administration, 1T goes" and go i,
does accordingly; or, who can remark, Not
if the autocrat knows himself and the
sameis as dead as the prospect of national
prosperity under a Dingley tariff.
Wherefore, all eyes turn Iougin gly toward
the Hon Thomas Brackett Reed; knowing
that upon the mental processes of thai
Ihcuas depends the future of Republican
legislation; upon that Brackett stand Tn,
hopes of combined trust and party har
mony, and upon that Ree'! leans the whole
weight or whatever further is desired by
the grand combination of gold and
monopoly.
Tie great opportunity is before him. How
will he manipulate and manage 1t?