Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-21
YET UNSIGNED.
AGGRAVATED CASE GF INNOCUOUs
DESUETUDE.
Democrats Fighting to Keep the Elk
clusion Bill from the President
Morrow and McKenna.
IsPncrAL DISPATCHES TO THE RpcoaD-urros.l

House to-day Morrow of California offered
a resolution reciting the passage of the
Chinese bill by the House and Senate. and
the signing of the enrolled bill by the pre-
siding officers of the two houses, its deliv-
cry to the Committee on Enrolled Bills,
and the fact that it is now in the possession
OF acting Chairman Kilgore. 1t further re-
cited report in the Washington Post that
the bill is being withheld from the Presi-
dent by the Committee on Enrolled Bills,
and declares that such action of the COM
mlttee is without authority of law. 1t di-
rects the Committee on Enrolled Bills to
transmit the bill to the President without
further delay.
Mcmillan of Tennessee raised the point
of order that the resolution did not present
a question of privilege. There was no al
legation of delay in the transmission of the
bill that was unreasonable or unusual.
Morrow said that he had been told by
Kilgore this morning that the bill was still
in his hands. If bill could be withheld for a
day it could be withheld for six months.
The unwritten rules of the House required
that bill should be delivered promptly to
the President.
Mcmillan said that when the gentleman
sought TO smirch colleague he ought to
have the law on his side Would the gen
tleman point to the rule which fixed apy
particular time within which bills should
be transmitted to the President?
Morrow replied that there was no written
law, but it was the unwritten one which
governed the orderly proceedings of a House
of this character.
Mcmillan remarked that the gentleman
admitted that no rule had been violated,
and the trouble was in the gentleman's
own mind, and the foundation of the
trouble had not existed twenty four hours
Morrow rapliad uahorn apf1u that ,oo,o
senting a constituency that was interested
in this question, he had a right to insist
that bills which had passed the House
should receive proper consideration and
proceed in an orderly way
Mcmillan suggested that the gentleman
was exercising tn at right now in arraign-
ing fellow-member for home consump-
ton. That was all there was in il. The
gentleman arraigned colleague for the
violation of a rule. and admitted that no
rule had been violated. In face of this the
gentleman said that he had represented
constituents. 1t must be presumed that he
was simply talking for home consump-
ton.
WAS the bill introduced for home con-
sumption ?" asked Rowell of Illinois,
II voted to restrict Chinese immigration
long before the gentleman from California
or the gentleman from Illinois were
thought of as members of Congress" said
Mcmillan.
McKenna of California-"Why were YOU
in such hurry the other day, and not to-
day? Why did you hasten to pass the
bill, and now do not want it to go to the
President? Was that tor home consump-
ton ?'
McMillan-''I will state that / have been
in hurry for long time to put proper
restriction upon Chinese immigration"
McKenna-"Keep it up, old fellow"
McMillan-"But there is no power on
earth-not even the loved ones left behind
that would induce me to do an injustice
to colleague for home consumption. Ger
tainly he said the smirching of officers of
the House and questioning the motives of
men on such state of facts as was shown
by the gentleman from California, was an
unheard or proceeding. He would with
hold any temptation he might have to
characterize the motive"
Payson said this bill is delayed, because
the President wants more than the consti-
tutional ten days. This is a part of the
same performance INDUCED in by the gen.
tleman from Pennsylvania (Scott), who
attempted in demagogicsl manner to make
some capital for himself and his party
Everybody understands it and let the
country understand it.
The Speaker in vain endeavored to rap
Payson to order, but finally managed to
say "The gentleman is out of order"
II ask pardon of the House." said Pay
son.
Mr.. McKenna again secured the floor
and continued his argument He dis
claimed any intention to reflect upon any
one, but when it was stated in the press
that bill was being withheld, he thought
that the House had a right to take notice
OF it. In all fairness To the Chairman Of
the Committee on Enrolled Bills he would
state that Morrow himself had gone TO Kill
gore this morning and told him that the
Edmunds resolution had been tabled, and
Morrow asked him abou. transmitting the
bill to the President. Kilgore said he
would do his duty in that regard. That
might or might not be an evasive answer.
Lest it might be an eyasiye answer, the
resolution had been offered.
Tom Reed made point, which provoked
great deal of laughter, By asking the Chair
what would be the proper way of bringing
case before the House where the officer of
this body had held back bill that the
President did not want
After further debate the Speaker pro
tenn. sustained the point of order. There
was no law or rule prescribing the manner
in which bill should be transmitted to the
President, but the practice had grown up of
intrusting that duty to. the Committee on
Enrolled Bills. One days delay was not
unusual. The average time it took for
bill to reach the President after having
been signed BY the presiding officers of the
Houses was three days. While sustaining
the point of order, he was not prepared to
say that if the resolution was again brought
up in few days be would rule that it was
not privileged.
SO the resolution was not received, and
the House adjourned.