The Portland daily press., 1885-12-18
XLlXth C0NGRESS=-=PIRST SESSION.
SENATE.

In the Senate today, John H. Mitchell the new
ly elected senator from Oregon, was sworn in.
Mr. Hoar from the committee ON privileges ana
elections, reported favorably bill to fix the day
for the meeting of electors for President and vice
President, and to provide for and regulate the
counting of the vote for President and Vice Pres
ident and the decision of questions arising there
from. Mr.. Hoar will call up the bill for action i'm
medatey after the disposal of the bill to regulate
the presidential succession. He also reported
bill fixing the salary of United States district
Judges. The bill went to the calendar
The Chair laid before the Senate Mr.. Buffers
resolution, calling for committee to inquire as 10
the alleged organization of the Territory of Dako-
ia into State, and the alleged election Of Unit
ed States Senator.
Mr.. Harrison did not think committee neces-
sary for that purpose. The efforts of Dakota, ne
sad were perfectly respectful to- the Unlteo
States. Its new constitution fully recognizes the
authority of the United States, and stayed the
hand of the new State organization until the new
constitution should be approved by Congress. For
six years the people of Dakota have been trying
to secure action by Congress looking to their ad-
mission. The Senatel had passed a bill for their
relief but the bill had not passed the other house:
Mr.. Butler inquired by what authority United
States Senators had been elected in Dakota.
Mr.. Harrison replied he could show that a sena-
tor had heretofore been elected under precisely
similar circumstances. Dakota had right to go
at least as far as Tennessee, California and Miell-
After further debate, the matter went over till
tomorrow, and the presidential succession bill
on it. In his speech he took the ground that the
succession provided for by the bill now before the
Senate was the only possible constitutional exer-
else of the very limited power accorded by the
Constitution to Congress. Mr.. Evarts spoke about
an hour and was listened to with the utmost at
Alter J few words ord % from I MI Edmands in reply
to Mr.. Eyarts, and differing from him as to "yery
limited power OF Congress, MT. Edmunds'
amendment was voted down-yeaS 81 nays 81,
The bill was then passed without division as re-
ported from the committee
The bill was thon put on its final passage, and
passed without division in the form reported from
the committee.
The Chair then laid before the Senate the bill
fixing the salary of United States district pdIges h1I
went into executive session and later adjourned
HOUSE.
In the House of Representatives to-day SIr.
Dbble of South Carolina, asked leave to introduce
joint resolution proposing constitutional
amendment. This amendment provides that in
case Of the removal from Office by death, resigna-
tion or constitutional inability, both of the Pres
dent and Vice President of the United States, the
Office of President shall devove upon second
Vice President who shall be voted for ON distinct
ballots at the same time and for the same term as
the President, BY electors appointed by the he
preside over the Senate in the absence OF the
Vice President, or in case the Office of President
shall devolve upon the Vice President.
Mr.. Randall Of Pennsylvania said that he had
like measure which he would like to go
with the proposition OF the gentleman from South
Carolina.
Mr. Tucker of Virginia saw no reason why these
measures should have any precedence and he OBJ
jected to their introduction.
The subject of the rules then came up for dis
cussion, Mr.. Morrison of Illinois, stating that he
would try toclose the general debate at o'clock
to-day.
Mr. Long of Massachusetts agreed with the gen
tlemen who demanded the largest parliamentary
REPRESENTATIVES,
he had been taught that liberty was OF no value
except as regulated by law, and that parliamen,
tary rghtS-were of no value except as regulated
by parliamentary rules. The simple question be-
fore the House was whether. having agreed that
reform measures were necessary to cure the eylls
under which it was suffering, it should go farther
and take from the appropriation committee tne
bills heretofore in its charge, and distribute them
among egh OF nne otner tne re
binations. He yielded to no member in his criti,
cism of the abuses under which the House had
been suffering, but he thought that they would be
remedied by SO amending the rules that every
committee of the House should have free ana
equal opportunity with every other committee 10
present business to the House, and have an
opinion of the majority of the House as to whether
their propositions should become law or not.
The gentleman from New York (Hiscockl yes
terday told the House that he had used the power
which existed in him as chairman OF the committee
on applications. No fairer or more honest man
was on the floor of the House, but if he would use
that power other chairmen would use 1t, and there
was danger in distributing this power among
eight or nine committees. 1t seemed to him the
House went far enough when IT secured the
rights of the majority and simply left the appro-
priation bills with the appropriation committee,
not because its members we're more compefent M sa
somewhere. In flying from evils It knew of the
House would probably fly to evils it knsw not Of;
face 1t was a very good thing to fill the reform
bucket, but not to fill it so full that 1t would slop
over
button of appropriation bills as did Mr. MeAdoo
of New Jersey, who followed him. The latter de-
that to that Committee which stood before the
doors of the treasury and resisted raids upon it
was to be attributed the fact that the Democratic
act Of that party When it had attained power to
disgrace the old guard at the treasury? Ihe
Democratic House was asked under the leader
ship of the gentleman from Maine lMr. Reed to
break down The appropriation committee, lie
was supremely suspicious whenhe saw the gentle
Commit com an NJ assault upon the appropriation com
mlttee when the Democrats were in power
Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania said he was q COLI
knew rather than fly to those he knew OF. But pa
tience and long experience had taught nm tnat no
rules majority could adopt would be worse than
those il was proposed to amend. Del1beratlon OF
the House was not the result OF distribution. Ihe
business was transacted by a very few men and
the mass of members of the House could learn
what had been done and why it had been done
after it had been done. This i'll had been borne
until it had become nsupportable, and the House
might be that the wisdom and honesty OF the
House was concentrated in a single committee
thereof but he did not believe it. 1t it were true
that but 10 men were needed to determine what
appropriations ought to be made and what Off
ces ought to be abolished under pleaOf economy,
what laws ought to be enacted or repealed why
not change the laws and save the pay OF the other
80 gentlemen? He earnestly denounced the
habit OF adopting riders as source OF more leglS-
lative meanness than any other cause.
Mr.. Lore of Delaware contended that the pre-
sent system of rules had resulted in throwing the
House into condition of legislative paralysis.
The debate was continued by Messrs. Hatch OF
Missouri and Burrows of Michigan in favor OF the
proposed distribution of the appropriation bills,
and by Messrs. CasWell of Wisconsin Phelps OF
New Jersey and Randall 4 Pennsylvania in OPP
position thereto,
The proposed revision was then read by clauses
for amendment.
Mr. Springer of Illinois offered an amendment
for the division of the committee on railways and
canais into two committees. Lost "a to 133.
Mr.. Springer made several attempts to abolish
committees which he deemed useless declaring
that some of them did no business except select
clerks but his efforts were unsuccessful.
Pending an effort on his part to abolish the com.
mttee on expenditures in the various depart
ments and to create one committee on expend-
lures of the executive department the House adj
journed.
BIG BLAZE.