Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-12-16

What Was Done During the First
Week of the Session.
PROSPECTS or GETTING DOWN TO LEGlTI.
MATE HrsINESs-TuE DEBATE ON THE
JOINT ELECTORAL RULE NOT LIKE.

IY TO EE LONG CONTINUED
From the Washington Post of the 18th inst.
The first week of Congress has passed
| without the accomplishment OF any
public business. A few private bills
have been passed in the Senate and IN
the House. The representative body
has devoted the greater part OF the
time to talk. The two political parties
| in the House have succeeded in creating
a practical deadlock over the Morgan
resolution proposing a joint rule for the
counting OF the Electoral votes, and
the Appropriations committee has re-
ported two of the minor Approprla.
tions bills. So much for the first week
of the session. 1t may be that the
House will succeed during the LegisIa'
tive session, which begins to-day, IN
escaping from the tangle caused by the
action of Republican joint caucus on
the Morgan resolution. To fight or not
to fight, is the question presented othe
Democrats, and at present it looks very
much as though no battle would occur.
IL is probable that caucus Will be nee.
essary to ascertain the sentiment OF the
Democratic members regarding the
Morgan resolution. If they are to IN.
sst upon their rights as majority to
decide what legislation shall be had,
concerted and harmonious action Is
necessary. If they yield to the demand
of the Republicans that the Morgan
resolution be thrown in the waste bas.
ket, they will undoubtedly desire to
back down in good form and without
unnecessary debate.
If it were not for the fact that the
present session is such a short one and
the last in which the Democrats will be
in majority for at least two years, des-
perate fight would be made on the issue
raised by the Republicans. The fear OF
an extra session, for some lnexplIcabie
reason, also seems to be strong upon
the Democrats. Another argument
which many Democrats are using as an
excuse for avoiding a political contest
now is the amount Of important public
| business, which is of greater moment to
| Democratic interests than fight upon
question which possesses no immedi-
ate importance. Mr.. Atkins will en-.
deavor to-day to call up the Fortitica.
tions Appropriation bill and pass 1t.
| The Military Academy and Pension
bills will be ready for action as soon as
the Fortifcations bill is disposed Of.
The Refunding bill will then come up
| to contest precedence with the Morgan
resolution which Judge Blcknell desires
| to press for immediate action. As the
resolution has been decided to be a
question of privilege it will take prece-
| dence of the Refunding bill and another
dreary debate or tedious spell OF fill
clustering may be anticipated.
| Mr.. Atkins, Mr.. Blount and other
members of the Appropriation commit.
tee said yesterday that they are not dis
posed to yield to this debate much
! longer. They say that the Republicans
are determined, and there is no use
| fighting over it. They will, therefore,
this week, demand that some of the
appropriation bills be taken up. They
| have no doubt that they can carry their
point. because the Republicans will vote
with them in a body to take up the
public business. The motion to adjourn
over from Friday last until Monday vas
made by Mr.. Blount, n member of the
| Appropriation committee, and he resist.
ed all appeals for Saturday session for
debate only. In this resistance he
voiced the sentiments of not OILY his
committee, but of other members who
take no stock in the pending debate
and who would like to have ii stopped
because they regard it's, continuance
only as n waste OF time which might be
better employed.
Taking the past week as a criterion,
the outlook is not promising for bus'
ness session. Members of both parties
doubt whether much will be accom-.
plished other than the passage of the
appropriation bills, and perhaps n fund.
ing bill. Mr.. Cox, the chairman of the
Census Committee, will bring up the
apportionment bill as soon as he can
get the necessary returns from the cen.
sus Office. Some of the Republicans
thought they could make point by de.
laying the apportionment until after
they could investigate alleged intimi.
dation and bulldozing in the South.
But good lawyers in their party, like
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts,, and
Mr.. Frye, of Maine, have convinced
their political brethren that individual
intimidation amounts to nothing in the
matter of representation, and that to
reduce the number of representatives
in State they must show that the free
will of the people was affected by the
State law, and not by individual action.
The ouly point will be whether the
Democratic Congress shall make the ap.
portionment. If the Republicans de-
termine to resort to obstructive meas.
ures they can delay action until they
get possession OF the House in the next
Congress. The people who will oppose
the apportionment at this session are
those who want an extra session of Con.
gress.
To-day the States and Territories will
be called as usual for bills for reference,
after which there must be call of com.
mittees for report, unless two thirds oil
the members shall decide otherwise.
Motions to suspend the rules cannot be
made except upon the first and third
Mondays of each months 80 that after
the call of committees shall have been