The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-12
THE FAILURE OF PROPHECY.

The death of ex-Speaker Reed has caused
scenes in the House when Mr.. Reed first
counted a quorum" The circumstances
are not so far away that they should be
forgotten. Mr.. Reed was speaker of
House in which his party had but six or
seven majority. To have every one of his
party associates present was next to i'm
possible. Three men might be i'll. another
unayoidably absent, and two or three more
careless or Indifferent. Pending the pas
sage of the Reed rules the roll call
showed that there was not quorum of Re-
publicans present. mo quorum!" shouted
one of the men who had not answered when
his name was called. Mr.. Reed took the
roll of those who had not answered to their
names and ordered the clerk to record them
as present as he called their names. A
before been seen in that historic hall. "You
have no right to count me as present."
shouted one leader. Does the gentleman
deny that he is present." quietly asked
the speaker. This outrage is the end of
popular government" shouted one, and he
quoted Garfield and others as precedents
but Mr.. Reed proceeded. After this out
rageous ruling one mans vote may pass
any BILL shouted another. An appeal was
taken. but Mr.. Reeds friends stood by him
and thus sustained him when all present
voted
The point to which attention is here
called is the predictions made by Mr.
Reeds opponents. The prediction that pop
ular government had come to an end with
the counting of a quorum is now ridicu-
lous, and was made ridiculous by the fact
that the man who uttered 1t subsequently
counted quorums, and that his party in the
next House, being the majority. adopted
Mr.. Reeds ruling regarding the counting
of quorums. How absurd is the declara-
ton of the other man that with such a
ruling one members vote could pass bill
while all the rest of the House present
were opposed to it, This stormy event took
place thirteen years ago. but so quick are
the American people to recognize a plain
and just principle that it is safe to say
there is not parliamentary body i'm the
country which does not recognize the count
Ing OF quorums as necessary procedure
when a minority undertakes to prevent the
majority from legislating. The wonder now
Is that some brave and brainy parliament
tartan had not made the Reed decision
years ago and thus rescued the national
House from the control of a minority
which, under existing rules, could defeat.
by really revolutionary policy, all legis-
lation by breaking a quorum. Now, all
can see that in a House where the parties
were nearly equally divided the minority
could, by breaking a quorum, prevent the
enactment of the appropriation bills neces-
sary to keep the wheels of government in
| motion. Such a minority could more eff
| fectually break the power of the govern
| ment than could an armed rebellion in half
the States. Yet, If one will examine the
| files of the Democratic and most of the So
called independent newspapers for Deem
Der, 1889. and January. 1890. he will be as
| tonished at the dire predictions of disaster
to popular government and the virulent de.
| nunciation of the man whose courage and
brains made the House OF Representative
| body in which the will of the responsible
majority should shape legislation and be
/ able to leoisate