Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-08
The Outlook at the Capitol.

II General Malone, the Virginia senator.
should refuse to act with the democrats and
thus tie the Senate, a very Interesting question
will at once al1se In the Senate as to the right
OF the Vice President to cast the deciding vote
On any resolution OF motion affecting the Or
gar alton of the Senate. Prominent democrats
say that he has no right to vote on such Organi-
ZatiOn for the reason that he Is not a member of
the Senate The right Is conceded TO him to
cast the deciding vote on all matters OF legisla-
tiOn. because to deny such right would place
the Senate in perpetual dead lock when the
two political parties were evenly divided.
There is no doubt but that on the 4th of
March next. when President elect Garfield con-
veDeS the Senate in extraordinary session to
cOntilm his appointments, the republicans will
endeayor to reOrganiZe the Senate and thus
secure control. The Importance of having CON-
troll reaches a good deal further than securing
the few offices " hich attach to the patronage OF
tie Senate. The main point is to secure the
committees. All important legislation is shaped
by the committees and the Senate as a body Is
more of debating school. TO discuss such
measures as have thus been formulated. IL the
republicans secure the organization. they Will
not only have the chairmanShip5 OF all the
respective committees. but will have majority
representation as well on each committee
Hence the legislation OF session would be
absolutely under republican control in both
branches Of Congress.
While the democrats will resist the claim that
the FicePresident can vote on the question or
the organization Of the Senate the republicans
vested in him. The very pertinent question
win then arise as to what The democrats Will
do In case he undertakes TO act upon the repuO-
lican theory. Take this as hypothetical case.
Suppose the chairman OF the republican caucus
committee, Mr. Anthony, OF Rhode Island.
brings i'll resolution to this effect: Resolved,
that the following be ana hereby are the mem
beIS Of the standing committees OF the Senate"
A vote is then taken and Malone votes aftirma-
lively. The Senate is a tie. The VIce-Prasi
dent casts the deciding affirmative vote and
declares the resolution carried. There Is Iefo
but che recourse, and that is a 4 appeal from his
dt cfsioD This must be settled without debate.
Or course upon this question the Vice President
would not vote. but on an appeal tie vo5e
would be decided as an affirmation. Then.
again, on such an appeal IL is very hard to say
how David Davis VIII vote. He will, no douot
vote with the democrats TO retain the organ!Za-
tiCn. but On an appeal from such a decision
herein outlined, he is just as liable to vote with
the republicans as the democrats Great,
therefore, are Davis and MahOne.
THE oRGANIzATION OF THE HOUSE
Will undoubtedly be controlled by the republi-
cans. Even though they Go not have clear
majority over all, those Of the so-called ind
pendents are republican greenbackers who
would no doubt vote with the republicans.
This will give the republicans the Offices and
the committees
To prevent the republicans organizing the
House. there is some talk that Clerk Adams,
who makes up list OF the membership, will
fy some hocus pocus, drop out one or two re-
publican members and substitute for THEM ,heir
democratic competitors or, again, that in sew
eral districts II will be arranged to give dem
ocrats certificates, and where the CLERK chooses
between dual certificates, he will give the dem
ocrats the benefit of the doubt. IL may be that
inasmuch as Clerk Adams own official life de
pends upon democratic organization, he would
be tempted to resort to such eXpedientS Even
should he, the trouble is that there are three or
four Independent democrats who could not be
depended upon to sustain him. These are A. H.
Stephens and Spear. of Georgia, and Leopold
Morse, Of Mass. 1t Is hardly In the nature O.
things, therefore, that the democrats can retain
the House.
AS to the
BUSINESS OF THE SESSION
but little In the shape OF legislation can be ex-
pected. The tariff question having been mag
nifled in the recent canvass, Will be agtated. No
tariff bill viii be passed. but divers resoutio S
will be offered TO force record vote. either
will there be time between December ant tna
4th OF March next to pass bill to refuad tn :
tive and six per cent bonds which fall due re
spec,ively in May and June next The proba-
bli1y.1s, Though the failure to pass retundipg
hill by March next, that President elect Garfiai
viii call an extra session OF the 4Ith Congress.
Another occasion for calling the new Congress
will be the failure OF the present Congress to
pass bill making an appropriation to pay for
the services OF deputy Inarshal5. used for elec-
ton purposes. Ii is not anticipated that the new
congressional appOrtiontment will be fixed b.
the prese Congress- because OF the Gems Is dafa
Which is behlnu in its compilations, and 10:
want OF time. The sugar interests of the com
try will make a combined raid to have the
present rates of duty revised, but will probably
fail to accomplish anything.
the most serious question which must be
settled ny the present Congress is the manner
IN which the electoral vote is to be counted.
Not serious because there is liable to be any
dispute over Gsrtields election, but because tr
involves the question OF fixing a precedent for
the future.