Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1891 — THE MAJORITY MUST RULE. [ARTICLE]

THE MAJORITY MUST RULE.

[New York World.] The Republicans in Congress claim to be contending for the right of the majority to rule. In fact, they are resisting majority rule and endeavoring to perpetuate the power of a discredited and meagre minority. The polioy which the Senate is striving to embody in law was submitted to the people last year. The Bepublicanß of the House had adopted it; The Senate, though it passed the MeKinley tariff, declined to pass the force bill or adopt a gag rale. It permitted these questions to go to the people. Bepnblioan conventions generally indorsed their party’s policy.— The Democratic convanticns everywhere condemned it. The issue was squarely joined upon the stamp and in the party press. In November the people gave their verdiot. It oaused the most clearly defined and overwhelming political revolution ever known in the history of oar government. Is the vote of the whole country for Bepresentatives in Congress the Democratic majority over the total Bepublican vote was 800,376. In a total vote o" nearly 10,000,000 for representatives the Bepnblican candidates were in a minority of 1,332,202, while the regular Democratic vote exceeded that of all other candidates—Bepublican, Farmers, Prohibition, Independent and Labor combined —268,650. A Bepublican majority of 24 in the present Hons# was converted into a Democratic majority of 157 in the next C ongress. In 17 Northern States the total vote cast was within less than 7 per cent, of the Presidential vote of 1888. And in these States the Democratic gain in the popular vote was over 602,000! In 1888 the Bepnblicans carried every one of these 17 States. In 1890 the Democrats carried 12 of them. The Honse of Bepresentatives was made Democratic by a safe working majority without counting a single member fromfthe South.] By an antiquated and unrepublioan arrangement of sessions the new Congress will not meet in regular order until December next. Bnt it represents the latest expression of the popular will. In contending for obedience to that will the Democrats in Congress are simply insisting that the majority shall rale.