The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-09

count concerning the new clause. providing
mat no diia.Ofy h0iiOn shall be entertained
by the Speaker. u il stated that the clause
is merely "A declaration OF pafliui,lC ntary
law. There are no words. the report SAYS.
(which can be framed which win limit
inembcr- % the proper use OF
b.0bet ifoiiors" To-day the abuse
has gfown to such PROPORTIONS that
the parliamentary law wlicn go-cfHs
American assemblies has found IL neces-
sary t0 keen pace with tbo evil and TO en-
able the majority by the interyel ton Of the
presiding officer 10 meet. hy extraordinary
means. the extraordinary abuse of power
on the part sometimes of few members
I'm defense ofthe clause reducing quo
tum t0 nhh hilnd,ei iiemhefs in the Com
mttee Of fhe Whole. tlie report has this TO
say: $50 fif as tie constitutional or legal
question Is concerned. 10 has never Been de-
MED or questioned that II was entirely COM
petent tor the House 10 select any number 10
might please rs quorum Of the committee
Of the Whole"
THE MINORITY REPORr.
The report submitted by Mr.. Carlisle en-
tefs into a discussion OF tile changes made
by the majority in regard 10 the clause
which provides that when a motion Is made
by direction Of a committee 10 suspend the
rules and Tx a day for the consideration oi
bin previously reported by it, majority
vote shall be sufficient 10 agtee 20 She mo-
tiOn, but in case an individual member
makes it vote Of two-thlms i
required. the report states: We are
unable 10 discover any sufficient reason for
this discrimination against members who
may not ho fortunate enough % secure the
cO-0peratioh OF committees iu making their
motions. In fact under the
proposed rules the individual member will
scarcely have power 10 make motion oi
any kind. except when he acts as tie repre-
sentative Of a committee and by its direc-
tion.
The rules concerning the committee oi
the whole are dealt with as follows: 1T is
proposed by the majority to make quorum
Of the committee Of the whole House on the
state Of the I l'niOii consist Of 100 neinlers.
or considerably less than une-thifd Of all
the members OF the House. Every Dlli ap-
propriating money or property or raising
revenue. must have its first consideration
in this committee of one hundred. Since
the organization OF the government
IL has required the same number Of MEM
bers 10 constitute quorum ~
the Committees OF The Whole as in the
lI0use-that is majority OF all members
elect-and that H. maniestly the true rule.
because the committee Il composed OF All
the members Of the House. II Is in
decd the House itself deliberating
as "A committee. 10 has always
been so universally conceded that q
committee Of the whole House was
simply the House itself: that 1t has never
been considered necessary % prescribe ~
the rules what humber Of members should
be necessary 10 constitute "A quorum IN such
D
majority OF all the memhers-elect % eonsti-
tute quorum 10 do business i'm the House,
and without any rule on the subject, the
same number has always been recognized
as necessary in a Committee Of the Whole
and whenever il found itself with less than
that number present aud voting u has been
compelled 10 suspend It's proceedings.
A DANGEROUS INNOVATION.
The "coun.ing in" rule that caused so
much bitterness during the recent struggle
i'm the House over the smith-Jackson CON
tested election case is thus discussed
This is the most radical. and. IN our
opinion, the most dangerous innovation pro
posed by the majority. II agreed To 70 VIII
not only overthrow the construction that
has been uniformly given 10 the constiiu-
tiOn for more than one hundred years, but
will enable less than majority OF
the representatives Of the people % pass
the most important laws affecting
the interests Of the whole country. The
personal and property rights Of the citizens
protected heretofore by laws enacted by the
votes of a majority may be impaired on de-
sirOyed by the votes OF "A mere traction oi
the members OfCongress. for il less than a
majority may cOnstitutionally pass meas
ures I'm the House Of course the same
thing may be done in the Senate
In the same way enormous sums Of money
may be appropriated from the public treas
urY. for the most unconstitutional and
improper purposes. and the interests OF the
faN-pacers completely subOrdinated 10 the
selfish demands Of private individuals ana
corporations. Without entering here into a
discussion of the constitutional question in-
yOlycd in the proposition, We earnestly pro-
test against IL as measure Of the
most dangerous and revolutionary char
acter. Any rule or practice when
enables the Speaker or the clerk 10 pass
bills Dy counting members present ana not
voting, will inevitably result IN destroying
the confidence Of the people i'm the integrity
Of legislation and engender controversies
and liugatiens which might be easily
avoided by an adherence 10 the mandate Of
the Constitution as heretofore Interpreted
In conclusion, the report deals with the
action Of the majority members Of the
committee m abOiishing certain priyi-
Legged motions, and sums up the matter
as follows " rule abOlishing all par
liamentary motions heretofore recognized
in the House. and simply providing that
members may make such motions only ms
the Speaker may see proper 10 permit and
take only such appeals froni his decisions as
be may see proper TO allow, would nj least
have the merit Of directness and simplicity
such rule would be no more unreasonable
or unjust than the one now proposed, and
would prevent conflicts upon the floor by
advising members in advance precisely
what their rights are.'
The names Of Mr.. Carlisle and Mr.. Ran.
dali are signed 90 the minority report.