The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-17

early, but could. if had desired, held back
the legislative and sundry civil bills until way
into January, to force this House to vote on the
| internal revenue bill and the little tariff bill
"a little log rolling. suggested Mr.. Randall
Mr.. Hiscock-Yes, did it; grant that did
It, and say that the Record will show that l
distinctly declared my intention and purpose to
the country. 1t was done boldly. l don't think
should have had the power, but having had it,
exercised it, and | believe in this particular
case. it was wise legislation. Mr. Hiscock then
proceeded TO point out the dangers which at
tended the dumping of bills covering many mill
ions of dollars into the Senate in the last days of
! the session, when there WAS no time for consid-
| GRAFTON and discussion. These bills were pre-
sented to the President for mis- signature when
be had no opportunity to examine them, and
President would be sustained by the people if
he should withhold his signature under such
circumstances
Mr.. Hscock spoke with much earnestness,
and at the conclusion of his speech ne was APP
plarded and congratulated by his party col
leagues.
re was followed ~ ~ NJ. Holman, of Indiana,
! with All argument in Opposition to the abolition
OF the clause Of the new rule known as stne
Holman amendment which enables legislation
to be enerafted in appropriation bills if it is in
the interest of economy He went on to argue
that the Holman amendment" instead of
having been an evil, as had been contended by
its enemies had saved to the people many mill
ions of dollars While he admitted that the
river and harbor bills might appropriately be
gwen to committees having Jurisdiction of
these subjects. he argued that the other bills
could not be distributed without caus-
ing great confusion and disorder in the
methods of appropriation. Referring to the re-
mark made by Mr. Hiscock, that he was opposed
to any system of rules which would build up a
man, or set of men, into kings, Mr.. Holman
commented the fact that, when the gentle
man from New York was chairman of the COM
mittee appropriations, he had not attempted
to distribute the appropriation bills, and inquired
why he had not done so.
Mr.. Hiscock was not in the House, but Mr..
Cannon, of Illinois, replied that that had been
Republican Congress, and the Republicans had
not proposed to do any such foolish thing.
Mr.. Holman thought that the gentleman from
New York would hardly have given that answer,
though he could find attempt made by that
gentleman to dethrone himself. Under
the present rules, the interests of the 0O0 900
people who inhabited the country, so far as they
were affected by the laws, were in the hand of
fifteen members of this House, practically and
virtually. Other committees the great
ways and means committee, were subordinated
to the appropriations committee. For instance
the committee on judiciary, formerly powerful.
was to- day but humble grave, in which was
buried of the greatest legal talent of the
world. He had been much struck with the
statement made by the gentleman from New
York, that while chairman of the committee on
appropriations. he held back the appropriation
bills in order to force the passage of two tax
bills which he considered wise legislation The
gentleman had said that he had no power to do
this, and had exercised that power; but his Mr.
Homan's) opinion was that this power, however
fairly exercised, was a power which no man and
no set of men should exercise on this floor. With
all respect for the gentlemen who were voting for
a continuation of the power of the committee on
appropriations, he submitted that that power was
not only in antagonism but subversive of the
principles upon which not only this House but
all free institutions conducted. This con-
dtion of things ought not TO be perpetuated a
day longer. The House had been told that great
inconvenience would follow from any distribution
Conceding, for the sake of argument, that that
was true; concedng that inconvenience and en-
barrassment would ensue, and even that evils
would follow, he gave it as his deliberate judg-
ment that it would be better to submit to such
evils than to submit TO the domination of the
House by handful of its members He vigor
ously opposed the idea that the power should be
centralized even if it were, asked in
the interest of unity and harmony.
The founders of the government had built
upon another principle. Theirs had been a
grand conception-that of a representative de-
mocracy, and in the realization of this grand
conception there existed to day the American
governmental government wise and beneficent,
a government for which the past furnishes no
model, and which the future could never be able
to copy Other men might vote to continue the
power of the appropriation committee, but for
himself, his voice would be raised and his vote
cast to subvert rather than to perpetuate the
mschievous arrangement
Mr.. Blount, Of Georgia, thought that the real
issue had not yet been presented in the Senate.
This was old struggle which had gone on
through many Congresses. and was here again
to day. The members Of the committee
were urging their views with ex
aggerations which would not be accepted
by the House and other committees presenting
the grievances they suffered at the hands of the
committee on appropriations which would not
be justified by examination. He did not be-
eve that the remedy for the trouble lay in
either of the propositions before the House. The
proper remedy was to take away from the com
mttee on appropriations the power to put
single legislative proposition upon an appropria-
ton bill, and to deny the right to other commit
tees to legislation their bills.
The explanation of the power exercised by
the Senate over the House was to be
found in the fact that the appropriation bills
were not reported at an early hour in tie session.
Granting to the other committees the power to
secure action on their reports would have the
effect of preventing hasty action on important
legislative propositions, and would enable a
food of light to ba thrown over them. Referring
to Mr.. Hiscocks statement as to withholding
appropriation bills in order to force action upon
other measures. he commended that if that we're
true the distribution of the appropriation bills
would extend that power to nine committees of
the House, each of which would keep bill in its
pocket until the last hour.
The House adjourned until tomorrow.
Train Saved by a Ten-Year-Old Girl.
POTTSVILLE Pa Dec l6-The robbinp of nil