New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-28

order for a certain day, OF put its passage. The
last is the usual course. Now the two days pract-
cally reduced to two hours by the expedient OF
calling for the regular order at the expiration OF
sixty minutes may easily be consumed either ID
debate or by filibusterng. Sometimes they are
actually consumed in reading the bill Such was
the case with the consolidated Post Route Bill, 1or
instance, andcertan other Observation-Disclosures
of old laws Now Monday is "wash-day" or biil-day'
Friday is private bill day, and Saturday is conse-
Grated 10 the delivery of written speeches. eaen an
hour long, TO which nobody need listen. Therefore,
there are at most only three morning hours IN the
week. Deducting the Christmas holidays ana the
last week Of the session, the short session contains
only nine weeks during which there are only tweh-
ty-seven morning hours. Now there are az pres
cnt fOrty-siX committees mot counting th0se VI
Nays and Means and Appropriations, when can
report at any time so that two DAYS apiece wouiu
require nnetv-twO days as against poSsiple
rwcuty-scven" So that, although some committees
seldom report and one or two hardly ever meet, II
does happen that an entire session passes withon'
giving some Of the most important commit
tees chance 10 report at ALL and "
often happens that no committee gers s-Cohu
chance. Thus, when the Committee on Post Ohlces
and Post Roads reported the Post Route Bilian es-
sentia measure of no sort of interest 10 anyDOdS|
that committee, though full of important work,
cOuld do nothing more IN all that session. except ny
a special assignment of day or OF night session.
There are many remedies OF course, no pfopostl tS
give up power Will ever command the support OF
those who hold it. But there are signs that thls
power Is growing too great for the comfort of its pres
ent or the endurance of its Late posses0r
The machinery chates too much The words " dead
lock are heard too frequently The prudent cnaiI-
man, seeking to avoid the entangements when
trpped up the last one, hardly gets over adinlrng
his ceverneSs of yesterday as pictured Dy me
friendly Washington correspondent, when 1t is his
turn to wonder how it happened aud why we
laugh"
ADEQUATE REMEDIES.
The experienced legislators who make up the
Committee on Rules are certainly equal to the task
of originating such amendments as will harmonic
present conditions and requirements with me
traditions and habits of the past They are not te
men TO resent respectful suggestion or TWO IRON
an outsider. Accordingly submit, with Difference,
these questions:
l. Why not gain a legislative day. and get rid OF
vast deal of useless and tresome routine by an4i
Shing "wash day." and letting any member VINO
has bill to introduce hand it to the clerk have 1t
referred to the proper committee ana peilals nay
It printed; which, printing excepted, is precisely
the course that has been found necessary Win petl-
tons and memOTlalsT
.. Why not allow the committees each IN us reg
uar turn on the call in the morning hour to present
Is reports. have them printed, and placed Oh INC
calandar a matter Of course, and without V0tG7
ANY member to have the right al any time 10 SUP
mt and PRINT any amendment germane TO the SUD-
ject.
3. Why not organize a committee on the caandar,
consisting. let ms say of the chalrneu OF the nlic
leading committees to arrange from The general
calendar a special calendar or order OF IN" DAY Ana
let the special calendar be proceeded with lnme IL
atelN after the uhInl-hti DHSilicaS VI th' VA! ~,
fore, The House would Of course, retain control
of its own calendar. but IL would nave ca.caGa
and an order OF business which at present II has
not.
These changes would prevent any measure from
being sprung upOn the House. IhcN "ohiH
avoid the necessity of choosing between :" spaD
vote and 10 vote. They would prevent the waste
Of time in the routine proceedings 81 MonGdN, Z"
winch nobody listens. 1dey would render umuece>-
sarv the motions to suspend the rules, now % ne
oucntl oil REQ it might be- well 10 provide thai no
such motion should ice entertained, C&tept upon
sufficient previous no.ce. Fiii1GS.ering wouiC a.
most disappear. The Fourth OF March would see
cleaner calendar AMI swcctcT teupc:s. u is JAS
uos,ihlr though not pTab4ui,, thgt t.t methods OF
legislation might cease ta Poe numbered among the
ding, that no fc.dh can find our ON>LoW.
San francisco Dec. 10 1877.