The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-09
HOW LAWS ARE MADE.
HOW BILLS ARE ORIGINATED,
KILLED AND PASSED.

| are He1errou TO committees.
! New York, Dec, S.-Those who thinE
that a congressman can shove bill through
both houses by simply applying his shoulder
to the wheel of legislation are much mis-
taken. 1t is a job Of infinite difficulty
| Not one in 200 passes both houses, and i.
signed by the President. 1t requires ripe
practical experience to steer a bill through
the tortuous channels of congressional leg
islation. Not one new member in 800 car
do it, The more brilliant he is, the
| greater his chances OF failure. A
| pilot like Timothy j. Campbell is worth
far more than one like George William
| Curtis. The first is practical; the second
theoretical. Campbell knows every hidden
| rock, each sandbar, and oil the varying car
rents of legislation. He will warp his ship
| and take ia sail when necessary, and new er
| fail to cast anchor at the critical moment.
| He has driven many a bill through congress
when it would have been stranded in com
mittee with Curtis Mt the wheel. To Illus
trate the dangers of legislative navigation,
you have only to trace the course of IA bill
from its beginning to its end.
Most bills are drawn up by lawyers. A
few constituents, however, write a con.
gresham detailing what they want, and
leave tho framing of their bills TO him.
There are blank forms for the work in the
stationery room. An economic House
taxes the congressman cents for each
blank. Unless unanimous consent is given,
aud this can only he obtained by the
courtesy Of the speaker, bills must he in-
troduced on a Monday. The states are
called in alphabetical order, and members
arise in turn aud IS up their meas res.
The call can be suspended at any time by
the House.
After its Introduction tho bill is Temporal
rily at the mercy of the speaker. He refers
it to whatever committee he thinks proper.
At times the members demur to the refer
ence, and even appeal to the House. Occas-
ioually, however, bills land in strange
places. Through accident or design a
Judiciary bill may land in the committee
on acoustics and ventilation or in any other
committee. 1t requires tho unanimous
consent Of the House to shift IL to its appro-
pirate place.
Once in n committee bill enters its first
stage in life. Unless one Of the committee
takes a special interest in it, it may lilo dor
mant throughout the session. The chair
man can exercise n baleful influence He
may refer it to a subcommittee Of its
enemies, and without more ado it may be
strangled. Even If it passes the sub-com-
mittee, its fate in full committee
Is problematical. Rarely is there full
attendance at its meetings. They are
usually held at 10 n m, aud die
at noon, when the House is called to
order. This 6uctuation in attendance fre-
quently gives chairman power to kill
bill. He may advance or delay it. II he
desires to have it pass, and the lines in COM
mittee arc nearly aud securely drawn he
forces it to vote when its friends are in
the majority. If he wants it killed, he
waits until they are in minority. Meas
uros Of national importance are frequently
squeched in this way, The shipping bounty
bill is probably case in point Speaker Car
Isle has hAn charged by the editor of the
American ShippiHg Gazette with packing
n committee against it. However this may
be, certain II is that one member, dis
gruntied at the speakers appointment, has
never attended a meeting Of the committee.
His absence left il tie on tho important
question Of bounties for American-buit
ships. More than once, owing to the absence
OF an opponent, were the friends OF
tho measure in a majority. The bill
remained untouched. IL was finally
throttled in the absence of one OF
its friends, who went to Wisconsin TO look
after his fences. Al the same time, and by
the same vote, the committee launched n
free ship bill. This was about six months
ago Mark the sequel. In neither
case has the report been made to the douse.
Tho effect upon tho election was apparently
discounted by withhold & the reports. lt
Is evident that the committees at times are
as free TO defeat the sill Of ths House as to
carry 1t out. But for the absence of the
Wisconsin member no report adverse TO the
shipping bounty bill would have been Or
dered, and there would have been no report
favoring the free ship bill.
So much for the consideration of bills In
committee. The power there is frequently
almost arbitrary. Even the action Of COM
mittee may virtually be uullihed by the
member selected TO make the report TO the
House. He may spring 1t into the House at
an untoward moment or be may delay It
until il is too late In tho session 10 secure
action. Tuere are other hlndrances, unless
a committee is privileged. The privileged
committees can make a report at any time
They include those on ways and means. on
approprla lous, on rules, on printing, and
on enrolled bills. All others report Oh
Tuesdays. The speaker calls them in ihslr
ratio Of importance. The call cn 10
passed over or Suspended at any tia0 bJ
order Of the House.
When bill is reported 1t takes its place
upon the calendar. IL has now reached its
second Stage Of existence. IL il carrie5 nm
appropriation or tiukers with ths rev1uu 3
IL must be considered in committee OF the
whole. IL may remain upon the calendar
TO the end Of the second session without
coming petOre the House IN regular order.
Members in the good graces OF the speaker
may secure recognition and ask unanimous
consent to consider 10. Someone, however,
is sure 10 object, unless the bill Is either Of
tho utmost insignifcance or Of vital import
anco % tho country. If IL makes an ap-
preparation, half dozen watchdog
stand ready TO pounce upon it.
Another chance for It's consideration Is }
what is known as suspension day. This
occurs on the first and third Monday ini
each month. The first Monday rests with
individuals. and the third Monday WIN
commit tees. The last six days OF tile short
session are also suspension days. OI sueI
days the speaker usually recognizes four
members. II tho time allows-two demo-
Gratis and two republicans. The member
recognized moves suspend the rules AMI
take up bill in which he is INTEREST,". X
tho motion is backed by two-third vole tho
bill is taken up. The recognitions, how yer,
except on days set apart for cJmmittso
are at the viii OF the speaker As so n8
the House Is organized experienced mem
bers rusn TO his desk and put cir ma Ne
on he suspension list. They are tnkel
down by a clerk in the order Of appllcation.
New members rarely get the tip Il tHeg
do get IL, II seems that they more rar NJ
get the recognition. The list Is suppa-e toi
he Of some service to tho,e whose names
appear upon 1t. Members periodically muir
muir and grumble over IL. II appears b. be
an indefinite q iantity in legislation. " it
confers any special privileges, the old mein-
berg IIauailU I'D 81.