The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-01-17

great influx Of all sorts Of measures. Near
ly all of these'bills arc safe in the pigeon.
holes Of committee rooms, where they will
sleep q long and peaceful sleep. Many Of
thefh are not introduced to be acted upon.
Almost every Congressman has a number Of
constituents who think they have call to
take hand in National legislation, and as
the obstinate and unapprecative people will
not send their arneteur lawmakers TO Con- |
gress, they have no recourse but 10 prepare
bills embodying their erudite conceptions
and send them to "our member" with n re-
quest that he present them. The obliring
member complies, but has no further inter-
est in the matter. This is why 50 many un-
wise measures are offered. 1t is % sort of ven
tilation Tat does no great harm, while it
maHes many persons happy.
Senator Davis, OF West Virginia, chairman
of the Senate Committee on Appropriations,
has proposition to repeal all permanent
annual appropriations. An investigation
has developed the fact that there are nearly
one hundred permanent annual appropria-
tions which are never supervised by the
legislative branch Of the Government, and
about which it knows nothing. Sometimes
the amount of the expenditures under these
appropriations have exceeded the amount of
appropriations made by Congress in the
regular appropriation bill. In many in
stances, where fees are collected and the ex-
pense of running the Department Of the
Government collecting them is paid out of
the fees SO collected, there is little supervis-
ion over the expenditures whatever, by
even the higher branches of Government,
and none at all by Congress, The bill Of
Senator Davis will provide for repeating all
these permanent appropriations except the
provision for the interest Of the public debt
so as to mako the Treasury the grand recep-
tacle for all moneys collected for or on be-
half of the GoyernIent, and requiring spe-
cific appropriation to get it out. Secretary
Sherman joins with Senator Davis in recon-
mending this important clfeags.
The action of the Supreme Court in re-
fusing to advance the legal tender case on
the calendar is something of disappoint-
ment, to Congressman especially, yet it is
not an unreasonable result. While members
of Congress are anxious to have decision Of
the Court that would relieve them from re-
sponsibility,it rs not unnatural that the court
ihould decline to go out of its way to grap-
pie with the troublesome question involved
The Court has once passed upon the lega
tender qualities ofthe greenback, and the re-
naming question as to the duration of tleil
necessary existence will perhaps settle itsel
if let alone. Any how, Congress must ans.
wer to the people for its course in the premi
! ses, without any assistance from the Court
Considering the uncomfortably mixed con
dition of the Congressional mind on thu
subject, this may be misfortune IN whicl
: the business interests of the country will
have to share. Speaking Of greenbacks
: Dennis Kearney has been this week in at
; tendance upon the National Greenback
D Labor Conference. He says he represent
the people of the Pacific slope, and wants
5 convention Of national reformers, who vii
r furnish "the people platform to stand up
t on and support, and if they fail to do thi
: they may continue to starve." He oppose
e fusion of any kind with any party, an
says the greenbackers, workingmen an
nationals will never fly as tail to any pal
ty's kite.
By an agreement made precious to the re
cess, the House has been devoting itself TO
discussion on the revised rules for that bod
I submitted by the Committee on Rules. Th
; consideration Of this subject is to continu
from day to day, TO the exclusion of all othC
business, until disposed of. None of tn
work done by the committee touches quel
tions involving political discussions or th
Il relations Of majority and minority, eXceT
. to give in single instance one additions
: feat measures. This is afforded by maxim
U privileged motion for Che House to take
T. recess, which will be in order at any tim
except when a motion to fix day TO whic
| lne IlOuse VIII auJouTh, Ut u moJlOu 10 uI
= journ, is pending. The new privileged mt
ton rule is due to Mr.. Stephens, and is pre-
". ty sure to be adopted. As whole the ne
rules are an admirable revision and simpl
fication of the Intricate and complicated coC
!, . now followed. Representative Blackbur
;. has an amendment, under the operation
which every member may be compelled
vote on every question when present Th
would stop the breaking of quorum by Il
minority by simply sitting dumb in the
- serts. Mr.. Blackburn has been "spoiling
;. for speech on this subject. AnothC
Democratic member of the committee say
= that, while he would be glad to see such
rule in force, he has no expectation that
=, will ever be adopted. He thinks that ne
!, ther party would be willing to abridge Il
y, rights of the minority, which although r
. publican now, is not uulkly to be Dem
cratic in the next Congress. DON PEDRO,
-