National Republican., 1883-11-27
AMrNp1Ne rnG sENArE nU1Es
Several Sweeping and Important Changes
Proposed and Agreed Upon.

seNerhA sweeping hthu AhhppEt"hN NAAN"bN'
Proposed and Agreed Upon.
The senate committee on rules held another
important meeting yesterday, the result of
which, if approved by the senate, will mate.
rally modify tho course of proceedings in
that body. Tho question of adopting the
principle Of summarily ending debate upon
any pending measure by calling the pre-
vious question" thereon was after consider
able discussion, passed upon adversely.
A rule was adopted, however, declaring
that when an amendment proposed to any
pending measure is laid on tho table It shall
not carry with it or prejudice such measure.
This, in effect, applies the previous ques-
tioD " TO amendments though not, as in tho
house of representatives, to the original
measure.
Tho rule requiring the appointment OF the
standing committees Of the senate ut the COM
mencement of each session is so amended as to
require their appointment only at the COM
mencomont of each congress,
The committee on manufactures and that
on revolutionary claims are abolished. Tho
latter is minority committee. To make good
this loss to the minority the special commit
tee on epidemic Diseases minority COM
mittee--is mado u standing committee.
All matters touching tho expenditures for
the support Of the government of the District
Of Columbia are removed from tho juris-
dictibh OF tho appropriations committee and
gtvclftb tAooommttee oh the District Of Co
The committees on library, printing, and
contingent expenses Of tho senate are con-
tnued from congress to congress with power
to sit during the recesses.
A new committee on internal improve
mcnts Is created, to consist of nine senator's
and TO have Jurisdiction over all matters re-
la IA mi nj ri I'M ra
and of the river and harbor bill.
To the committee on commerce is left the
jurisdiction over all subjects relating to COM
merce, to shipping, to tho merchant marine,
the life saving service, and light houses.
A new committee on expenditures of public
money is created to consist of seven senators,
which shall consider such measures tending
to economy in public expenditures us shall be
referred to il, and conduct all Investigations
into the expenditure of public money which
shall be ordered by the senate, unless the
senate shall otherwise direct. This work has
usually been done by special committees.
! The rule designating the classes of persons
| who shall have the privilege of the floor is
amended by adding the following: "No per-
son shall be admitted to the floor as private
secretary of a senator until the senator ap-
pointing him shall certify in writing to the
sergeant-at-arms that he is actually en-
ployed for the performance of the duties of
such secretary, and is engaged in the per-
! tormance of the same"
A proposed rule limiting service upon COM
mittees as follows: "No senator shall be a
member of more than one of the following
committees except by a special resolution of
| the senate: The committee on judiciary, the
committee on appropriations, the committee
on finance, and the committee on commerce."
was discussed and rejected by the committee.
The subject has more than once been q
| nnotfo nfn md Co.
ing has been manifested by individual
senators in regard to 1t. 1t occurs from time
| to time that one of these important commit
tees, having matters before il requiring al
most continuous sessions, is embarrassed by
the necessity some of its members are under
of attending equally important meetings of
other committees of which they are members
The reasons for the rejection of the proposed
rule are not made public.
The rules with regard to general legislation
upon appropriation bills were discussed but
were not amended. The senate rules already
forbid such legislation, but the house rules
| allow general propositions If ''in the interest
of economy" to be incorporated upon appro-
priation bills to which they are not germane,
and tho senate assumes no power to strike Off
such irrelevant matter As q result, large
legislative powers are often conferred upon
conference committees. 1t is proposed by
| the senate committee on rules to meet this
point when considering the new proposed
code of joint rules, by incorporating therein
a provision similar to the present senate rule
upon the subject
There have been no joint rules in force
since the entl df they fbrty-third congress.
The senate committee on rules proposes to
formulate codel0f joint rules as soon as the
| revision of the senate rules is disposed of, to
bo submitted to the house for acceptance or
rejection after it shall have passed the senate.
The entire new code of senate rules is re-
ferred to subcommittees of the senate COM
mittee on rules for revision, but only in so
| far as Language is concerned.