The National tribune., 1888-05-31
TIE SITUATION IN CONGRESS.

and by the people, shall not perish from the EARTH
-s
THE SITUATION IN CONGRESS.
Step by step, in the face of adverse COM
binations, the cause of pension legislation
has been pushed. The contest is for posi-
ton. The House of Representatives will do
justice to the veterans If it has an opportu-
nifty Under the rules of the body few
members make the regulations, and pre-
scribe what shall be considered and what
shall be pigeon holed, and this presents the
paramount difficulty in securing anything
which those members do not want The
Speaker, the Chairman of the Invalid Pen
sions Committee, the Chairman of the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, and some of the
Committee on Rules, embracing no more than
six individuals, have reposed in them
power for obstruction almost invincible. 1t
is this combination, which has been work
ing all the session to push through the
Mills Bill and to suppress pension legisla-
ton, that we have been fighting week after
week.
A. review of the legislative condition of
the subject is important to a thorough
understanding Of the present situation.
For weeks Chairman Matson declined to
take up any of the general bills reposing in
his committee, and waited for action by the
Senate before he would move, despite the
fact that his committee had before it the
same bills that were pending in the Senate,
and equal authority over them. There was no
reason why the Grand Army Pension Bill,
for example, should not have been reported
by his committee and acted upon by the
House before the Senate passed it just as
well as after, except to kill time. Such
action was yainly urged by Maj. Morrill, and
other Members of the House Committee for
months.
In the absence of Chairman MatsOn, Maj.
Morrill, introduced a resolution in the House
providing for two days to be set apart in the
first week Of May for the consideration of
business from the Invalid Pensions Com
mittee. It was referred to the Invalid Pen
sions Committee, and ordered to be reported
favorably to the House Maj. Morrill, so re-
/ ported it and it went on the calendar
1t was the intention of the friends of the
resolution to take it off the calendar, and
ask the House to vote upon the proposition to
set apart this time whenever the Committee
should be called under the rules, The plan
was defeated by giving the Mills Bill the
right of way for the % days general debate,
during which the call of committees was
suspended, apparently not to be resumed, and
| the date named in the resolution was passed.
Maj. Morrill, then introduced another res
olutioD, asking its reference to the Com
mittee on Rules, calling for the fixing Of a
definite time by special order, for the same
purpose specified in his previous resolution.
Maj Mckinley started petition adj
dressed to the Committee on Rules asking
action upon this resolution. It was vigor-
ously circulated by Messrs. Sawyer, of New
York; La Follett- and Clark, Of Wisconsin,
and Maj. Morrill, himself, and was finally
lodged with Speaker Carlisle, as Chairman
Of the Committee on Rules, with over 100
names Of Members affixed to tia very I'M
usual number for such paper to bear.
In the meantime Col. Matson reported
his arrears bill, and Mr.. Johnston, of Indi-
ana, brought forward his resolution directed
to the Committee on Rules, asking time for
the consideration of this particular measure
The Mills party, which had so far com
pletely controlled the course of legislation
was seized with panic, and the Speaker, as
Chairman of the Committee on Rules, has not
ventured to make report since, for fear Of
amendments to any proposition brought out
that would give tactical advantage to the
friends of pension legislation, now on the
alert and ready for the long-desired oppor-
tunity to either secure legislation or com.
pei It's opponents to go on record against it
For four or five days the obstructionists
perspired in an attitude Of uncertainty, til
Saturday afternoon the Republicans of tn,
House held a caucus, which put the Mem
beers of that side Of the Chamber actively
into the fight as body.
The caucus passed the following resolu
tons unanimously:
Resolrcd That ii is the sense of this caucus tina
: the pending tariff bill be taken up and considere
in Committee Of the Whole, under the five-minut
rule in the usual way, section by section. AM
paragraph by paragraph
Eesolued, That ii IL the sense of this caucus tha
the House should make special order for Ia
consideration Of genera! pension legislation mt th
earliest day practicable, and that the Committe
on Rules be requested to report a resolution t
I that end such order TO be continuing order fror
? day to day until all general pension legislation O
the calendar shall be disposed Of
ReSolred. That it is The sense of this caucus th,
y | the Committee Rules should report a resolutio