The Republican journal., 1885-12-31
The Debate on the House Rules.

| HON. S. l.. MILLIKEN'S FIVE MINUTES SPEECH
| From the Congressional Record
Mr.. Milliken. I now call up the amendment
which have sent to the desk to be inserted as
an additional clause to be known as clause sc
of Rule NJ
| The Clerk read as follows:
| "lt shall be the duty of the committee having
| jurisdiction of the general appropriation bills
on or before the 1st day of March in the long
or on or before the 1st day of February in the
short session of Congress, to report the general
appropriation bills"
Mr.. Miiken. Mr.. Speaker, desire to say
but a word in explanation Of my purpose in
introducing this amendment / suppose that
every member of this House has, among 3;
thousand others, two purposes in view, one tc
have an opportunity to call up such legislation
| as he believes to be necessary, and another. the
opportunity to understand the legislation upon
what he is voting. Now, will not discuss the
question of the use that has been made by the
Committee on Appropriations of its power in
the past: That has been all pretty well gone
over. My friend upon my right Mr.. Mckin-
leyl whom do not now see in his seat stated
short time ago that one of the greatest abuse
was the power III the hands of the Appropri-
alton Committee to legi>late. That | a.
knowledge. But, Mr. Speaker, one of its other
Sltdt hDuStN - llN pow ct 10 O>Iftlcl lP3lNtiD
by Withholding the bills upon appropriations I'd
the end Of the session, and then use them as Il
club TO knock out the propositions and meas
uftS OF every other committee that may come
up before the House or the country dcmund,
the passage OF. desire, sir, that there hall be
some time i'll the session. some period when
these appropriation bills shall have been pass
ed, when we will have an opportunity of lis
cusSing other matters of legislation without tho
power on the part Of the Committee ON Appro-
prlafIon>. or amy other committee that has the
rlght of way iii the House, Of putting its gar-
rute around our ncck> and choking Us of.
There is another purpose in view as stated,
and that is that the members of the House
should have one opportunity to understand the
legislation that we are called to vote upon.
These supply bills are great bills; they are mat
tiers Of great consequence. | do not think that
the Committee on Appropriations in their dis
cuS>ionS in the House have belittled their con-
sequence in that respect. But it is a matter of
great Importance to every member Of the House
to be able to understand the bills before he
votes upon them. But as a rule they do MOI
come here until toward the close Of the session,
too late for consideration.
Mr.. ili>cock. Will the gentleman from Maine
yield 10 me for Il suggestion: Nil he accept
an amendment TO his proposition that they Shall
report the bills within thirty days after the
general estimates are submitted to them:
Mr.. Mllllken. | have no objection to that. !
only desire to fix some period when they shall
come in.
But word sir, further I ask gentlemen.
what opportunity did we have in the Forty
eighth Congress to understand these matters =?
Why, the smdrl civil bill came into II is House
almost at the end OF the session, 50 tAtt there
was not time even to read it, 1t WasA passed
through the House under Il SUSPENSION of the
rules Just as a mother would make Il 10y shut
his eye. and open his mouth to take phy>c
and nobody except Cod himself, and possibly