The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-08
TANGLE HARD TO UNITE
,uH HOUSE TAKES A RECESS WITH
PEACE IN PROSPECT.

Which Apparently Finds Favor
With the Members-Several Efforts
to compromise Made During the
Dav Frustrated by Mr.. Reed.
WsHrYGToN, April THE House met
his morning at II 80 o'clock in continuation
f Wednesdays session.
Mr. Blanchard, of Louisiana, as a ques-
hon Of privilege, presented the conference
[enort ON the House bill authorizing the
Inrcbase of lands needed in the work of the
mnroyement of Cumberland river, Tennes-
see. This bill was amended in the Senate
o as to make it general in its provisions
md TO provide for the purchase or con-
emnation of lands or material whenever
eeded for river and harbor improvements.
be House cCnferees accede to the Senate
nendments and so report The report was
greed to.
E. B. Taylor, of Ohio, having demanded
be regular order, the Speaker stated that
be pending question was upon the motion
ii Mr.. Taylor, that the House resolve into
mmittee of the whole on the direct tax
ls
Mr.. Oates, of Alabama, was on hand
With a motion for a recess till 5 o'clock,
which was supplemented by MIR. Weaver,
Iowa, to substitute 4 o'clock, and was
nll further supplemented by Mr.. Breckin-
fdge substituting o'clock The fifth day
hi the contest was, therefore, formally
bpened without signs of weakening on
ther side.
AN ATTEMPT TO COMPROMISE.
At the conclusion of one roll call Mr..
Dates inquired whether the friends of the
bill would permit three hours debate upon
ID without condition.
In reply Mr. Reed formulated the propo-
&ition of the friends of the measure. They
were ready, he said, to grant any time
(Which might be required for full and COM
/ Ilete debate, desiring simply that the previ-
bus question should be considered as ordered
Ind a vote be taken on the passage of the
bill at some definite time.
4 Mr.. Oates suggested that that was sub
ktantially the same proposition which had
4rviously been offered.
Al Mr. Reed admitted that it was substan-
4iay the same, and said that he was happy
"a state that the friends of the bill had been
3erfectly willing to do the reasonable thing
Rom first to last
ADEAD OPEN AND SHUT.
u Mr. Oates said that the gentlemen on the
3ther side were conscious of their power to
Fote down every amendment and pass the
bill, leaving its opponents no opportunity
b compromise. All legislation proceeded
n the idea of a compromise, and if he
greed that the previous question should be
rdered on the bill in advance, all the ma
3ority would have to do would be to sit still
nd vote down every amendment.
Mr. Reed replied that under the constitu-
on the ma jority was competent to decide
That amendments it would adopt, what
3mendments it would reject, what bills it
Eould pass. and what bills it would refuse
pass His proposition simply exercised
bat constitutional right.
RIDING ROUGH sHOD.
Under the constitution, legislation was
be result of the majority, and not the result,
the yielding of 1866 members to sixty-two
nembers on a question which the House was
Perfectly competent to deal with. The
hajority was eager to allow any amount of
ebate and any number of amendments
the amendments were adopted the mat
FER would go into conference, if not, the bill
fould pass as it stood, and would
PASS by virtue of having majority of the
REPRESENTATIVES, of the people of the United
ktates in favor of it. He had made his
opposition, and it seemed to him that the
kayfaring man could comprehend it.
Mr.. Oates said that it was perfectly clear
hat under the constitution the House had a
ght to make its rule of procedure. II had
one so.
THE REGULAR COURSE.
Under those rules the regular course was
hat when the general debate ended in com
Glttee Of the whole, a bill should be read,
Paragraph by paragraph, for amendment
nd debate under the five minute rule.
hen consideration of a bill was completed
ne majority could report it to the House
md the previous question could be ordered
l Inst Of =,
enteman required his opponents to agree
advance that the previous question should
ordered at a particular time.
Mr.. Reed suggested that the ma iOrity was
ndeavoring to proceed in the regular order
nd bad a motion pending to go into COM
hlttee of the whole, but procedure was in
rrupted by the gentlemnn and his friends.
he attempt to compromise having failed,
Pc battle was resumed.
Mr.. TAYLoR's PROPOSITION.
After another roll call Mr. Taylor pro-
oSed that the House go into committee of
Pc whole, the general debate on the dii ect
x bill to be limited to one hour, but no
imitation to be fixed upon the debate under
% five minute rule.
Mr.. Oates said that he would make an
hSwer to that proposition in an hour or
Mr.. Taylor suggested that the gentleman
snU nave until morning to consider the
roposltlon if he wished to make a motion
pr a recess until that day.
Mr.. Oates-I will let you know in short
line.
A RECESS TILL MONDAY.
AT l;55 o'clock, by unanimous consent,
e House took a recess until II As o'clock
onday morning. Notwithstanding the
pparent willingness of the opponents of
le direct tax bill to accept Mr.. Taylor's
opposition that the House go into commit
fe Of the whole upon that measure without
~ limitation being placed upon the five
mute debate, and without any agreement
to the definite time when the
ReYious question shall be considered
ordered, the parliamentary status
the b remains unchanged. On Wednes-
Hiy last Mr. Taylor made motion to go
70 committee of the whole, without any
lerence being made to the time of order
y 'he previous question, and it was against
Is motion that the opponents of the bill
"a Vc' e led TO resort to obstructive measures
in various compromises sub
itted by Mr. Taylor there was always the
IA puIttOn that the final vote on the bill
oud be taken at a specified time. To this
puatlon Mr.. Oates and his followers
liormly objected While the PROPOSITION
w submitted, and which probably will be
cepted, does not contain this stipulation,
practically brings the House back to the
tuatlon it occupied when Mr.. Taylor sub