Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-16
A LIMIT TO DEBATE.
The Tariff Bill is 10 be Voted Upon
Next Wednesday Noon.
VIGOROUS DEMOCRATIC PROTESTS
Fail to Effect Any Change in the Repub-
lican Programme.
GKIELEY's REFERENCE TO RANDALL

WAsHINGToN, May 15.--As soon as the
House was called to order to-day Mr.. Nc
Kinley, Of Ohio, from the Committee on
Rules, reported q resolution providing that
hereafter the House shall meet Rt IL o'clock
that after the reading Of the journal and the
disposal OF conference reports the House
shall 70 into committee Of the whole on the
tariff bill; that the bill shall be read through.
commencing with paragraph Ill, aud shall
be opened 10 amendment on any part OF the
bill following paragraph 11o. and that on
Wednesday next at ~ noon the bill, with
pending amendments, shall be reported 10
the House.
Mr.. Blount, Of Georgia, criticised the ma
jorily OF the Committee on Rules for report
ing the resolution. The majority Of the
House had adopted 4 code Of rules which
recognized the right OF debate In committee
Of the whole, II had given the committee
power TO limit debate. II had provided that
100 should constitute quorum. And yet,
after all these restraints were thrown over
the confederation OF n bill in committee, IL
was proposed 10 set aside the rules govern
ing the committee.
ANNULLISG THE RULES.
IL seemed TO be the policy OF the majority
whenever any matter was OF q magnitude re-
curing debate and careful consideration,
that this rule should be suspended and be-
come nugatory. The majority said to. the
minority, 1--WE will allow you 10 debate
until ~ o'clock Wednesday. At that time
we intend to stop discussion and pass the
bill through the House"
IL .l.Nl.
Of the bill had not been considered. Il mat
tered not II the measure hindered the reln-
tionH OF the people Of this mighty nation.
II mattered not that IL involved commercial
relations with all the countries OF the world.
il mattered not that IL involved one Of the
grent political issues OF the times. IL mat
tered not that 10 fastened a system upon the
people for yearn-the majority had deter
mined upon the measure and was i'm.
patient with debate.
A powerful minority was asking for
freedom ol debate. The Republican party
had elected its government by u minority OF
the people II was 10 the vast body OF the
people that the majority Of the House was
declaring that II meant TO suspend the oper-
alton OF the rule In regard 10 the Committee
OF the Whole on the most important ques-
tion TO which IL was applicable.
AN IRREvooABLE FIAT.
Before the bill had been considered at all,
the fat had gone forth that four days would
be permitted for general debate, and eight
days Tor debate under the fVe-minute rule.
The very announcement had repressed de-
bate. Gentlemen on the Democratic side
had felt that IL was idle to prepare for the
discussion. He protested against the reso-
luton as un-American, unwise, and violent
to parliamentary procedure. Applause.
Mr.. Mckinley denied that the resolution
had any purpose TO stifle debate. 1t had no
such purpose. II was intended to concen-
trate debate on the paragraphs and pro-
visions OF the bill. Any gentleman who
had listened to the discussion for the past
three days must have been convinced that
everything was discussed but the real
question to be determined. The
resolution was not TO deny to
the minority freedom OF debate, but
TO deny 10 il the right to delay public
business by dilatory motions and obstructive
tactics. The House had been given 80
hours Of general debate and 10 hours under
the fve-minute debate and it was to be
given five days more. Did the gentleman
from Georgia remember that in the
FortY-fourth Congress but one day had
been given to the consideration of the tariff
bill2
In the Forty-fifth Congress the tariff bill
had been considered six days. In the
FOrty-eighth Congress il had been consid-
cred nine days Mr.. McMillin suggested
shat they were nine days of general debate.
Mr.. Mckinley replied that that was all the
Democrats wanted. The ennctng clauses
had been strken out and that IN Demo-
cratic Congress.
REEDS FORMER SENTIMENTS.
Mr.. MuMillin inquired whether the gen
tleman would allow him 10 read what the |
present Sneaker had said upon the subject |
Of limited debate. Mr., Mckinley would |
not lie had no doubt that when the |
Speaker was IN q minority he was elamefa |
ing fof debate, Laughter
MI Springer said thHt IN the Forty eighth |
Congress there was Oh the Democratic side
~ ~ 10 members who voted with the Ie=
pHblieahs 10 strike out the eRAetiRg clause,
Mr., MeitiaieV=YesI and among those ~
or 10 OF 20 members was the habiest Demo
eFst that ever stood on that hoof-samuel |
>, Randall tApplause,1 The true leader
OF the Democratic party, he led Ia that re-
elstanee 90 stop the consideration OF the bill |
which he believed would destroy the great |
industries OF the United States tApplause,
Mr., MeMillin inquired what (undeE the |
Fesolution) would become OF the amendments |
offered in committee of the WHOLE and not |
disposed Of at noon Wednesday?
Mr.. MoKinleY-They will fall,
A DEMOCRATIC CHARGE.
Mr.. MoMillin-And IT is your object to |
make them fall?
Mr.. Mckinley demanded the previous
question.
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, moved to
lay the resolution on the table. Lost, yeas,
1l0; nays, l4s The previous question was
ordered. Yeas, 1873; nays, l02, and the reso- |
luton was adopted. Yeas, 129; nays, 90.
The House then went into committee Of
the whole (Mr. Grosvenor, ot Ohio, in the
chAir) on the tariff bill. The reading Of the
bill consumed the remainder OF the day, and
ut its close the committee rose and the
House took recess.