The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-10
A Bill I> CONoHhss.

and achievements often gels 10 The ns'S'
because he does not know ho" a b'li goes
through the great mill Of legislation
+ In the first place he should know that
the American system differs from that oil
other republics ancient and modern IN
that the acts are drafted 10 committees
where both parties are represented !
whereas. in The British Parliament and
the French Assembly, for instance the
ms,ority or ministry draft TO acts. and
,hev are settled before the full assembly
and hence the superior interest that Eng
Nshmen take In reading their Parlismen'
tsry debates.
In Congress bill is presented, referred
IN committee. pigeon .holed or re-
norted. all the time al tie mercy OF the
Speaker and the chairman OF a
committee Unless unanimous consent
is cisen-aud this can only be obtained
by the courtesy Of the Speaker-bills
mus, be introduced on a Monday. The
States are called in alphabetical order,
members rise In turn and pass up their
measures. The call can be suspended at
any time by the House.
The Speaker can refer the bill to any
committee. and then 1t, may be pigeon
holed or considered according to the
relative power Of its friends and enemiea
The chairman can place II In the hands
of aav member Of his committee, and
after IL Is favorsbly considered that mem
her REPORTS II 10 the House when his
committee has So call
When a bin is reported 1t takes Its
place upon the calendar. 1t has now
reached It's second stage of existence. If
II carries an appropriation or iinkeis
with The revenues it must be considered
In committee Of the whole 1t may re-
main upon the calendar TO the end of the
second session without coming before
the House In regular order.
If it gets through both Houses the
long standing proportion Of risk in not
getting the Presidents Signature is I'm
mense. About one in two hundred get
through
When fayoEsbly reported and nailed
on The calandeT the difficulties Increase,
and one remedy is Tor its patrons 20 ask
the member who has the fioorto join him
In request TO the Speaker to give him
moment to ask unanimous consent TO
consider il.
Another chance is on suspension"
day the first and third Mondays OF each
month The first Is Tor individuals aud
the third Monday for committees.
On such days the Speaker usually rec
ognizes iouI members, II the iime
allows-two Democrats and Two Repub-
licas. The member recognized moves TO
suspend the rules and take up bill In
which be is interested Ii the motion is
backed by lwothirds vote The bin Is
taken up The recognitions, however,
except on days sci apart for committees,
are at the will Of the Speaker.
The green statesman generally finds
that the veterans are listed for "suspen'
sion" before he has the enterprise 10 get
In
Except On suspension days when after
the regular business, the unfinished bust
ness prevents, Tie Speaker calls The COM
mittees reports IN The order OF their pre-
cedence
If the bill passes within the hour, all
right II not II goes over 10 next day.
and then failing 10 pass, II goes over as
unfinished business, and cannot come /
up until every other committee has had
its turn.
The last loop hole is When the chair 4
man of the committee asks day or
more to bring up his bills. but the tyran
nicsl and merciless committee on rules
has To decide whether the request be /
granted of not II the chairman gets /
the day lac tries his bills, and, Of course, I
having a good many, he wilhdraws each
one that develops serious opposition and
gives another a chance
II the bill gets through the House 1t .
has TO encounter similar troubles in the I
Senate.
A smart stroke when an amendment is I
fired at 1t with view 10 asssssinat 1t, Is /
10 quietly accept the amendment which,
II not passed by the other House, puts the
bill In conference committee, aud If
that committee agrees on report with
out the amendment, the bill claims the
floor until a vote is reached.
This is only an outline of the tortuous
path of congressional legislation. To /
understand oil the by.ways and crooks,
and all the tricks that can be used In par
Elementary tactics, one must read llr
Wilson's Interesting little work. But
even thorough study OF that leaves one
at loss TO comprehend the labarynths
through which he peoples business has
to pass.
The New York World publishes a
large number Of interviews TO show why