The times., 1897-06-09
institutions Above Party.

To the Editor OF The Times:
1t has occurred 10 the writer, and per
haps others among your leaders, that the
ailluce OF your journal In denonnc1nS MI.
keed and his trained troupe OF perform
ing republican capoDs, an the House OF
representatives, Is bad p1litoS, whatever
IL may he In morals or ethics. The sup
ptessiop OF the House OF Representatives
and the Violent usifpa hon OF Its ghts and
functions by the man elected 10 selye 1t
according TO the Con stl tuition and the
House rules, are fragrant enough offenses
Ia all conscience, but they ale encouraged
and supported by the Administration and
the Republican party, both In and outside
OF the Congress That being the case. the
party has made an Issue OF lis defiance OF
the Constitution, the law and deeency,
anu cannot conceive OF a better one
upon which To meet it at the roiis in 1895
and 1900. For that reason ! think it
questionable policy for The Times TO warn
tne Administration or the House Bepub-
llcans or tie consequences Of their course.
Why not let them continue In it? The
country VIII have "a word 10 say on the sub-
yece at The fiIst opportunity. Why call them
TO order? Why not let them go over the
pIeclpce for Which they ale heading?
The above communication. from an earn
est Democratic subscriber, himself an ex-
member Of the Congress, is deserving Of
comment. if only to show how easy 1t Is
To misunderstood the motives of an inde-
pendent Democratic journal. whose policy
is singy Democratic when it is not com
PEELED, sometimes, to occupy the only higher
human ground, whichisthat at of non partisan
national patriotism
What our correspondent writes is true
enough. The Administration and the Auto
crat, aided by the Republican House ma
Jority, have made the unconstitutional sup
preston OF that body the policy aad act Of
all hands will be slaughtered az the ensuing
elections; bat that is not the main point
There is something involved in current
Congressional conditions of far more irn-
portancc than partisan advantage. The
sacred ins titutions of our country have
been openly, maiiciously and dangerously
The very citadel OF free government by elee-
tive representation. To allow this TO con.
tinue for single moment without angry
and determined protest and opposition
would be treason against the citizenship
OF the United States.
What the occasion of the revolutionary
assault upon our institutions may chance
TO be, matters little for the purposes of this
argument II the impossible could happen
and we Were favorable to a defeat OF the
Cuban resolution, or We're anxious that the
House should not take up any other Of
the important public measures which it is
its constitutional duty TO consider at once
still We should resent and resist the fact
OF its subYersion and usurpatien by Thomas
Braekett Reed We would protest against
ii just as venemently, If it were the act
Of a Democratic Speaker TO assume an
other impossibility.
Nothing can be palmer to the people Of
tie nation than that it is foolish. danger
Gus and outrageous to place such power
IL the hands OF any one man. a. we have
seen can be welded by the Speaker OF The
Houseof Representatives Thomas Bracket
Reed has taught us this lesson, and the
sooner it is taken to heart the better. The
very first thing that the DemocIafLc
House TO be elected in 1895 must do,
is to take the appointment of committees
ont OF the hands OF the Speaker, and once
for all to reassume the organization and
government OF the body