National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-12-05


would increase the Importance aud dignity
Ct the several committees named. aud still
leave The committee on appropriations n
great and important committee. IL the
House, tftcr full debate and consideration
Of the subject, should adhere to its present
rule and practice, and place general legls-
laticn upon appropriation bills, IL Is certain
that such legislation would be more care
fully considered aud matured, II the bills
were so distributed, than is possible IN the
present "ovcrloacCdN condition OF the com
mite on appropriations, besides securing
their earlier report TO and disposition Of By
the House. The principal objection made
thus far TO the distribution of certain OF the
appropriation bills, is that expenditures
would be increased In certain departments,
lnd the river and barber bill Is cited as an
illustration Of what might be expected to
follow such distribution. There is no force
in the argument, for two reasons First, the
river and harhor hill Is not one OF the
general appropriation BILLS; and, second,
the responsibility for the passage OF largo
river and hnrbor bill is precisely the same
as for the passage Of large sundry civil
bill, l. e., with the House collectively and
upon each member individually, on his per-
s0nal responsibility as q representative.
Another reform would be the reorganlza-
tion Of the committees by the consolidation
general appropriation bills should be dis
tributed as suggested, the committees on
naval and Indian affairs might properly be
increased so MS to correspond with the com
mittees on military aud foreign affairs. The
committees on coinage, weights, and meas
urcs and the public lnnds--both important
commlttees-might also be increased to
thirteen, thus securing greater uniformity
Of membership.
A strong argument in favor Of the pro-
posed distribution Of the general appropria-
ton bills Is that while, under the present
system, knowledge OF their details Is con-
fined to fifteen members, II would then be
difIused, so TO speak, among over one hun
dred members, thus enabling them 10 be-
come letter acquainted with tho practical
workings of the machinery OF government.
Another remedy Is to secure the daily
consideration Of the House calendar when
tariff and general appropriation bills are
not pressed. These two reforms would
alone save days, and even weeks In n long
session, which are wasted In struggles for
precedence OF business and on questions OF
order and appeals thercfrom, ON which de-
bate Is held to be unlimited, at least In
committees Of the whole. Another would
he to call the committees In order after the
morning hour always giving preference to
tariff aud general appropriation blls) each
day, assigning each committee one day for
the consideration OF any public business IL
has reported which may be on either the
union or House calendar.
Another reform of q most beneficial char
acter would be the prohibition OF the refer
ence Of any private bill--exeept by two
thirds vote-to any other committee than
those having legitimate Jurisdiction of prl-
vate claims, such us claims, war claims,
invalid pensions, patents, and private land
claims.
This would give members of the other
committees greater opportunities for the
examination and consideration of questions
Of great public Importance, such as the
revenue, tariff, banking, coinage, judicial,
and, in fact, all the other great questions
touching the proper administration of pub
lie affairs. The relief II would give In other
repects, especially in combining committees
to their legitimate Jurisdiction, Is too obvi-
Gus to be recapitulated.
Another remedy would be to secure the
consideration of Senate bills-public--es-
pecially those favorably reported by House
committees. Another would be TO require
conference reports to lie over one day, thus
enabling membersto see them In the Record
before voting thereon. Another would be
clause requiring the apl ointment by the
speaker at the commencement Of Con-
gress Of permanent chairman of the com
mittee Of the whole House on the state of
the Union, and also one for the committee
Of the whole. This would secure uniform
rulings and decisions, and in every respect
would be desirable reform.
Another reform would be the adoption
Of clause to the rule regulating debate
which would prevent the 'farmiDgn or
parceling ont time among several members
by the member in charge of the measure
under consideration. This practice-known
as ''yielding the floor for five minutes''-
not only nnlliiles the rule which provides
that "tbc speaker shall name the member
who is to speak, but is undemocratic and
undigniiled.
There is too little debate now in the
House of Representatives on public ques-
lions, and any amendment which tends to
enlarge it should be welcomed. III 1t
should result in less legislation It is
morally certain that It would be better
legislation.
Another salutary reform would be an
amendment that would prevent "oall of
the House" from degenerating into modi-
fed form Of opera bouffe.
Another remedy in the way of general
parliamentary reform that would affect
both Houses of Congress would be to
change the time for the meeting of Con-
gress from the first Monday in December
to the 4th OF March, the day on which the
term begins for which the Congress is
elected.
Congress is elected for n term OF two
years, and yet, under existing law, period
of nine months must expire without any Or
ganization of the legislative department Of
the government. 1t consists, therefore, for
more than one-third of its time OF number
Of persons elected to be representatives of
the legislative power of the country, but
who are powerless to meet, even for the
purpose Of organization, so that the powers
Of the government with which they are to
be invested cannot be exercised unless they
shall be called together in "extraordinary
session. at the pleasure of the President.
In other words, there is an interregnum ex-
tending over one-third of the congressional
term each succeeding TWO years.
Aside from the fact that 1t would add one
more link to the chain Of presidential sue
cession is the important consideration that
an organization would be effected, the
standing committees appointed, and, in
the event Of the failure OF any general APP
preparation bill, or Of other important legis-
lation, Congress would be prepared to con-
slider and supply such omission. 1t is not
likely that this first session would extend
beyond thirty days, and this, with change
making the third, or short session, convene
on the second Monday In November, would
shorten the second, or long session, which
"dog days." and would thus more evenly
distribute the work Of Congress.
Another necessary reform is the adop-
ton Of joint rules. There has been DIS
agreement between the two houses as to
the joint rules since the forty-fourth Con-
gross, when the Senate readopted all the old
rules save the twenty-second, relating to
counting the electoral vote, and though
both houses have practically observed them,
the Senate decided, on the 18th OF August,
1876, that they were no longer In force, by
reason Of the failure Of the House to pass
the Senate resolution.
And finally, the suggestion of Speaker
Carlisle, as to relieving Congress from the
consideration Of the great mass Of local or
private business that occupies so much of
its time fruitlessly year after year, should
BIO made effective so far as the House can
do. Aside from the denial of Justice to
hundreds, II not thousands, of worthy
claimants the time consumed prevents the