The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-20
A RACE AFTER A BILL.
EDMUNDs TRIES TO HEAD OFF THE
EXCLUSION MEASURE.

Its Transmission to the Lower House
Ordered Withheld Chairman Bowen,
However, Rushes It over to the
House-The House Chairman In
cliEed to Give the Senate Chance.
WASHINGTON, Sept 19-In the Senate
today Mr.. Edmunds reported from the
committee on foreign relations the follow
ing order:
Ordered that the president of the Senate be
directed to withhold transmission to the House
hibit the coming of Chinese laborers to the
United States until further direction OF the
Senate.
He asked for its immediate consideration.
Mr.. Teller objected to its present considera-
ton, and the order went over till tomorrow.
Mr.. Vest inquired of the presiding officer
wart the result of non-action on the pro-
posed order would be, but no response was
made.
The resolution, however, has failed to
effect its purpose. The passage of the
measure was duly announced to the House,
when the motion to reconsider was de-
feated. The act was then enrolled, signed
by the speaker, and yesterday about D
o'clock was signed by the president of the
Senate.
JUST TOO LATE.
bills took it last night over to the House,
but that body had adjourned and there was
no one to receive it, SO it remained In the
custody of the senate committee over night,
and was actually in the possession of the
Senate when the resolution of the foreign
relations committee was reported. The
rules of the Senate at first reading seem to
provide that defeat of motion to recon-
slder shall be final disposition so far as the
iuric6 lotion of tha Sanatp ( pDncprnad of a
pending question, though upon this point
there is room for still greater difference OF
opinion.
ACTION OF THE CHAIRMAN.
Senator Bowen chairman of the Senate
committee on enrolled bills after careful
examination of the rule, held that the an
nouncement to the House of the passage of
the bill was virtual surrender of its custody,
and he took the responsibility of permitting
his clerk TO proceed in the discharge of his
duty as usual. Thereupon at l2:45 O'Clock
to-day the enrolled bill, duly signed and
ready for Transmission to the President was
delivered to the proper officers of the House.
HOW 1T CAME ABOUT.
The resolution was the outcome of a
lively discussion in the committee on for
eign relations this morning in which
Messrs. Sherman, Edmunds and Evarts,
who were in favor of recOnSidering the
passage of the Chinese bill, united VITA
Messrs. Morgan and Brown to take this
step toward checking the progress of the
bill OF course the Pacific coast senators
promptly warned by Mr.. Dolph Of
the foreign relations committee, objected
to the immediate consideration of
the resolution, thus throwing it over till
tomorrow. They then got Mr.. Bowen of
Colorado, chairman of the committee on
enrolled bills. who sympathizes with them,
to hurry the bill through to the House in
order to get it to tie President this after
noon, and so defeat Mr.. Edmunds' pur-
pose.
Mr.. Edmunds threatens to say some Sc
we're things aoout the haste with which Mr.
Bowen got the bill over to the House when
his resolution was pending.
HELD BY THE HOUSE.
The Chinese restriction bill seems to have
met with another obstacle. Representative
Kilgore. acting chairman of ths House com
mittee on enrolled bills, whose duty it will
be to carry the bill to the President, has
decided to hold it back as an act OF courtesy
to the Senate, to give an opportunity for
action on the resolution of the foreign
affairs committee.