Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-08

/ be allowed 10 determine inc lubuIt
course of the House III regard to this
matter.
At the conclusion Of one roll-call Mr.
Oates inquired whether the friends Of
the bill would permit three hours debate
upon it without condition.
In reply Mr.. Reed formulated Tho
proposition of the friends of the mea
sure. They were ready, he said, to grant
any time which might be required fol
| full and complete debate, desiring sim
ply that the previous question should be
considered as ordered, and n vote be
taken on the passage of the bill at some
definite time.
Mr.. Oates suggested that that was sub
stantially the same proposition which
had previously been offered.
Mr.. Reed admitted that it was sub
stantially the same, and said that he was
/ happy to state that the friends of the
bill had been perfectly willing to a rea
sonable thing from first to last
Mr.. Oates said that the gentlemen Oh
| the other side were conscious OF then
power to vote down every amendment
and pass a bill, leaving the opponents nc
opportunity TO compromise.
All legislation proceeded on the idea
of q compromise, and if he agreed that
the previous question should be ordered
on the bill in advance all the majority
would have to 90 would be to sit still and
vote down every amendment The ar
raDgement simply asked the opposition
to fix an hour when it was willing to
strike its colors and surrender.
Mr.. Reed replied that under the Con-
stitution the majority was competent to
decide what amendments it would adopt,
what amendments it would reject, what
bills it would pass, and what bills II
would refuse to pass. His proposition
simply exercised that constitutional
right. Under the Constitution legisla-
ton was the result of the action Of
the majority, and not the result Of the
yielding of one hundred and sixty
Fix members to sixy-two members on
a question which the House was per-
fectly competent 10 deal with. The ma
| iority were eager to allow any amount OF
debate and any number OF amendments.
If the amendments were adopted the
matter would 80 into conference II
not. the bill would pass as it stood, ana
pass by virtue OF having the majority OF
the representatives OF the people OF the
/ United States in favor of it. lie had
made his proposition, and it seemed that
the wayfaring man could comprehend 1t.
Mr.. Oates said that it was perfectly
clear that under the Constitution the
Houss had the right to make its rule Of
procedure. 1t had done so. Under
those rules the regular course was that
when the general debate ended IN Com.
mittee of the Whole the bill should
be read, paragraph by paragraph, foI
amendment and debate under the five
minute rule. When the consideration
of a bill was completed the majority
could report it to the House and the
previous question could be ordered upon
1t. Instead of proceeding thus, the gen
tleman required the opponents to agree
in advance that the previous question
should be ordered at particular time.
Mr.. Reed suggested that the majority
was endesvoring to proceed in regular
order. and had motion pending to go
into Committee of the Whole, but the
procedure was interrupted by the gen
| tleman and his friends. And again the
attempt to compromise having failed the
battle was resumed.
After another roll-call Mr.. Taylor pro
posed that the House go into Committee
Of the Whole, the general debate on the
direct tax bill TO be limited TO one hour,
but no limitation to be fixed upon the
debate under the fiye-minute rule.
Mr.. Oates said that he would make an
answer to that proposition IN an hour Oh
so.
Mr.. Taylor suggested that the gentle
man might have until morning to con
slider the proposition if he wished.
Mr.. Oates will let you know in
short time.
At 1:55, by unanimous consent, The
House took recess until ll;45 A. NJ
Monday, Notwithstanding the apparent
Willingness of the opponents OF the di
rect tax bill to accept MIR. Taylor's pro
position that the House go into Commit
tee of the Whole upon that measure
without any time being placed upon the
five minute debate and without any
agreement as to the definite time when
the preyious question shall be consid
cred as ordered. The parliamentary
status Of the bill remains unchanged as
on Wednesday last.
Mr.. Taylor made a motion to go into
Committee of the Whole without any
reference being made to the time OF or
dering the previous question:, aud 1t was
against this motion that the opponents
Of the bill proceeded to resort TO OBJ
structiye measures. Subsequently in the
various compromises submitted by Mr.,
Taylor there was always the stipulation
that the final vote ON the bill should be
taken at a specified time. To this stipu-
lation Mr. Oates and his followers uni
formly objected. While the proposition
now submitted, and which probably will
be accepted, does not contain this stipu-
lation, it practically brings the House
back to the situation 1t occupied when
Mr.. Taylor submitted his first motion.
A Eroaa.,ae In the Terminal Fight.
Especial telegram 10 the Dispatch.l
New YORK, April William Libbey,
r. w. Clark, and Isaac l.. Rice are pre-,
pairing a broadside for the Richmond
Terminal directors. Here Is the pre-
liminary shot;
To the Stockholders of tho Richmond
Terminal Company
The statement published under the
authority OF the Board OF Directors o.
the above company II the morning