New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-10

masters or by q United States pilot. from the
renasrsd i is understood that the passage Of
this bill will be resisted BY the Southern ana
Western members who compose o majority oi
the committee. Another bill offered by MIR. Ding
iy authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to con
tract for the construction of Naval vessels by
private citizens who obligate themselves TO es,
tablish iron and steel shipyards In the Unted
States The benefits of the bill are to be ex-
tended not only to the owners OF private ship
yards already established, but also to such re-
spSnsbe Or & n as se w shnvards at
suitable points for the building OF vessels Tor INC
merchant marine. as well as Naval vessels. The
" free ship element in the committee is strong
and probably will be able to control the action OF
the committee
AN INCAPABLE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY.
HOW THREE HOURS WE'RE wAsTED-A COMMIrTEi
REscUEs IT'S REPORT.
WASHINGTON Jan. tSpecial-1le Democratic
majority in the House spent three unhappy hours
to-day at the expiration Of which it was thoroughly
dcmoralzed The trouble began when the Com
mittee on Accounts brought up its report making
assignments of session clerks 10 the several COM
mittees which are not provided with annual clerks
The law provides for only thirty-one clerks while
the number Of standing and sclcct commuters ntt
entitled to annual clerks is thirty In Other
words, the Committee on Accounts found itself
Z" long, on committees and short" on clerkships,
so to speak Chairman Shaw briefly explained
the self-evdcnt proposition that thirtyonc clerks
cannot be so appointed to furnish one to each of
thirty-eight committees, and then he demanded the
previous question. This brought the onc-armed
Hooker OF Mississippi and several other neg
lected chairmcn to their feet and the fun began.
The House refused to sustain Skaws demand for
the previous question and amendments were thrust
In from every quarter.
The Republicans were in good humor and read
lily sided with the Democratic faction rhci
wanted to defeat the report. After the majority
bad become divided and angry, Mr. Perkins. of
Kansas threw it into CONSERVATION by Offering
Substitute providing that each Representative
who is not chairman OF a committee snail nave a
clerk for the session at a salary of 81 90 per month.
This was momcntarily ruled out on point Of or
der An Arkansas Democratic economist moved
that session clerks of committees shall receive
only 81 90 per month instead of Sc per day, the
sun hcretoforo allowed OF course this PROPOSE
ton rejected by a large majority. MT: Per
kins then renewed his substitute in different
form and it was debated for some time. The
Democratic leaders were furious. -
Premier Mills vainly tried to quell the storm
and excited speeches were made by oates ana
Herbert of Alabama. Bount, of Georgia, and other
economists Colonel Herbert was especially
earnest in his warnings to the majority that the
country is on the eve of q Presidential election
and that the Democratic party must must
be kept on an even T., keel ,a and and
suffer shipwrecS William L, Scott supported the
applaud MS action. NJ Pcrlgin asserted that
~
him and remarked that he was hardly surprised TO
find Representatives from Georgia and some other
States who represented districts which r0lled less
that one-tenth that number OF votes. opposing inc
proposition. Having slch small constituencies 10
was to be supposed that the burden OF pond
cnce and Department business rested lightly on
them.
This thrust provoked some applause on the Re-
publican side and, of course. made the Demoera1S
more furious than ever. Finally Premier NILS
obtained the floor and moved TO recommit the re-
mort and substitute to the Committee on Accounts
In order to test the sincerely OF certain Democrats
who hold chairmanShipS, Mr.. johnson OF Indiana
Republican, moved to instruct the committee 70
bring bacl, its report with proviso making II I'M
lawful for any committee clerk TO do any work for
the chairman or any other member OF committee
except such as pertaincd to business OF the COM
mittec. Again the Democrats WINGED Dnt oh
yea and nay vote all the Democratic chalrmen
and all the other Democrats except q small handful
including Bourke Cochran. Felix Camnbcll Clifton
X breckenridge and Mr. Tilman Of SOuth-C arolina.
recorded themselves against Mr. Jehnston's motion
which was defeated by II To ! 81. Colonel Mills
motion to recommit without instructions was car
ricd bv n VOTE of l 81 TO J 90. And thus, nfter
three hours of anxiety and unhapplnGSs Dem
ocratic Committee Of a Democratic House sue
eecled in rcscuing its report from the clutches
of Republican minority and cseanine with II 10
the solitude of a basement committee room.
ANXIETY OF MR.. CARLISLES FRIENDS.
SOME FORMER REMARKS OF THE KENTuCKIAN
WHICH ARE PERTINENT TO THE PRESENT CON
TFsT.
WASHINGTON Jan fSpeciol.-Some OF
Speaker CarIisle's friends do not try to conceal
their anxiety on account of the contest for his
seat 1t was intimated by several Democrats to-
day that after careful examination the allegations
contained in the afidavits submitted by ThOebc's
counsel last Friday seem to be more serious than
was at first believed: and that unless Mr. Carlisle
can promptly furnish incontrovertible proof that
the election fairly conducted III accordance
with law in all the counties and That none oil the
returns were tempered with. Thoebc's demand for
a rcopcning of the case must be granted Indeed.
several Democrats inclined To 20 still further
and assert that Mr.. Carlisle cannot afford to ShlrI
the fullest and most thorough Investigation IL
is not forgotten that in the Myth Congress
special committee Of seven members was raised
and sent 10 Cincinnati to investigate the titles or
representatives Butterworth and Young to the
seats held by them respectively. That committee
was appointed account OF "a simple memorial
signed by john T. Follett. Alexander Long and
twenty other residents Of Cincinnati. John
c. Carlisle chairman of the special committee
which was fitted ont with clerk stenogrdpncr
and Deputy Scrgcant-at-Arms and clothed with
power to send for persons and papers.
The resolution 10 create the special committee
gave rise to long debate In the course OF The
discussion Mr. Keller raised question that inc
proposition to investigate the title Of Representa-
tivcs to their seats on the strength OF simple
petition or memorial was not IN accordance WIN
the statute which had provided how such lnvestl-
cations should be made. This drew from Mr.
Carlisle this question:
Do ! understand the gentleman 10 say ihai " -
incompetent for this House under that provision OF
the Constitution which authorizes il 10 judge oi the
elections. returns and qualifications of IL own menbefs.
to take cOgniI2n1e of this mailer. unless there are
regular contests by other persons claiming the
seals
Tn reply Mr. Keller denied that hr had taken
any such position. and again referred 10 the legs-
lation under which Congress had previously acted
in investigating election cases In conclusion he
said:
Now # is proposed, | suppose. If the gentleman
means AMT hing is questions. 10 override the law
and adopt met bod without first providing nov
law.
To this Mr. Carlisle replied:
mean TO say Just this that under the COnstitr-
ton of the United this House has the absolute
right and unconfrJvertiblc power at any time. and
under any circumstances to inquire Into aud 10 defer
mine The elections. returns aud qualifications OF It's
own members and that the Act Of Congress 10 which
the gentleman from Ohio alludes Is mere practice
act IL may tho expression. which preScribes the
ain hat iu