Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-04-20
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BALLET AND THE ARK4N-
 SaS DELEGATION
Arkansas Democrat. ]

The Democrat was correct i'll the assumption that the Arkansas dele gation in Congress had good req sons for not supporting Bailey, of Texas, as leader of the minority. We made this assertion some weeks ago when attention was called to the fact that Bailey had exerted his influence with Reed to have McRae displaced from the Ways and Means Committee, because, presumably, the Arkansas delegation had seen fit to support another for Speaker at the organization of the House. The Democrat believed that a man who would stoop to such small politics was unfit to be the leader of a great party, and divihing that the Arkan- sas delegation had gauged him prop erly, we felt warranted in making the assertion that the action of our members was influenced by good reasons. Subsequent events have shown that the minority made big mistake in selecting Bailey as a leader His acauiesence to the Re publican "do. nothing policy has brought disgust and humiliation to Democrats in every section of the country The revolt of a large number of Democ' atic Congressman and the passage of the DeArmond resolution by the Democratic caucus at it's meeting one week ago has opened the eyes of Democrats to the egregious blunder that is about to be committed.
 In this connection we are pleased to record Messrs. Terry and McRae as among the most active in oppos- ing "do-nothing policy They are unwilling to submit tamely to the dictation of Reed and Dngley, even though the Democrats are in the minority and believe the mi nority should assert itself aud force the Republican party to put itself on record on every material issue. The Morning Times, of Washington, the only Democratic paper publish ed at the capital city, states the ease in nutshell when it says:
 The fact that the Republican pow CT to legislate may be used oppres- sively or fooishly doss not furnish Democratic memoers with any ex euse for .auiesence in the surren- der Of the constitutional preroga- lives of the body Never before in the history of the country has the popular branch of our national leg islature resigned it's legal powers aud functions 10 single autoerat, It would be compelled to resume them now if the opposition were honest, united and determined.
 It should be compelled to resun them ard if we are not mistaken in the temper of the House it will be. notwithstanding the opposition of Bailey, who felt called upon Satur- day to deny that he wore Reeds collar.
 The Republican party is natur- ally changeable with all legislation, and being anxious to shirk its re- sponsibility has adopted the policy of suppressing the House, and Bai- ley is lending himself 10 the scheme We are surprised that any Demo crat should follow him. Reed has refused, in direct violation of the rules of the House, to appoint the committees, and thus made it i'm possible for the House to do any, thing but follow his behests. Is i. not the duty of the Democrats to force the situation? We apprehend that there will be no great diversity of opinion on this subject among the Democrats of this State, and the course of Messrs. Terry and McRae will be heartily endorsed.
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