The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-02-15
THE NEW RULES.
Principal Points of the Proposed Gods
as Agreed Upon In Republican Caucus
1 Tbr Changes Proposed.

as Agreed Upon In Republican Caucus
The Changes Proposed.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8. At the Re-
publican caucus held on Wednesday
evening the report of the committee on
rules was adopted without material
amendment, but there was at least one
important addition-viz: Pension legis-
lation was placed in the privileged class
and reports from the committee on in
valid pensions made in order at any
time. This change was made by vote
of 70 to "a
Three calendars are provided for un-
der Rule 15. A new clause is added, as
follows:
"on the demand Of any member the names OF
members present but not voting or any call by
the Speaker Of the yeas and nays shall be noted
by the clerk under the supervision OF the
Speaker and shall be recorded in the journal
and recorded Immediately after the names OF
those voting in the affirmative and negative,
under the head of present and not voting and
shall be followed by the names OF absent mem.
bers which shall be entered under the head OF
absentees."
This is in limo with Speaker Reeds
recent ruling.
Heretofore the House has spent the
greater part of each Monday, and some-
times both Monday and Tuesday in the
call of States for the introduction of
bills and resolutions for reference to
committees These were usually read
from the Clerks desk simply by their
titles, but any member had the right to
call for the reading of every bill and
resolution in full, and this right has
been exercised many times for the solo
purpose of wasting time in order TO pre-
vent the House from completing the
call of States in time to proceed to
other business. The new rules
entirely cut off this kind of fill
clustering by abolishing bill day and
providing that bills and resolutions may
be handed to the Clerk and referred to
the proper committees by direction of
the Speaker. Any errors Of reference
can be corrected on subsequent days
when the fact is disclosed by the journal
or Congressional Record.
The call of committees for reports,
which consumed great deal of time,
gives place to provision that reports of
committees shall be handed to the
Clerk and placed upon the proper cal
endar. The rule in regard to the pre-
vious question is so changed that the
previous question may, upon one mo-
tion, be ordered so as to include a bill
and amendments from the engrossment
to- the final passage or rejection of the
bill. This avoids one motion and saves
much time.
The motions to take a recess and to
adjourn to certain day are deprived of
the privileged character which made
them so dear to all filibusters, and
new rule is provided which explicitly
declares that mo dilatory motion shall
be entertained by the Speaker"
Sec. l of the old rule 81, which re-
quires bills and joint resolutions to be
read three times before passing, is
stricken out. The rule (21) omits the
provisions of the old rule forbidding the
amalgamation of two pending resolu-
tions and treating river and harbor and
post-route bills as petitions in their in
PRODUCTION
The quorum of the House when sit
ting as committee of the whole is fixed
at 100, and a majority of this quorum
may decide what business shall be
taken up in committee of the whole un-
less the House shall have previously in
structed the committee, but revenue
bills, general appropriation bills and
river and harbor bills are given prece-
dence over other business in committee
of the whole. Power is given TO ma
iority in committee of the whole to
close debate on any section or para
graph or upon pending amend-
ments. These changes lop off
great deal of tedious formality that was
required under the other practice, ia
cilitates the transaction of the business
before the committee, and prevents un-
reasonable delay by members who offer
amendments and speak to them for the
purpose of obstruction.
What may be change full of signifi-
cance occurs in Sec. of Rule 23 ire
quiring certain measures to be consid-
cred in committee of the whole). This
is in the opening sentence, which be-
gins: "All motions or propositions
originating either in the House or Sem
ate involving tax or charge upon the
people, all proceedings touching appro-
priations of moneys" The words
originating III Une IlouSe Vi 'ochaJo
are newly inserted, and would appear to
recognize the long-disputed right of the
Senate to originate tariff and appropria-
tion bills.
The daily order of business has been
arranged so as to refer business on the
Speakers table, such as Senate bills,
and resolutions, and communications,
and reports from the heads of depart
ments, without debate, and dispose of
House bills with Senate amendments at
once without reference to committees.
Then unfinished business is in order
from day to day until disposed of. Each
committee is to be given chance in
turn to call up for consideration bill
reported by it the previous day. After
one hour has been devoted to the con-
sideration of such bills it will be in
order to go into committee of the whole
upon motion authorized by one of the
standing committees.
The committee on rules reported a
provision in respect to general appro-
priation bills so as to permit amend
ments to such bills to be tackled on when
deemed necessary for carrying on the
several departments of the Government
and recommended by a committee. But
this provision was opposed and was
stricken out
A KNOCKOUT BLOW.