The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-28

l'SNASA~AeNAAS N--N
vention who seem incapable either of
gratitude or common honesty.
THE ADMINISTRATION AUTOCRATs.
The charge made by Congressman
Lentz. of Ohio, against the speaker In
wolves a serious violation of the priv
fleges of members of congress. That
charge has been met by. the speaker by
what is equivalent to a plea of guilty.
Accepting his explanation at its best the
violation of the privileges Of the house
involved in exercising censorship over
the speeches of congressman far exceed
ed any such breach of privilege that
could be involved in the publication in
the regular order of any address what
ever delivered by a qualified member.
This transaction has already found
majority in the case of Congressman
Sulzer There. for the protection of an
officeholder and politician toward whom
congress owed no duty whatever, a gross
assault was made on the rights and priv
ileges of a member and statements sup
pressed for which the member avowed
his readiness to take all responsibility
There is divinity which hedges in the
fmperialist autocrats OF the administra-
ticn. which it is entirely fitting, should be
made the object of worship of a body
which has squandered the national funds
in carrying out the purposes of these
same imperalist leaders to an extent
which would have been utterly incredible
ten years ago.
But the American public may be ex-
pected sooner or later to draw the line.
1t will be to their own detrment if they
do not. The outrages perpetrated on
the rights Of congressman individually
and collectively represented by the Sulzer
and Lentz episodes are the natural out
| come of the principles Of conduct which
| are being made to apply more and more
| closely each succeeding day to the con-
duct Of our national affairs. Perry Heath
| and the senior senator from Ohio are Of
| more moment in the estimation of the
Republican majority in the house than
the protection of their own rights and
privileges as congressman. That majority
constitutes itself a sort Of Pretorian
guard around the men through whose
great abilities in the domain of political
management we are In such large meas
w Ind Tad OF
many of our most important national af-
fairs conducted by few favored syndi-
Gates.
It is quite as well that the spectacle
should be presented to the country rep
resented by the administration majority
standing as one man in defense of those
| who were entitled to no defense at their
! hands, even at the cost of the destruc-
ton of one Of the highest traditions of
congress. Gen. Henderson had as little
right to interfere with the publication of
| Mr.. Lentz's speech as the president Of the
senate or any official of the administra-
| Gen. Grosvenor, and their joint censor
ship of its contents, is without warrant
or Justification, and plainly shows that
| it is as partisans of the Mckinley adj
officers of the house of representatives,
that they felt at liberty to exercise their
censorship.
1t cannot be long at the present rate of
| nroerreSS in tho eytra constitutional meth
DDS which have distinguished every re-
sponsible officer Of the present admin
istration for some years past in the dis
charge of official duties or privileges, un-
| til the men who thus stand up as par
liamentary bodyguard for those who real
ly rule this people under cover of an ex-
ecutive and legislative system, find them
selves In the same position as that ir
which they place Mr.. Lentz and Mr.
Sulzer. The wrong done the former gen.
tleman, and practically confessed by the
speaker, is one which goes to the very
freedom of congressional representa-.
ton.
1t is indeed a strange and regrettablt
|
jority was heard on the floor on Tuesday
to protest against the grievous wrong
done to every member of the house BY
the autocratic action of the speaker
The Democratic minority is to be con
graduated on the stand they took on the
subject; and it is to be hoped that they
will not be content until every parlia
mentary method is exhausted to bring
home to the country the wrong thus con
alike.
TAMNLANY'S BLUNDER.
Tammany hall has made what look
decidedly like a naonstrous poIitica