The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-25
PRIVATE BILLS IN THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS.

1IIFasS momO6Ls appear CC nhFo
fair share of the week, since Tues
days, Wednesdays and Fridays are
nominally devoted to their service.
But in one way or another the time
of private members il considerably
eneroached upon. t was during one
of the earlier sessions OF the admins.
trations of Mr.. Disraeli that a notable
device was hit upon by which the
privileges of private members were
systematically curtailed. Arrange
ments vera made by which the
House held what were euphemisti-
cally called morning sittings," Or
dained to take place on Tuesdays
and Fridays. On these occasions
the House sits at two, and remains in
session until seven, during which
time the government business is in
progress. The sitting is suspend ed
for two hours, and on meeting again
at nine, private members may. if
they can ge: a House together, proceed
with tGeir resolutions. But it very
frequently happens that members,
worn out with the tolls Of the mo:u-
ing, decline to pat In fresh appear
snce in the evening, and as soon as
the private member rises. big with
speech, the House is counted, and
there not being forty members pres
ent, is forthwith adjourned.
On Wednesday private members
are at the further disadvantage that
in the case oil implacable and unscru-
pulous opposition by body, however
small, their bills or resolutions have
no chance of progress. According
to the Standing Orders, debate on
Wednesday is peremptorily Interrupt
ted at a quarter to six, the remaining
fifteen minutes being devoted to
clearing of the other orders on the
paper. 90 that the House may adj
iourn at six. Thus q man may have
charge of q bill OF which the msjority
of the House approves, and which,
being down for a Wednesday, would
certainly be advanced q stage il he
were permitted TO divide. But il the
opposition can muster sufficient vocal
force to keep the ball OF discussion
rolling till quarter to six, they win
q victory as substantial as il they tri-
umphed in the division lobby. 1t 10
true that technically the debate
stands adjourned; but in nine cases
out of ten the member in charge of
the bill or resolution has exhausted
his opportunities in securing a favor.
able place on this particular day. ALI
other days of what may be left Of the
session are appropriated. and he may
90 we'll withdraw his bills as Leave it
hopelessly on the orders.
Tuesday is the most favorable day
for private members desiring to bring
under the notice of the House cues
tions in the form Of resolutions. On
Tuesdays notices of motion have pre-.
cedence OF the orders Of the day, snd
if member gets q good place for his
motion: he starts of with his speech
as soon ss the questions are disposed
OF, has all the evening for debate. and
full opportunity for taking 9 division.
On Fridays tEiR privilege is consider
ably curtsiled. Though nominally
private members night. the govern
ment largely share with private mem.
bers tbs advantages of the evening.
Supply iS always put down as the fire.!
order OF the day on Fridays, and
members moving resolutions can DO
go only in the way of introducing
them az amendments to the main
question, that the House resolve
itself into committee ofsupply. This
is all very we'll for the member Who
has the first motion on the paper.
He can proceed to the natural con-
clusion OF division precisely as he
might on Tuesday. But it will be
perceived that il the resolution is neg
alive land private members resolu.
tons usually are. no further division
prior to going into committee can
take place during the sitting. because
in rejecting what was formerly an
amendment to 60 into committee the
House has definitely decided that it
will 60 into committee, and there is
an end OF the matter. This is for.
mula in which she subtle mind OF
Mr.. Gladstone frequently discovers
advantage. When a resolution
comes before the House on a Friday,
introduced by one of its own support
era. end which he shriuks from toe
rudely opposing, he ia oitsn at great
pains 70 explain to the unfortunate
member predestiued to defeat that,
after all, the House ia rot expressing
a defuitive and dsmning opinion on
the question his honorable friend
has so much at heart. THE question
is, Mr.. Gladstone says, "whetbsr or
not the House will resolve itself into
COMMITTEES of supply. and in voting
aye, we:sha'l not commit ourselves to
a positive negative On the resolution
which my honorable friend has so
much st heart, and which he has adj
vocated in a speech of so much sbil.
isy. "-HGrper's Magazine.