New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-28
FATE OF THE FUNDING BILL.

market.
FATE OF THE FUNDING BILL.
THE OPPOSITION GROWING STRONGER - SPEAKER
RANDALL BENT ON ITS PAssAGE-DEMocRArIc
TACTICS IN THE MATTER.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSEl
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-There is a somewhat
general impression among Republican members OF
the House Of Representatives that the reason why
the Democrats decided that the House should take
recess until tomorrow morning, before taking
final vote on the Sundry Civil bill. was to afford an
opportunity to bring up the Funding bill and have
q vote upon the amendments to Ii before the vote
is taken on the appropriation bill There is some
ground for this impression. because in the course of
the discussion upon the Sundry Civil bill,
yesterday, Mr.. Blount, who had charge of
the measure. repeatedly begged members not to
discuss amendments interpose points Of order, for
unless the bill passed at that sitting and sent
to the Senate II Mould fail to become law. About
O'clock. when Mr.. Horn offered his amendment In
relation to the case of Deputy United States Mar
sfal who was lately shot while in the discharge of
his duty in South Carolina, Mr.. Blount said: II
desire TO make this statement, and hope the gen.
tleman from Michigan and other gentlemen Will
hear me : The opinion Of Senator Beck, as commu-
nicated to me- that unless this bill pass the House
at this sitting it is impossible for 1t to become
law. hope gentlemen will not needlessly occupy
time The Senate is waiting for this bill now"
For some occult reason. however, as soon as the
bill mad been completed by the Committee of the
Whole Mr. Blount suddenly changed his mind as to
the necessity Of sending the bill Immediately to the
Senate, although that body remained in session
until very late in the evening. IL Is known that
| Speaker Randall. who takes very deep personal
interest IN the Funding BILL Is determined that 1t
shall not fail In Congress IL he can prevent failure.
lie was very much disturbed yesterday, both by the
action OF the Ways and Means Committee, which
will Involve the necessity of sending the bill back to
the Senate IL it shall get through the House. and by
the determined attitude of the Republicans in oppo-
stion to the measure In addition to these difficult
ties Mr. Randall has good reason TO fear that several
Democrats who voted for the bill In January arc
now perfectly willing to help defeat 1t. When the
bill passed the Honse it did so by a
harrow majority of 10; the affirmative vote
beiug l30 and the negative vote 125.
Ten Republicans voted for the bill, eight of whom
did So as they declared only with the understand
inn that the Senate would stiike out the fifth sec
tion and otherwise amend the bill to make 1t a
! practicable measure. Among the Democrats who
voted for the bill were several who did 30 for like
ransom. OF these were Mr.. Hutchins, OF New-York,
} md AirI McI4ane, Of Maryland Another Democrat
who then voted for the bill and who now declares
that it is vicious measure Mr.. Wells of Missouri
When the bill passed the House on January 10, 10
Democrats, 10 Republicans and Greenbacker
were absent A change of SIX votes at that time
would have defeated the bill. There is little reason
to donLt that the numerical strength Of the oppos
ton has increased during the last ten days, that
tbs Republicans are more determined than ever to
defeat this mischievous bill, which Mr.. Randall has
labored so diligently to force the Democrats to sup
| port as o party measure
| But Mr. Randall is obstinate, ard he Is man OF
| many resources His pride and obstnacy are both
aroused to their fullest activity by the difficulties
which now confront him, and he will not yield with
| out bitter and determined struggle. Already has
he piven ont the word that the Democrats not TO
| he "bulldozedn by Republican minority, and he
will sparc no effort to have support OF the Funding
bill regarded as q test of fealty to the Democratic
| marty. II the Funding bill should be brought up
tomorrow before the Snndry Civil bill. and the Re
publicans should resort to parliamentary tactics to
defeat it, or even to an opportunity to discuss
the amendments, the Democrats would at once set
nm the cry that the Republicans were obstructing
legislation and trying to defeat the appropriation
| bills.
| This Ia n false and shallow pretence which the
Democrats always set up when the Republicans are
Obliged to obstruct the passage Of an unfair and
nniustifable partisan measure like the Apportion-
ment bill or the Funding bill The county under
stands it we'll as othe Repuoheans IN tne nouse
| Of Representatives., and Republican Representa-.
tive is likely 10 be frightened and prevented Dy IL
| from doing his duty now. ...,.
III tho majority In tho House OF Representatives
had not been anxious at the last session TO iofSe
| through partisan measures designed TO insure tne
election counting q Democratic nasssd PTssqHnt Tsaqy
| wear ago. and, IL necessary, amended at
this session. But nothing was done n;a,, tnen,
and tho bill was not taken up thls SgsS,Tn TUra
until six weeks after Congress reassembled. lhere
are sensible aud sober-mlnded memDers lso,or VI
the House of Representatives, moreover,
who believe that influences have been DT0ases 6S 10
Lnproprlations TO induce them to delay one OF tIe
most important appropriation bills IN order tnSt ny INT IL
might be used as club in these closing days Oh tne
session to frighen the Republicans INTO conserving
to the passage of Democratic partisan tha ther
Democratic leaders 1T will be likely to faili r,,,vv
| senator Bayard, in conversation WITH lRiBuNs
| correspondent Yesterday, said that II the House
would send the Funding bill back 70 tue 90 oe1a.S hnS
| with an Amendment however immaterlal. ne nag
every reason to believe that the hfth sectoh "ouu
| be stricken out by that body