Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-06
THE NEW CODE OF RULES.
Changes Made by the Committee and
Approved by the Republican Caucus.

Changes Made by the Committee and
Approved by the Republican Caucus.
TIE PRNcrrLs OF AsILxSr ouoRun xNoRARrRr
ufoN TIE 1uLEs-NEAsuRKs ADOPTED 10
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ORDER OF DUsI
NKss-vARIous IMPORTANT cHANaEA
| The republican caucus was in Session in tn,
hall OF the House until O'Clock last evening
Much Of the time was consumed In reading the
code Of rules and afterward there was some
pretty lively discussion. In the end the full
code was adopted with some important addi.
tions. 1t was over these added clauses that the
| liveliest discussion occurred.
PRESENT AND NOT VOTING.
The first Of these was . rule giving the
| Speaker authority to count quorum Of MEM
bers not voting. It is added to rule Is and
reads as follows
ION the demand of any member the names
Of members present, but not voting ON any call
by the Speaker of the yeas and nays, shall be
voted by the clerk under the supervision of the
Speaker, and shall be recorded in the journal
and record 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
members, which shall be entered under the
head of absentees."
except that he, as does Mr.. Mckinley, con-
tends that the authority to so count q quorum
10 implied in the Constitution, and that it il
not a question of rules. For this reason such
rule was not contained in the code, as re-
ported. But republican henderson the floor we're
not all satisfied that the Speaker had right
to SO decide the presence OF a quorum, without
being given direct authority by rule. and for
this reason they insisted, against Mr.. Reeds
desire, on having the subject covered in the
rules.
Another very important addition to the
code. as reported, was proposed by Mr.. Akin
son and adopted. This was to place pension
bills in the privileged class and making re-
ports from the committee on pensions in order
at any time.
TO STOP FILIBUsTERINd.
The principal features of the new code, as
has already been shown in The STAR, are aimed
to increase the power Of the majority and cut
off filibustering by stubborn minority.
Under rule IS three calendars are provided
for: First on the committee of the whole to
which shall be referred public bills: second a
House calendar for all bills of public charac-
ter not raising revenue nor directly or indi-
rectly apprOpriating money or property; third,
calendar of the committee of the whole
House for bills of private character.
L lS ID u tnlnR MI. heeu ulu not QeSlre OUT
yielded to, his idea being to have measures
taken up as reported and called up by the COM
mittee.
The privilege is taken from motions to take
recess or to fix day to which the House
shal! adjourn SO that they may not be repeated
as hlibustering motions. Clause of rule 16
treats this subject as follows:
when question is under debate no motion
shall be received but to adjou IN, to lay on the
table for the previous question (Which motion
shall be decided without debate), to postpone
to q day certain. to refer to or amend. or post
pone indefinitely, which several motions shall
have precedence in the foregoing order, and no
motion to postpone to a day certain, to refer
or to postpone indefinitely being decided shall
be again allowed on the same day at the same
| stage of the proceeding"
So, too, in section OF the same rule, the
provision that the motions to adjourn to fixed
day, to adjourn and to take recess shall always
be in order, is stricken out.
DILAroRY MOTIONS.
The greatest grant Of power is made to the
Speaker in section 10 of this rule, which de-
clares that ''no dilatory motions shall be enter
tanned by the Speaker"
Under rule cards are not to be taken in to
members after O'Clock except by their d.
rection.
Under rule II it is provided that the previous
question may be made to include the bill to its
the bill only as far as its engrossment and third
| reading and required a renewal and second OF
the motion to carry the bill through; q change
also in the line Of preventing OBJ
ssms Section The PROVISION ,bs old in ot ths
that motions to lay on the table shall be
in order on the second and third reading of the
bill is omitted.
The principle of preventing obstruction is
again put in operation in rule 49,. which is
DID H.
striking out of the questions that may inter.
vene between motion to reconsider and the
| vote, those to adjourn to fixed day and to take
| a recess.
The old rule, which requires all bills an d
joint resolutions to be read three times before
passage, il stricken out
APPROPRIATION BILLS
The section Of the same rule forbidding the
inclusion in general appropriation bills of ap.
preparations not previously authorized by Law
| or Of legislation is amended by the addition Of
an exception in favor of ''such, as being ger
name to the subject matter of the bill, shall be
| deemed necessary in providing for carrying on
the several departments of the government
| and shall be recommended or moved by direc-
| ton Of the committee reporting the bill"
The rule forbidding the amalgamation Of two
pending resolutions is omitted and river and
harbor and post route bills are treated as De
| titions in their introduction.
Under the former rules one member could
on Monday introduce bill and demand its
| reading in full, thus consuming time. Under
the present code no provision is made for q
bill day on Monday, and whenever a public bill
is introduced it shall be read by title only.
A QUORUM IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
In the rule which requires the committee Of
the whole to rise when without a quorum 6
clause is inserted fixing as quorum one hun
dred members.
Under the provisions Of the constitution al
revenue and appropriation bills originate in
the House. Therefore striking clause in the
rules is one which reads: "All motions Oh
propositions originating either in the House O,
Senate involving a tax or charge upon the
people, all proceedings touching appropria-
tions of money"+~* shall be considered il
committee of the whole. The words origina
| ting in the House or Senate" are newly inserted
| and would appear to recognize the right of
the Senate to originate tariff and appropria.
| ton bills.
Another important change in the line of ex-
| pediting business occurs in section four of the
| same rule which prescribes the order of bust.
| ness in committee of the whole. The change
| reads: ''Or in such order as the committee may
| determine, unless the question to be consid.
| cred was determined by the House at the time
| OF going into committee" The effect is to re-
lieve the House from the necessity of laying
aside bills preceding in order the one it is de-
sired to reach, which offered large opportunity
| for obstruction.
/ h.