New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-09
NEW RULES FOR THE HOUSE
A CODE PROBABLY TO BE PRESENTED NEXT
WEEK BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES
To EMBoDY THE RULES OF THE LAST CONGRESS
WITH SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS
M AIOUI II = iO-N-'
Icy TELEGKAPH TO 1HE TRIBCSE.I

tBY TELEGKAPH 1HE TRIBUSEI
Washington, jan st is probable that the House
Committee Rules will be ready to report early next
week code Of rules to the proceedings of that
body. The report IT is expected, will embod the rules
of the last House. with substantial amendments
and notifications designed to facilitate the transaction
of the public business. While the committee has not,
as vet held any formal meeting to consider the sub
ject the changes suggested have been Informally dis
cllssed by the members and there IS some reason To
believe that some of the amendments at least VIII
receive the support Of the minority OF the committee ID
well a, Of many conservative Democrats in the House.
Who in the last Congress had reason 70 become thor-
ougby Disguised with the code of rules then i'm force
The report probably will be a surprise - cAPitnier
Mil, and other fiery MISUNDERSTANDING th' h'ii-
ent McAdoO. that gallant champion OF cohsIioI'hh
liberty who wants the Democrat, 10 stand together a.
one man. until the end Of the session 10 defence oil 'e
right Of the minority 10 obstruct the public bn-iue''
There are several ways in which time may be aaNeH
and cuisines, expedited without "throtihg tho
minority For example. under the old rules about
ono half Of every Monday, session Wa occupsH lN
calling the roll Of state, for The introduction OF b'
the titles OF which read by the Cerlt-a process
a, tcdi0u, a, IL unnecessary, beca''c u" u'Ie'
were incorporated 300 the journal and read at 10"
l.crning Of the nest day, session. If all bills should
ho handed 10 the speaker and referred by him 10 the
appropratc committees much time would he sa\cd IT,
ihe first instance and upon the reading Of tine lourhl
cu the following fiy. erroneous references II any,
could be corrected. Til, reform would save t"p op
three hour, on each suspension Monday WHICH
come twice a month"; ard tie sane amount OF I'm;
ON each Of the two Monday, Of every month WHICH
are allotted to the consideration of District Of COLUMBIA
business. In the last Congress the doln@ OF any
bl-nc-, on suspension Monday wa almost il"
possible. Any member might demand the reading oil
auy and every bill offered, and on more thah one
occasion the old files were ran,ached for voluminois
and slta road
I'm th, WAY single statesman like Weaver Of Iowa.
frequently blocked the public business which three
fourth, Of the members desired 10 transact.
Under the old rule there were two morning
hours one Of which devoted 10 receiving re-
port, Of committee, and tho other TO the coi''eI"
ton OF business on the calendar In tI"t Hour c''H
committee in rotation. entitled T. call mp LOT
action any measure reported BY it. bat If the -ame
, not disposed If at the expiration of sixty minutes
II would not be again considered in morning hour
until after all other committees had received h'
privilege The result of the dual morning hour was
lr-t To- make = biz calendar IF bills when never
were acted upon and. IN the second place. virtually
o waste sixty minutes more because u wae l"p"'
,ibc 10 get through with any business to which slN
| member, or less opposed.
II both these morning hoi!rs should b' aooI~he'
aud Il morning hour substituted IN when com
m.ttoc m -lt bring mp measure with the power
I If sustained by q majority of the House. a. press u
! minute, should be exhausted. the business would De-
Greatly facilitated Provisions might be made 50
! that any member Of the House, At the expiration
/ NJ sixty minutes. might move that the House resolve
itself INTO Committee Of the Whole on tine -i'te oil
/ the Union. That. Of course. would leave the N'F
| on th. measure in TIE hands Of the majority oil the
House. Under the former practice. business ON the
sneaker, table" either accumulated Wa referred
To committees without action. except 10y uuhn'''''
consent. II thus happened that many House bills WIN
! senate amendments, and many senate DIS WIG"
wer. Identical with House bill, favoraby reported 10y
committees. were sent 10 the tomb Of the 'ap".e'>.
| II provisions were made that any member Should
/ have the right to demand vote ON bills be
| lon-n. to either class many mertorou- measures
/ which have been hitherto buried would become Law
and the calendars Of committees. a, well a. ot the
/ House would be- benefited
one of the reforms needed in the mode Of lcsl>la
ton IN the House of Representative, i, reduction of
/ rne quorum IN the Committee OF the Whole. Hereto
! tore the quorum OF the committee II the Nho' IA
been the same That OF the House that - majority
/ 1uor1n Of the House can bc rallied after that body
/ has been IN Committee of the Whole an hour, Il
quorum were reduced 70 100. probably every loh- IS
sion az Congrc,, might bee shortened Al least month";
! and much cAp.nse To- the Government saved. EN'IN
Que who hu, observed the course ot legislation III tP
! House knows that II has frequently happened ln'l
/ single member. knot of members ht~ been tn.t !"
force the adoption Of amendment, NOT lagrlorIa,
themselves by a threat to demand Al quorum "uth III
wa, known that quorum could ue obtained. lhero
!
allowed for debate ON motions 10 suspend the rules
! Tint could h., rcucdied by extending the time Tor
debate 70 forty minute, on side before the taxing
. ] % vote. a.
Under the old rules three dilatory motions. which
might be indefinitely repeated, were privileged hr-i
! "A motion 10 fN a day to which the llou-e should al
iourn. ,ecoudly a motion To adjourn; and, thirdly,
notion to take a recess In the last Congress. DAY
| after dav was wasted by two or three obstinate men
who could repeat these motion, indefinitely and pre-
/ vent $50 men from doing business BY striking from
the rule, two of these motons-a motion 10 fix day
to which the House should adjourn, and motion 10
| take reccs,-no legitimate right of the minority
would he endangered, while the TRANSACTION q" p'onc
Lu,inr., would be greatly facilitated. There would
,ll remain the privileged motion to adjourn. Nhlch
| could be repeated often ~ might bc thought eN
D, dent the only limitation upon II benz that some
business mus, bc transacted between the different mo-
| tons I'D Ourn.