The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-19
The American Copyright League Will Make
Determined Effort to Carry Their
Point with the Next Congress.
The Contest Between Mcdonald and
Gray for the Indiana SenatOrship.
Commissioner Blacks Ruling Concerning
Deserters-The Presidents Foreign Policy
General Washington News.
AN EMINENT FILIBUSTER.
An Effort Will Be Made to Put q Check
Upon Mr.. Randall


Upon Mr.. Randall.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Nov. I8.-The few member of
Congress who are here now have little to say
upon the subject of the proposed change in the
rules, whereby the power of Hon. Samuel j.
Randall, of Pennsylvania, is to be curtailed if
Speaker Carlisle again appoints him chairman
of the committee on appropriations. Samuel j.
Randall is very much bepuffed, and for some un-
known reason has secured the reputation of
great power of thought and searching insight
into questions relating to the tariff upon i'm
ports The truth is, that the yeriest tyro in po-
htlcal economy is about we'll posted upon the
tariff question as the Hon. Samuel j. Randall.
But Samuel j. has a peculiar constituency. He
is from Philadelphia, the headquarters of the
manufacturing districts of Pennsylvania, and, of
course, is high-tariff man. If Samuel j. were
Republican, he would be- perhaps, in the rear
rank, and would seldom be heard of; but because
he is high-tarf Democrat and the leader of
that unique wing of the party, he is regarded as
great man. In the Forty-eighth Congress he
distinguished himself principally by his ability
to block all legislation, notably the bankruptcy
bill. He did not do this by fair means,
but by the tactics known as fill
busterng AS flibuster Randall is an
eminent success. AS statesman ne is delu-
sion and snare. AS the chairman of the appro-
priations committee he has, of course welded
unlimited power as the appropriation bills have,
under the rules, the rlght-of way over all other
matters, except those coming from the commit
tee on ways and means, and what are known as
privileged questions. The secret of Mr.. Ran
dalls success lies in the fact that he has so ma
nipulated the bills before his committee as to
string them along throughout the entire session
of Congress, thereby preventing the considera-
tion of any other business. 1t seems to be the
general belief that, in spite of the opposition Of
Morrison and others to him. Mr.. Randall will
still be the chairman of the appropriations COM
mittee. 1t remains to be seen whether this
committee will have the same power in the next
Congress as it did in the last. There are yari-
Gus questions in connection with this which
makes it difficult to predict what the outcome
will be- The protectionist Democrats and
great many high protectionists in the Repub-
lican party will perhaps aid Mr.. Randall
in fighting off those who will attempt
to distribute the appropriation bills among the
various committees hoping thereby to prevent
any agitation of the tariff question. On the
other hand, there are great many of the very
best members of both parties who were so dis
gusted with the course of Mr. Randall in the last
Congress that they are determined to cut his
claws, even though they have to sacrifice some
thing to do it. Among these it is understood
that Mr.. Reed, of Maine, ex Governor Long of
Massachusetts, and Mr.. Hiscock, of New York,
are the most prominent. They are determined
that Randall shall not set his foot upon the
necks of every member of the House in the
manner in which he did before, and will vote for
any change in the rules rather than give him
sole control of the avenues of legislation. Reed
has said that unless the rules are changed before
work begins in the coming Congress, he will in
sist upon the enforcement of every one of them
If he does this they will certainly be amended.