Arizona republican., 1903-01-03
COUNTING A QUORUM.

Thomas B. Reeds fame will rest upon his speakership of the house of representatives, where such incidents as his counting of quorum in the Fifty-first congress were continually occurring. The quorum counting was one of the greatest things Reed ever did, says the Kansas City Star. No one could have accomplished it without a supreme confidence in him self and belief in the absolute justice of the act. Members had been in the | habit of obstructing Legislation by re- fusing to vote and then claiming no quorum. Reed quietly counted as pres cnt the members in their seats and not voting. storm of protest went up from the obstructionists, who sheltered themselves behind the established GUS tom. The essence of the whole episode was contained in I passage between the speaker and MT. McCreary of Ken lucky. The member had been counted present against his will and shouted | above clamorous and angry mob Of democrats: "I deny your right. Mir. Speaker. to count me as present." Reed looked down upon him imperturbably and remarked: The chair is merely making statement of the fact that NA-N 6NiANA'AiAeih Ao BAtsthN- IOtS iiC deny it?" It was the complete and un- answerable logic of common sense and the coup de grace to a fimsy, anti quated tradition. Following is an ex- ample of scene which occurred almost every day in the house, and illustrates Reeds firmness. Mir. O'Farrall had at tempted to consume time by reading from a report.
 The SDea ker-It caD~Ct ba road
 MT. O'Farrall--I ask that it be read as 2 part of my remarks.
 The Speaker-It cannot be read.
 Mir. O'Farrall-Send it back, then, and allow me to read it myself
 Tho Speaker-The chair cannot allo.O the gentleman to read 9 printed book.
 MT. Bland-The chair cannot allow anything which the chair does not want to allow.
 The Speaker-AcCordinG to the rules TOW governing this house, the gentle man has not right to read d printed boob.
 Mir. OFarrall-This is printed testi- mony.
 Mir. Bland-I presume the chair thinks nothing can be done except by hIs will
 The Speaker-It cannot be read
 Mir. Reed was viciously attacked; gag" rule was vilifed; the vitupera- tive vocabulary was exhausted in the mighty howl that went up from the ob- structionists in and out of congress Crisp of Georgia, known to be one of the coolest men on the floor, excitedly proclaimed the speakers conduct to be revolutionary and unconstitutional" ." Bland of Missouri characterized Reed as "the worst tyrant that ever presided over a deliberative body" Springer or Illinois declared that this is tyranny simple and undisputed." Turner or ] Georgia, the most scdate man in the house, predicted that to adopt Reeds rule of quorum counting would inau- SUrate a reign of profligacy and an- archy unprecedented in the annals of the country" Breckinridge of Ken lucky sprang from his seat and rushed down the aisle. shouting that the speakers action was "usurpatory, rev olutionary and corrupt" and Bynum of Indiana, in a voice trembling with rage, shrieked that the minority would dispute every inch of the ground. burn every blade of grass, and the last intrenchment of liberty shall be our graves" But it wasn't. Reed quietly preserved his adopted course, and at the close of the session had not yielded point. At the last session. the mi nority in it's bitterness refused the speaker the customary unanimous vote of thanks. Reeds speech closing the session few moments later contained the following:
 Confident, as I am, Of the verdict of time on what we have done l am still more confident that the highest com mendation will be given us in the flu ture, not for what measures we have passed, valuable as they are. but be- cause we have taken so long a stride in the direction of responsible govern ment. Having demonstrated to the people that those who have been elected to do their will can do it. henceforth excuses will not be taken for perform ance, and government by the people will be stronger in the land.
 Toward those who have opposed what the majority of the house desired. We can have no unkindly or personal