Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-05
nEMnCRATLc DLSSENSIoN.

Further evidence of democratic dissen-
| sion was furnished in the house of rep
resentativcs on Monday. when the sub
| jcct of deferring the appointment of the
standing committees was again raised
! by Mr.. Simpson of Kansas. In contrast
it was shown that the republicans are
practically Il unit in support of the posi-
ton of Speaker Reed but one vote on
that side having been recorded against
1t.
Mr.. Simpson regards 1t as q peculiarly
grievous matter that Speaker Reed de-
clines to open the way to general legis
lation at the present session by appoint
ing all the standing committees. On
former occasion he roundy denounced
the speaker for his course and his at
tack on Mr.. Reed Monday seems to have
been no less vigorous. But when chal-
lenged to submit resolution instruct
ing the speaker to appoint the commit
tees. so as to test the sense of the house,
the Kansas representative did not accept
it. Mr.. Bailey. the democratic leader,
declared that Simpson refused to pro-
pose such Il resolution because he did
not want the committees appointed.
What. then. was his object in again
raising the issue? Probably nothing
more than notoriety, for he must have
known that the speaker was certain to
be sustained. Mr.. Reed, as he had be-
fore explained. did not adopt the plan of
postponing the appointment of the com
mittees arbitrarily. but after consulta-
ton with the republicans and with some
of the democrats He was acting in ac
cord with what he had ascertaned to
be the general opinion that there should
be no general legislation at the extra
session. There can be no doubt that
Mr.. Simpson understood this fully and
knew that it would be utterly futile to
attempt to change the policy which the
republicans had agreed upon and which
was acquiesced in by a number of demo
Gratis. Small men like Jerry Simpson.
however. who babble for the sake of no.
torety, cannot easily forego an oppor-
tunity to assail man like Thomas b.
Reed, even though they know over
whelming defeat awaits them. They
will attract public attention to them
selves anyhow.
1t has been settled that there will be
no more standing committees appointed
at the extra session, unless there should
be some unforeseen eXigency arise re
quiring their appointment a resolution
offered by the republican leader. Mr..
Dingley, as substitute for one from the
u tic Siln 1irnrtipp tho SJnol,p
to Immediately appoint the committees
of the house, was defeated by an over
whelming majority. the republicans
with Il single exception voting against
it, together with thirty-three democrats
under the leadership of Mr.. Bailey. The
Texas representative again sharply and
vigorously rebuked the democrats, de-
caring that he was Heartily sick and
tired of exhibiting to the country the
dissensions and divisions that unfor
tunately exist in the democratic party"
and saying further, ''it is IA pitiful sight
we present to the country" 1t was
Bailey who, when this matter was
brought up first Il short time ago, char |
acterized the course of some of the !
from day to day rs "pettifogging poll |
tics" and declared that he should |
prefer republican prosperity to demo |
cratic depression. He is not less an op-
ponent of republican policies because of |
this attitude, but simply proposes to put
no obstacles in the way of the republican
pursuing their own course.
The democrats and populists who |
want the house to enter upon general |
legislation at this time are not, it is
needless to say, in accord with the best
judgment of the country. That is in
favor of having congress dispose of the
work it was convened to do as soon as
possible and adjourn. There is no ur-
gent demand for general legislation
ard certainly not for the kind likely to
be proposed by Jerry Simpson and most
)f the others who supported his demand
for committee appointments.
-
After raising great hue and cry about