Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-07-20

congress let 4 cat out OF the bag the
othe: day, which ought TO open the pub
lie eye to the utter carclcssness and in
difference of members to the laws which
they make to govern the people.
fused to be said of the Pcnnsylva-
mia legislature that its laws were made
in Tom Scott's Office, and with as much,
or more truth, it may be said that our
national policies, if not our most impor-
tant national laws are laid in Wall
street nests, Matched out in congress
sionaI committee rooms, and then
brooded by the committee of the
whole.
Standing committees are appointed
on the various subjects and interests re-
quiring legislation, and all bills design
ed to lc enacted into law must first be
reported by its appropriate committee.
II n committee, majority Of whom be-
long tc the dominant party, report n
bill fMOrably, it is considered breach
of congressional courtesy for the major
ity patty not to pass it, regardless ofits
merits or dement's. So certain is q bill
TO be passed which receives the approv-
al of q committee, that the great rail
road, banking, and other capitalistic
interests, center all their power and in
tluencc at the organization of q new
congress, in securing speaker, who,
| for the sake of these influences will
pledge himself TO arrange the various
committees in their interest and for
their protection. The committee on
railroads will be composed of men who
will refuse TO report any bill inmical to
these corporations, and who will report
any measure desired by them for their
benefit. The same Of the banking and
currency committees, the committee on
coinage, corporations, and, in fact, all
committees in which capital is interest
ed. To Illustrate:
The committee on commerce agreed
upon Il bill relating to the landing of
cmigrants At ports of the United States.
The provisions of the bill as agreed
upon by the committee did not suit Mr..
Van NoorhiS, Of Rochester, n. Y, so
he secured printed copy containing a
section or clause which the committee
had stricken out and which he desired
to be retained; and in the absence of
the chairman Of the committee, Van
Voorhis handed his bill to Reagan of
Texas, asking him to report it to the
house as having been approved by the
committee. 1t was reported, read and
passed After its passage, Page, Of
California, u member Of the committee,
who was opposed to Van Voorhis
clause, and had voted to cut it out of
the bill, discovered that the original,
instead of the amended bill, had been
passed by the house. Then the COM
mittce prepared and offered the follow
ing:
"On Monday, the 10Th inst, by unan-
imOus consent, Mr.. Reagan, represent
ing the committee on commerce,
moved to suspend the rules and pass
Ii. X. 5000, TO regulate immigration.
The bill which he offered was handed to |
him by Mr.. Van Voorhis, and pur-
ported TO be the bill agreed TO by the
committee on commerce. Mr.. Reagan
and the members OF the committee pres
ent was mislcd in regard to the bill
which was passed, they supposing it to
be true copy of the bill agreed to by
the committee. The committee recon-
mcnds and asks that the house subSli-
tutc the true bill now in the possession
of the committee for the one passed" "
Was more humiliating spectacle
ever presented to legislative body?
Before this bill could pass it had to
be read TO 293 Lawmakers, whose
duty it was to peruse it with care, and
vote upon every section and provision
with statcsmanikc wisdom and under
standing. But this is not the way
laws are made. Whatever comes
from the committee must be infalliblc,
and it is gulpcd down by the needless
majority as the blind nesting swal-
lows whatever is offered it from the
parental beak. Upon the exposure of
Van Noorhis' trick the 40 Repub-
lican statesmen were rs mad as hor-
nets. They had committed an un-
pardonable sin by passing bill TO
which a majority OF the committee
was opposed Instead Of maintain
ing their dignity and hiding their
shame and neglect from public gaze
and ridicule, by declaring that they
knew what they were about, as
the public had right to sup
pose they did, they plead the
baby act, saying, I'VE thought the
whole bill had been approved by the
committee and it was mean in Van
Voorhis to fool us Congress passed
the bill first, because they thought it
had the approval of the committee.
They then repealed it because it con-
tanned clause to which the committee
objected. They then passed the bill as
the committee desired it. This COM
mittee has fifteen members. Now if
any one can tell of what earthly use.
as legislators and representatives, the
balance of the 293 were or are, the pub
lie will feel grateful.
This accounts for the passage in
some shape of every Objectionable and
pernicious bill which has come before
congress, with the approval of COM
mittec, and it is this practice which
has rendered the representative feature
of our government farce and a delu-
sion.