Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-07
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
THE DEADLOCK UNBROKEN.
Another Wasted Day in the House
An Attempt to Compromise Fails.

Aouse OF Representatives
The House met this morning at IL 80 in contin-
uation OF Wednesdays session.
CONFERENCE REPORT AGREED TO.
MI. Blanchard Qal, as question Of privilege.
presented the conference report on the House bill
authorizing the purchase OF lands needed IN the
work or improvement OF the Cumberland River,
Tennessee. This bill was amended In the Senate
SO as 70 make It general II its provisions, and 10
provide for the purchase or condemnation OF lands
or material whenever needed for river and harbor
Improvements The House conrerees accede TO
Ihe Senate amendment and so report The report
was agreed 10.
THE REGULAR ORDER.
Mr. E B. Taylor Ohio having demanded the
regular ORDER the Speaker stated that the pending
question was upon the motion OF Mr. Taylor, that
tne House resolve itself into committee OF the
whole on the direct-taX bill.
o motion for a recess until O'Clock, which was
supplemented by Mr.. Weaver Qowa) with motion
TO substitute O'Clock. and further supplemented
Dy Mr. Breckinridge (Ark.) with motion substl.
tuting 3 O'Clock.
NO SIGNS OF WEAKENING.
The nth day OF the contest was thereupon for
mally opened, without signs of weakening on
either side
PROPORTIONS FOR COMPROMISE.
At the conclusion OF one roll-cau Mr.. Oates
(Ala) inquired whether the friends OF the bill
would permit three hours debate upon 1t without
conditions
In reply Mr.. Reed (Me) formulated the propost.
tion OF the friends OF the measure. They were
ready, ne said, TO grant any time which might De
required Tor a full and complete debate, desiring
simply that the previous question should be con-
sidered as ordered ana a vote be taken on the
passage OF tine 6ill AZ some definite time.
the same proposition which had previously been
same. and said that he was happy TO state that
the friends OF the bill had be perfectly willing
to do the reasonable thing from the first 10 last.
side seT 10 ~ vote DOWN
every amendment and pass the bill, leaving the
opponents no opportunity to compromise. Al
legislation proceeded on the idea OF compromise,
and IL he agreed that the previous question should
be ordered on the bill In advance all the majority
would have to do would be TO SIT stih and vote
down every amendment. The arrangement
simply asked the opposition to Tx an hour when 1t
was willing to
STRIKE ITs CoLoRs AND SURRENDER.
Mr.. Reed replied that under the constitution the
majority was competent to decide what amend.
ments 1t would adopt, what amendments 1t would
reject; what bills 1t would pass and what bills 1t
would refuse to pass. His proposition simply eXer
cised that constitutional right Under the Consti-
tuition, legislation was the result or the action
or the majority and not the result OF the
yielding OF 166 members to 81 members
On question which the House was perfectly COM
petent to deal with The majority was eager TO
allow any amount OF debate and any number OF
amendments. II the amendments were adopted
the matter would 60 into conference, II not the bill
would pass as II stood, and would pass by virtue
pie OF the United states In favor or IT. He had
made MS proposition, and II seemed TO him that
'ns "ay,ang man c1utu compeenenH p1v IT. co tho,
unLer the Constitution the House had the right to
make its rules OF procedure. II had done 80. Un-
general deDAte ended in committee OF the whole
the bill should be read, paragraph by paragraph,
for amendment and debate under the rye-minute
rh0 .hafA tim f,F
was completed the majority could report II
TO the House. and the previous question could
be ordered upon It. Instead OF proceeding thus
the gentleman required the Opponents TO agree In
advance that the previous question should be
ordered at particular time.
Mr.. Reed suggested that the majority was en-
deayOr1ng to proceed in tine regular order and had
a motion penang to go into committee OF the
whole, but the procedure was Interrupted BY the
gentleman and his friends.
THE BATTLE REsrMED.
And again the attempt to compromise having
failed the battle was resumed.
After another roll-call Mr.. Taylor proposed that
the House go into committee OF the whole, general
debate ON the dtrect-tax bill to be limited TO one
hour, but no Limitation 10 be fixed upon the debate
under The 1ve-minute rule
Mr.. Oates said that he would make an answer 70
that proposition In an hour or SO.
Mr.. Taylor suggested that the gentleman might
have until Monday to consider the proposition. il
he wished to make motion for a recess until that
day.
THE PROSPECTS, BRIGHTEN FOR BREAK OF THE DEAD
LOCK.
Mr. Oates-I will let you know in a short time.
so although the compromise was not immedi-
ately agreed TO- the prospects are Frightening for
q temporary break OF the deadlock.
REcHss TILL MONDAY.
The House at rs took a recess until Monday
at 1:45.
The Constitution Centennial.
BRIEF HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE
TO-DAY.
The subcommittee OF the House foreign affairs
in charge OF the bill introduced by
General Hooker, providing for the celebration at
Washington, in 1889, Of the centennial OF the
United states Constitution, held meeting today
to hear an explanation OF the proposed plan for
the celebration ana to consider the bill. 1t was
late when the members got together, and as It was
House, an adjournment, subject TO the cali Of the
chairman. was taken before they had proceeded
General Hooker, the chairman; Governor Nc
Creary, and Mr.. Morrow, OF the subcommittee,
were present. Mr.. Anderson, Mr.. Money, Dr. Toner,
other Of nS OF ws
was read by the clerk, and after 1t the bill as
passed by the Senate. Gov. McCreary then moved
q more convenient time. II there were any chance
that the committee would be able to secure It's
special order Wednesday night the bin would ne
ceive action In committee before that time that
lt might then be got through the House; but the
prospects are W against any OF the special orders
The C0ntest Over the Direcs-Tax Bill.
4 CONFERENCE OF TEE OPPONENTS OF TIE BILL-A
RECESS TILL MONDAY AND CAUCUS TONIGHT.
Messra. Oates, BrecEinrtdge and other members
of the House, opposed to the drect-tax bill, had
short conference in the Speakers room this morn
ng touching the present deadlock in the House.
It is understood tnat the conclusion was reached
that the House should take q recess from some
lime to-day until Monday, maintaining the pres
ent parliamentary status OF the bill, and thai the
democratic caucus to be held tonight should be
allowed 70 determine the future course or the
House in regard 70 the matter.
The Standard Oh Company.
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE HOUSE coANI7TKR NvxsTT-
GATIN3 TRUSTS.
The House committee investigating trusts en-.
tered upon the investigation OF the Standard OIL
yesterday. The frst witness on the
stand was Henry Webster, of Bradford, Pa, con-
tractor for drilling oil-wells and member OF the
Drilers' Union. He said that there had been con-
tract among producers TO limit the production OF
ou 90 As TO keep up the price, and that q certain
amount OF OIL had been SET aside for the compensa-
ION OF laborers FOR the loss OF time owing 70 the
1tsconttnuance OF work. The Standard Oh Gu.
had set aside LOCO 900 barrels and the Producers'
Association the same amount The Drillers' Asso.
ctation was formed 20 as to get the benent OF this
reserve. Drilling, he said, was practically sus-
pended. The drillers got paid for not doing work.
BE could NOT say how much they were paid In all |
He individually had got thus far SO for which he
had done no work. A c0ntn1ct as above was read |
hIo 49,