National Republican., 1885-12-17
still Talking on the Rules.

General debate on the proposed rules for
the House Of Representatives continues,
with little prospect Of an early conclusion.
In this, as in all other matters, the old evil
OF tirelcss talk is painfully apparent. The
tendency Of congressman to excessive in
diligence in speech-makingi a more serious
impediment to business than any Of the
abuses that were tolerated under the old
rules or will be eliminated from the new
edition.
1t is cheerfully conceded that no question
Of public interest should be decided until
both sides have had q fair hearing. All
arguments Of weight on both sides should
be clearly stated. But the custom in our
national House Of Representatives is for one
member after another to go over the same
ground In almost endless procession, each
stating the things that were stated by the
last speaker on his side, and each citing
about the same documentary evidence that
his predecessor cited.
il any reader Of the NATIONAL REPUDLI-
cAN has doubt on this point let him take
volume Of the Congressional Record
and turn TO some great debate, such,
for instance, rs that on the tariff dur
ing the first session Of the forty
eighth Congress. In two or three Of the
hundred or more Of speeches delivered, or
printed on leave, he will find all the points,
all the facts, about all the illustrations, and
quite all the conclusions contained in the
whole lot. A good newspaper condenser,
working them down 10 their actual worth,
would eliminate not less than % per cent.
Of the mass.
II is this everlasting flow Of talk that,
more than all other causes combined, makes
the needful work of Congress next TO i'm
possible of performance, and unless this
growing abuse can be checked IL will be
necessary for that body to continue In ses-
sion throughout the year, or have night
sessions "for debate only" from the begin
ming to the end of a session.
That the subject now before the House OF
Representatives is one Of great importance
is self-evident proposition, for not only
the character Of the work which the forty
ninth Congress will do, but the amount
Of almost indispensable business 1t will
leave undone, depends on the rules which
| it adopts as a result Of the present discus
sion.
There appears to be little opposition to
any Of the proposed reforms except that
which aims to facilitate the proper con
sideration and prompt disposal of the ap-
preparation bills. This is foolshly con-
strued into an attack on Mr.. Randall, for the
reason that he has, for some time, been
chairman Of the appropriations committee
and will probably be assigned to that post
of duty when the committees Of the present
House are made up.
We can see no necessity for considering
the proposition as an attack on any man oil
mark of dsrespect to any committee. It
appears that majority of the peoples rep
resentatives are convinced that, for the sake
Of wise economy in the expenditure Of pub
lie funds and greater expedition in doing
the work expected at their hands, the,
should take the course agreed upon by
Messrs. Morrison, Carlisle, Reed, and His
cock, and not the plan which suits Mr. Ran
dali.
The New York World, whose editor is
member Of the House, opposes the change
1t doubts the necessity Of removing ''suct
judicious safeguards as the wisdom Of Con
gress has thought proper to provide agains
inexpedient appropriations OF the public
moneys in order to protect the majority o.
the House in its natural rights"
II We understand the majority Of tn,
committee they propose greater "safe
guards than have heretofore existed
"against inexpedient appropriations, ant
for that reason mainly we favor the change
The custom has been for the chairman o
the subcommittee on each bill to make /
up, after consultation with department Off
cials, and his work has been, as a rule, per
functorily indorsed by the subcommitte
and the whole committee. Far greater car
and much more thorough work is expected
under the plan proposed. The men mos
likely to see where reforms and retrench
ments can be made will be In charge o
each bill. And, what is of the greatest i'm
portance, the mob legislation which ha
disgraced the last hours of almost ever
session for many years will be avoided b
having the work SO well advanced tina
there will be 30 occasion for reckless haste
The World appears to be enamored of tn
English method Of making appropriations
but our entire system of law-making 1
radically different from that Of the Englisl
so different that pertinent parallels can
not be drawn.
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