National Republican., 1883-02-06
A parliamentary nrenl.er Ahend.

A Parliamentary Breaker Ahead.
There are twonty.threc days remaining of
the present session of congress. The senate,
in which body the privilege Of debate is un-
limited, is still engaged on the tariff question.
Itappears to be the determination there of tho
friends Of tariff revision and tax reduction to
pass the house hill which it is now considering
with the amendments that may be agreed on.
Tho bill as it passed the house dealt only with
questions of internal revenue. Tho senate
has amended some of the provisonsin in the
house BILL and is further amending IL by add
ing an entire tariff system. The remainder of
this week, and perhaps a portion of the
next, in the senate will be occupied in this
work. 1t is keeping back the appropria-
tion bills, two of which-tho army and the
pension bills--have bocn reported, and are
on the senate calendar ready for action.
During the present week the appropriation
bills for the navy, the District of Columbia,
and the Notifications arc likely to be reported,
and behind these, and not yet acted upon in
the house, are the legislative, executive, and
judicial, the deficiency and the sundry civil
appropriation bills. Eight appropriation bills
and hrin bill would seem to furnish en-
ployment enough for twenty-thrcc days in
the senate but beyond all these 1t seems to
have escaped the general attention that there is
likely TO be n deadlock between the two houses
on II question of prerogative The senate, by
attaching tariff amendments to q revenue
bill from the house, which Us it passed that
body dealt exclusively with tho internal
revenue, revives an old struggle between the
two houses which has on two previous occa-
sons gone against the senate. The constitu-
tion provides that "all bills for raising reve-
nue. shal. originate in the house of representa-
tives; but the senate may propose or con-
cur with amendments ns on other bills"
The house is jealous of its prerogativo to
originate all revenue bills and tho senate is
disposed, when occasion arises, to exercise to
the fullest extent its power of amendment
A republican house, presided over by Speaker
Blaine, apd democratic house, presided over
by Speaker Randall, have each refused
to consider it in order for the sen.
/ ate under its power of amendment, to orig
inatc substantially new bill. When
the two houses disagree as to the meaning OF
this constitutional division of their power tC
inaugurate changes in the revenue system
there is no powe" to deciGe. A prominent
western republican member Of congress stated
in conversation on Saturday. that if the SEN
ate passes the house bill it is now consider
ing, with its proposed tariff system as al
amendment, the point of order will 90 made
as in the two cases above referred to. The
house will, in his opinion refuse to eithel
concur or non-coEcur with Tie tariff amend
mcnt, but will declare it not germane
otherwise than by ruling it out o
the domain of consideration as being on
of order. He says that he will himself rails,
the point, if it is not done by the chairman o.
some member of the committee on ways ant
means. The procedents established by botl
parties will have to be disregarded and tn
parliamentary law of the house reversed t.
secure any consideration Of the senate's tarii
proposition by the house in the manner pro
posed There is no senate bill under consid
Grafton but in each house house bill is beinI
considered If the senate returns tn
house bill with its tariff scheme adde
thereto the house could, if majorit
pleased, adopt it as an amendment to the tari
bill it is now considering. This would max
the whole matter new house bill, and
passed it would have to go to the senate fo
action Just as though that body had neve
seen it before. There isno probability of sue
action. Tho only course to be pursued is fc
the majority in the house to exhaust all pal
liamentary resources and expedents to 81
,qre tho passage, in as good Il form rs
attainab,o, of the bill of tho committe
on ways and means. The senate ca
then offer its scheme as an amendment to thi
bill. The house, having sent bill to regulat
customs as well as internal revenue, woul
not dispute the senate's right to prOpoi
amendments without limit. The disagree,
ments would then become the subjects of col
ference and result might be attained.
the house will pass its tariff bill first, as IL
majority can do if they will, the controvers
over the question of prcrogatiye can
avoided. If this is not done, there will be
very slight chance for any revision of I'll
tariff or any reduction of the taxes at tn
session.
Decciving II New York Correspondent.