New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-20
LEFT IN KILGORE'S HANDS
THE CHINESE MYSTERY THICKENs
MR.. SCOTS EXCLUSION BILL HANGING be
TWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH
rpr TELEGRAPH THE TRrBUSE.~

rBr TELEGRAPH THE TRrBUSE.~
Washington. Sept. l0.--Plot and counter-plot have
marked and M red the passage OF tho Chinese En-
c,usIop bill through The Senate. To-day double com.
plIcation arose in the situation. Tho motion 10 re-
consider the vote by which the bill passed the Senate
was defeated by a vote OF twcnty-one to twenty on
Monday Mr. Edmunds had just returned to wash
neon During the discussion OF the bill no had poem
absent from The city. On his return he TOOK Mr'
sberman's view of the and voted for reconsider
alton The motion to reconsider however, was lost
According TO the rules OF tho Senate, other motion
20 reconsider could bc entered except by unanimous
consent Apparently this settled the tate OF 'he o'ii
as far as Congress was concerned
Mr. Edmunds however, not satisfied This
morning when the Senate Committee on Foreign Re
latIons met TO discuss tho Retaliation bill Mr.. Ed
munds had that measure passed over to suDcommt-
tee and Immediately called up the Chinese question:
lie proposcd an order delaying indefinitely the trans
mission of the bill to the House. Ii would DO sent
there for the Speakers signature and, after the
presIdIng officer Of the Senate had signed 1t, back
again to the House Committee on Enrolled Bits,
which would transmit It TO tho President
Mr. sherman favored Mr. Edmunds's idea and tho
committee adopted It. Accordingly, when the senate
met Mr.. Edmunds, under instructions from the com
m,ttec presented an order delaying tho transmission
OF tho bill
Senator Teller objected to its consideration and
urdcr the rules 10 went over until
tomorrow. Then the Senator from Colorado
set about blocking Mr.. Edmunds's game HIS col
league Senator Bowen, Is chairman OF the Senate
Committee on Enrolled Bills. Tho Chinese Exclusion
bin had been through the hands Of the committee;
had gone TO the Speaker Of the House, who had
signed Il: had returned TO the Senate, where, on
Tuesday evening" 1t was signed by the President pro
tcmrorc Mr. ingalls,, and all that remained to be
done with It TO transmit IL to the Committee on
Enrolled Bills, ard through that committee 10 the
President
Within fifteen minutes after tho Introduction OF
Mr. Edmunds's resolution In the Senate, the bill was
travelling post haste from Senator Bowcns committee
room to the House wing Of the Capitol In fcw
minutes moro It had passed beyond the jurisdiction OF
the senate into the possession OF the House Committee
on Enrolled Bils Here new obstacle 10 us pas
sage interviewed The rules Of the House require
that the Committee Enrolled Bills shall forward
TO the President for his consideration bills which have
passcd both houses of Congress, but no time limit Is
placed on the fancy Of the committee In delivering
them. That is the sovenly way in which the laws
are made Tbs Committee on Enrolled Bills has
been know " hang up bills for three months Now
comes Representative Kilgorc OF Texas, acting chair
man OF the committee who, realizing inc AWKWARD
prcdcament Of the House, announces that IN cour-
csy to the Senate. he will hold back the bill from
the President.
And 50 the bin remains hanging between heaven
and earth. precedent rccted for the proposed ne
call Of the hll is the case OF a bill TO amend INC
postal laws introduced by M Vest and passed about
Six weeks ago This bill went 70 the President, OUT
before It signed Mr. Vest introduced a concur
rent resolution which passed by both houses re-
qucstng the return Of the bill The President re-
turned 1t, and motion to reconsider was entered IN
The senate The Ease of the Chinese bill Is different,
however In this case the question Of reconsidcfs-
ton has been passed upon. AS matters stand To-
night, Mr. kilgIre and fhc Democratic party In the
House, which he represents, are responsible for the
delay in this legislation. by holding back without,
warrant of law bill which has in due form passed
both houses and which on Its legislative record
should be in the Presidents hands now.