Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-16
PUBLICITY is NECESSARY.


1t is not enough that agents or rep
resentatives OF the people should make
public what they have done and are do
ing. No! Their constituents desire to
know not only what they have done,
but what they have left undone, and
their motives or reasons therefor. Iii
regard to this general subject, OF repre-
sentative duty, Mr.. Bailey, of Texas,
submitted some most apt siderations
in the House of Representatives against
the football rush OF the currency bill
through the House, and in favor of full
and fair discussion; said he:
1.-THE Democratic members insist that
there shall be Il fair and thorough dis
cusson of the bill to be considered, al
though we indulge no possible hope
that any kind of q discussion will
change the vote of any man in this
Chamber.
but we look beyond this Chamber,
and in that we d ffer from our friends
across the aisle. They are content
whenever the men charged with the
immediate decision of question are
sufficiently informed to- act. We look
farther than the representatives of the
people assembled here. back to the
people themselves and we alieve that
it is infinitely more important that the
great masses OF the voters shall under
stand this question at the end than it
is that their representatives shall I'M
derstand it to-day.
Our friends OH the other side believe
that when they declare that the rep
resentatives who decide all questions
must answer on their responsibility
they end all argument. We bel eve that
the highest responsib lily on the men
who sit in this Chamber is to satisfy
the people who send them here that
they have wisely decided every ques-
ton.
:.
1T is the duty of every gentleman
who occupies a scat-I was about to
say i'll this Hall, but 1 will not assume
to speak FOR gentlemen on the other
sde-but speaking for this side alone,
it is duty felt, appreciated, and PER
formed by almost every member who
has studied these gu sticns 10 speak
upon them and 10 send their speeches
to their constituents. The difference
between you and us is III { you elieve
in the power Of the Rerresen ative, we
believe in The power of the people.
While we have no htpe, no expectation.
OF being able TO persuade you, either
by the old arguments Which you once
advanced or by the new ones which we
may De able to advance, t. vo against
this measure, yet we simply desire the
opportunity to prepare an appeal from
your d cislion here to that great + t. b.
unal, comp sed of the whole American
people. tApplausc on the Democratic
sdc.)
1T is not. Mr.. Speaker, that we de-
sire TO speak simply for the sake of
81 cakinS. 1t IS no trat we desire to en-
cumbcr the Rec rd of the House with
our opinions and remarks for the sake
o. pcrsuading our cons,itu hts at
home to believe that we are IN ithfully
attic di g to the duti Entrusted to us.
But sir L Is for the higher and more
impersonal reason that we believe our
constituents are cnt tied to the benefit
of such arguments as we may be able
II make and it is for them and not
for OH Gives. that we ask tn. opportu-
the pending BILL
These consid rat o"s are rs applicable
10 Counc;lmen and their acts, as they
are TO congressman and their enact
monts. Even ii secrecy be necess ary, it
can only be temp rary, and must or
should be afterwards explained and
Justified in public. Public measures for
III public good, court publicity and in
ves.igation; ana II ca ur tai show
the light, thereby raise a just pre-
sumption aga INST them