Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-04-14

Secretary Gage Enacts the Role Of the
Administrators Old Man of the Sea,
Greatly to the Edifcation Of His Adver-
saries.
Especial Washington Letter.1
zone by one the roses fall" are words
familiar to the ears Of men. "One by
one the members of the house of repro
sentatives are being deprived of their
constitutional rights" are words which
I wish could burn into the brain of
every American citizen, for it is hate
full, farreaohing, an ominous, q revo-
lutionary fact-a fact which bodies only
evil to the republic.
Things congressional hasten to q
climax. Recently told how Speaker
Reed refused to make a count on Mr..
Bailey's demand and how he refused to
entertain Bailey's appeal. That was
bad enough. I then thought that the
worst possible thing in the policy Of
suppression had been done, the ultima
thule of parliamentary bulldozing had
been reached; but ] was mistaken, as
the sequel will show. Be 1t remembered
that the constitution makes the pres
ence of quorum sine qua non to all
legislation, properly SO, as ] think.
That is one of its wisest provisions as
safeguards against hasty, improper and
dishonest legislation. They declared
furthermore that not less than a majori-
ty Of all members should constitute a
quorum. It Is SO written in the consti-
tuition. Is that not wholesome ruler I
press that question home upon the mind
and conscience of every citizen Of the
republic. 1t concerns a Republican as
much as 1t does a Democrat, for every
citizen has an equal stake in the integ-
rity Of legislation-in the perpetuity of
our representative form Of government.
Republicans cannot afford to indorse in
fractions of constitutional methods on
principle. ..... ID.
Waving all question Of principle,
however, they cannot afford to indorse
such performance as matter of policy,
because the Republicans have no per.
petual lease on power. Evil inventions
some time return to plague the invent
ors." Mark Twain says, "We all have
a great deal Of human nature In us, u
and one of the multitudinous dangers
growing out of these outrages is that
when we return to power in the house
as we surely will March 4, 1s99--the
,4o% a. Hhn 1a~ fol rse
may prove too strong to be resisted. ]
hope this may not be so, but shall not
be surprised if it is. Byron. after NAM
ing everything sweet in nature, says,
"Sweet is revenge" and somebody else
declares that "the whirligig Of time
brings its own revenges I commend
these sayings to Republican enthusiasts
who crow over these gross outrages sim.
ply because they are committed by Re-
publican bosses on the Democratic, Pop
ulistic and free silver minority. To state
the same idea in a still more homely
proverb, these Republican shouters,
who, intoxicated with power, are cheer
ing on those who are trampling under
foot the safeguards which the oonstitu-
tion has provided for honest and intelli.
gent legislation, should never forget
that sometimes "chickens come home
to roost."
What Is the Limit?
If less than quorum is to do bust
ness in palpable violation Of the consti-
tuition, where are we to stop? How
many or how few members shall be per-
mitted to transact business for 70, 600,
600 people and vote away their mcneyi
Who knows? Only one man, the speak
er, or his temporary substitute, selected
by himself The average voter would
do well to consider this question seri-
ously, carefully, patriotically-even
prayerfully. :
To understand perfectly the outrage
to which will refer presently is must
be remembered that there are four ways
Of voting in the house, increasing In ao-
curacy Of result in arithmetical progress
sion-1, viva voce; Q, rising vote; 3,
by teller; q, yea and nay vote.
The accuracy of the first depends on
the honesty and aouteness Of hearing of
the occupant of the chair; of the SEQ
ond, on his olearness of vision and his
honesty. About the accuracy of the re-
suit by tellers or on roll call there can
scarcely be doubt, particularly when
the vote by roll call is recapitulated
and verified. Inaccuracy in the first two
is liable to occur even when conducted
by the most honest man THAI ever pre-
sided.
Voting by tellers was devised as q
rapid way Of curing inaocuracy and pre-
venting dishonesty In the count, as the
vote by tellers can be taken in ten min
utes, while the roll call consumes from
s6 to do minutes. Consequently the Lat
ter is resorted to more frequently for
the purpose Of putting members on rec
ord than for anything else.
Recently Hon. James Schoolcraft
Sherman Of New York was presiding as
chairman Of the whole house. He Is
an amiable gentleman of many graces
Of mind and person. He is an honest
and incorruptfble man, but thorough
going Republican partisan. But, while
honest, amiable and incorruptible, he
established the worst precedent in par.
Hamentary history, which if followed