The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-18
NDPATIENCE
INTAE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Over l,os,sol'. nsl.ur. TO Increase til. Member.
ship Of Certain Committees Extracts from
"PatIsass" br an Gs,hs.is Member.
side R,asstlOnI On the sp,,lsr.

side R'asstlOhI On the spsaksr.
WASHINGTON, January 17-In the
House to-day after the call Of committees
was concluded, Mr.. Robeson called up the
report Of the Committee on Rules increas-
ing the membership Of the various com.
mittees ofthe House. He stated that the
thirteen committees whose membership It
was proposed to increase had before them
nearly ninety per cent Of alt the business
Of the House. AsAfr. Robson concluded
his brief remarks he demanded the pre-
vious question. A storm Of "oh, no"
came from all parts OF the chamber. Tho
confusion was very great, three or four
members speaking as the same time and
several others being on their feet with
parliamentary inquiries. As soon as he
could be heard, Mr.. Robson de-
clared his intention was to have
the previous question ordered and
then give the fullest possible debate, and
further stated that he wished thereby to
cut of the amendments. "Then let us
vote 1t down." shouted several members,
while Robinson, Of Mass, said: ~ hope
the gentlemen will notundertake to put on
this house for guidance the voice Of the
Committee on Rules. Have we not any
right here as members"
Mr.. Robesop insisted on his demand for
the previous question, but Robinson, OF
New York, before the question could be
submitted, moved to lay the whole subject
on the table. The motion was lost. Yeas,
70; nays, la
Mr., Robeson then stated on behalf Of
the Committee on Rules that he would re-
cede from his position, and Withdrew the
demand for the previous question.
MIR. Page offered an amendment that the
Committee on the Improvement of the
Mississippi River shall not have authority
to report the appropriations on that sub.
iect.
Nj r. Robson said there was no intention
to give the committee that power.
MIR. Kelley offered an amendment strik-
ing out the clause Of increasing the mem.
bership OF the Ways and Means Com.
mittee.
Mr.. Hutchins opposed the report Of the
Committee on Rules. He spoke in q vein
oil sarcasm, and pointed out what he called
incongruities existing in the formation Of
the committee. 1.-THE House did not in
crease the membership Of the committees,
those gentlemen sighted might say, when
they looked on the beaming face Of the
gentleman from New Jersey (Robeson),
''If what's good enough for him, Is moi good enough
for me,
What particularly purC young man. this pure
young man must beh
II the committees were increased still
they might sing,
FIFTY misplaced members we,
Misplaced all against our wills"
[oh, Patience! that it has come to this.
Tel. Ed
The Speaker had placed ten members in
the Committee on Militia and invited
grumblers to step up and bid for the
vacant places. The consolation in the mat
ter was that Massachusetts, Pennsylvania
and Ohio had not been forgotten. They
had been travelling so long in the political
wilderness, they had been so long left out
in the cold that it was refreshing TO see at
last modest merit and worth so richly re.
warded. There were but two courses TO be
puBued-either let the work done 60 for
nought, or leave it as it is. He did not be-
IteYe IN adding new structure to an old
building. The Speaker had too much
power, and he, not the House, controlled
legislation, The committees should be
appointed by the House and the Speaker
should be the presiding officer, not the
dictator and arbiter Of the legislature Of the
whole American people.
Mr.. kasson also opposed the report Of
the Committee on Rules. He advocated
measure by which the House should be
charged with the duty Of appointing the
committees. 1t would be no disrespect 10
the Speaker. He had done his duty al
ways, embarrassingly imposed upon him
BY the rules, Such O measure would re-
lieve him from that embarrassment, and
that inducement to bribery by offers OF
places in an election for Speaker should be
done away with at once aud forever. TAp-
plause. Every Speaker ought 10 be re-
moved from temptation.
MIR. Orih offered MS q substitute for the
Committees report, hisamendment for an
election ut the beginning Of each Congress
OF a Commission charged with the duty OF
assigning the membership OF Committees.
In offering the substitute he disclaimed
any intentiO OF interfering with the pres
ept organization OF the House in one way
or the other. Neither did he intend any
disrespeCt towards the occupant OF the
Chair, or any infringement on the rights
which naturally belonged 10 him.
Reed, a member OF the Committee on
Rules, said he would vigorously protest
against 0rth'sproposition thought There
wasany danger OF its being adopted BY that
or any other house. Think Of the commit.
tees OF the house going to commission.
Think Of the log rolling there would be to
have commission elected In order 10
favor particular measure. He did not
believe any material interest OF the country
was liable to be DESTROYED or
injured by any committee appointed
by the Speaker. Every action OF every
committee had to undergo the scrutiny Of
the House. Personal grievances existed in
every legislative body. He tReed) did not
concur entirely with his committee in
regard to an increase in the committee
membership, Neither did he believe that
the committees should be appointed with.
out regard to geographical division. He
believed the business OF individuals and
not where they slept should be considered
in determining on what committees they
should serve.
Kelley said thathis ambition Of ConCres.
sional life had been abnndantly gratifed
by the kindness Of the Speaker. He re.
garded the report Of the Committee on
Rules us a gievous mistake. More work
was performed by small committees than
by large ones. ltwould be better to abol-
ist the Committee on Ways and Means en-.
tirely than TO increase It's membership TO
fifteen. He therefore moved TO lay the re.
port on the tablet lost-yeas, l07 nays,
i4O.
Mr, King moved TO- amend the report
so as to give the committee on theimprove-
ment Of the Mississippi river power to re-
port an appropriation on that subject.
Pending further action the house ad-
iourned.
The report Of the Committee on Rules
will come up pto-morrow as unfinished busi-
ness
THE MEAT ON THE HONE,