Reed's Rules Likely To Go

Another session of Congress is near at hand and a speaker of the house is to be elected. But there will be no contest, as it has long been settled that David B. Henderson, of Iowa, will succeed Czar Reed in the speakership. There is much interest, however, in the question as to the rules which the house will adopt. It is pretty save to predict a decided change from the arbitrary procedure under Speaker Reed. Reed is one of the ablest of the many able men who have occupied the speaker's chair, but he was arbitrary and despotic in his rule. He brought about one important reform: he made it possible for the majority of the house to do business. He believed the members were there for that purpose, and that no fiction of being constructively absent while actually present should be allowed to block the progress of business. He was not the author of the idea of counting a quorum, but he was the first to apply the principle in the national house of representatives. But instead of stopping with a reasonable and just curtailment of the rights claimed by a refractory minority, he reduced that minority to a nonentity and exercised like control over the majority. The house almost ceased to be a deliberative body, and only such matters as were in accord with the speaker's own ideas were allowed to come before that body.

But Reed's methods worked his own undoing. Members of his own party became restive under his arbitrary methods, and, as time passed, he found himself so far out of touch with his fellow-partisans that he decided to quit congress. Now that he is gone, his despotic methods will scarcely be brooked any longer. The republican majority in the present house is quite small, and the house will probably make its own rules. It is not probable that the house will re-adopt the Reed rules, but will establish in their stead a more liberal parliamentary code. Gen. Henderson is a more politie man than Reed and lacks his powerful intellectuality. He is not lacking in firmness, but is more careful, and under his speakership the house will experience a new dispensation.

At last the newspapers provoked Admiral Dewey into talking. It was the first time and, as was to be expected, a mistake.

Gen. Lord Kitchener has killed 400 more dervishes in the Soudan. Great is Gen. Kitchener. Let him be called home and honored, and let the British public subscribe for another college for blacks in that region.

The British army, which is advancing to relieve Kimberley, surprised the Boers at Belmont and won a victory. It appears that the British numbered 7,000, while there were only 5,000 Boers engaged. More than 220 British were lost, and, while Gen. Methuen reports heavier losses on the side of the Boers, he says they carried off many of their dead, and so he does not know just what their loss was. That they inflicted such heavy losses on the British. and yet were able to escape, carrying away their dead, shows that they were not routed, notwithstanding their greatly inferior numbers. The route of the relieving column is now open to the Modder river, where they will be obliged to meet the Boers again before Kimberly can be relieved. The British forces are, however, in sufficient numbers now to begin to push the Boers back to their own territory. But the Battle of Belmont shows at what fearful cost the work will be accomplished.

The democratic executive committee of the national democratic committee decided at a meeting in Chicago, Tuesday, that the Chicago platform of 1896 must be reaffirmed with additional planks against trusts and imperialism. But just what the permanent issue will be cannot yet be predicted.

South Americans cannot, it seems, be made to believe that Uncle Sam has no designs upon the peace and territory of the Spanish-American republics. That he has no such designs or intentions is well understood by our citizens, but it is not surprising that they should think so. Some of our recent doings to an outsider must give color to the idea that the great republic has become a nation of conquest. We are not so sure that we should not hold similar views under like conditions about any other nation.

It is said that fourth-class postmasters and contractors propose to prevent appropriations for the extension of free rural mail delivery at the coming session of Congress, if possible. But it has become so popular among the farmers that it is hardly possible to do this, it would seem. Certainly the wishes of those who receive their mail in this way should be heeded, rather than the few fourth-class postmasters, who may thereby lose their jobs. Free delivery has come to stay, and it should and, no doubt, will be extended and improved.

The Ingham grand jury has brought in no indictments yet; but, it is safe to say, there are some mighty anxious patriots on the front seats just the same. They would like to know whether their thanksgiving dinner is to be turkey or crow. Without doubt, the grand jury is on the track of people who would have steady employment, if they had their earnings; but it is a mighty difficult thing to convict them. Nevertheless, these people do not know just how rnuch of their doings the grand jury may have knowledge of, and hence they are naturally perturbed.

And now it is said the push has selected D. M. Ferry to be the republican candidate for governor next year. This is probably correct, for that is the way gubernatorial candidates are usually selected by the republicans. The push decide on a man and then the common herd throw up hats and declare he is just the man wanted. Mr. Ferry is about as near the people as the east is to the west; but that cuts no ice, if he has the support of the push. And, if he is nominated, he will pretty certainly be elected.. One unacquainted with the conditions might think such a notorious administration as Pingree has given the state would lead to a reaction, but it requires vastly more to influence Michigan to vote against party nominees.

Now it is reported ex-Senator Arthur P. Gorman, of Maryland, will commence a campaign to side track Bryan for the democratic nomination next year.

Thursday at Boston the Knights of Labor took strong ground against the foreign policy of the administration. The resolution passed is as follows:

Resolved, That the general assembly of the Knights of Labor condemns the foreign policy of the national administration in its effort to subjugate the Filipinos by conquest, and opposes the extension of our territory or government beyond the limits of this continent, as contrary to American principles, the American people's interests and the interests of the great mass of working people.

It would seem that the Filipino insurrection cannot hold out much longer. The organized forces of Aguinaldo have been decimated and scattered, and with the American armies occupying the positions they do, it is difficult to see how they can be gotten together again. However, it will not be safe to conclude that the end is at hand until Aguinaldo is captured. There will be no settlement of matters there until he is eliminated from the problem.

Within a few days Congress will be in session again with an unusually full calendar. Some of the questions pressing for settlement are as important as any the government has ever been called upon to face. There will be a government to be made for Hawaii, another for Porto Rico, some sort of a settlement for the island of Cuba, and likewise the determination of a Philippine policy. Then there remains the necessity for financial legislation, which was the paramount issue of the last presidential campaign and which remains as an unredeerned obligation of the party in power. Today the country is moving along in prosperous lines, but it should not be forgotten the same canker remains in the currency that brought on the greatest panic the country ever experienced. The endless chain is still in just as good working order as ever and only needs some flurry to start it into motion again. To settle these great questions aright will tax the ability of congress and make the coming session a memorable one either for accomplishment or failure.

Reports from Lansing indicate that important evidence was discovered, Thursday, going to establish the truth of Agent Pratt's story relative to the law library deal. Documentary evidence is said to have been brought forth by Pratt to corroborate his story. Evidence of the existence of the drafts and the contract is said to have been produced. Pratt's stenographer was able to produce certain stenographic notes on various letters, and also a letter from the publishing house represented by Pratt bearing upon the case. An office boy was found also, who was able to give considerable evidence about the alleged destruction of the letter and drafts last week. The nature of the evidence is said to be startling and to round out the evidence against certain suspected persons to completeness. Prosecutor Tuttle is quoted as saying, he will not only indict, but will convict. Everybody hopes the matter will be thoroughly probed and the guilty ferreted out and punished. That corruption stalks boldly in our legislature is believed by most people. But it is extremely difficult to bring the corruptionists to punishment. The public conscience is low relative to frauds committed against the public. The public by many is considered a proper subject for plunder, and the influence and vote of the public official too often depend upon what there is in the matter being considered for the official. Thus the interests of the public are sold out by the officials sworn to protect those interests. Ability to evade punishment for these crimes makes the criminals more bold. If Prosecutor Tuttle can succeed in bringing some of these rascals to justice, he will deserve well at the hands of the people.