The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-11
ke House a Deliberative Body
When the Committee on Rules
Permits it.
Isiness Of Great Importance
Called Up at Very Short
Notice.
b Speaker Recognizes Democrats When
1t Suits His Pleasure-The Commit
tee Strikes Snag.

July 6.-Speaker Reed is
dited with saying that the house is no
ger deliberative body. To a certain
ent this is true. It is deliberative body
enever the committee on rules allows it
be SO. Bills no longer come up in the
rning hour. The fact that bill is upon
of the three calendars seems to amount
lothing. The morning hour has gone
of sight, and the committee which re-
It's bill, unless privileged never gets an
Eortunity to call it up.
here is SO much privileged business that
regular business of the house is never
ehed. Conference reports are privileged.
hre reports from the committee on rules
the committee on elections. Reports
n the committee on ways and means,
|n the committee on appropriations and
IN the committee on rivers and harbors are
Eileged. In the same category stand
Drts from the committee on public
hs, the committee on territories, and the
kmittee on enrolled bills. General PEN
bills from the committee on invalid
sions and reports from the committee
printing and the committee on accounts
also privileged. The motion to adjourn,
n the speaker does not declare it to be
tory, is always in order. A motion for
bnsideration is ditto. Then there are
stions of privilege. They relate to the
It's of the house collectively, to its safety,
|aity and the integrity of its proceeding.
y also take in questions concerning the
individually in their representative
Apifv Nhnao havo S,roon1ovpNo ~ oil
pr questions, except motions to adjourn.
will be noted that reports from the
mittee on rules are privileged. This
ilege virtually makes the committee on
the master of the time of the house.
ing leave to report at any time it can
does spring the most important busi-
before the house at moments notice.
composed of five members, three re-
licans and two democrats. The repub-
BIS are Thomas B. Reed, William Nc
Icy and Joseph g. Cannon. The demo-
are Benton Mcmillan and James H.
mt. Under the rules nobody. except a
ority of the committee on rules can tell
y legislative business is coming before
house each day.
be day in each week is set aside under
rules for the consideration of private
One day in each fortnight is set aside
bills relating to the District of Colum-
Yet the committee on rules can seize
pr day for the transaction of business
bsires. 1t does do it. For more than
en- weeks private bill day was wiped
le most important measures are whirled
re the house by this committee without
Pment's notice. The minority of the
mittee are helpless. A half an hour or
our before the house meets they are in
to the speakers room. Everything
peen cut and dried by the majority. A
may be upon the calendar. The major
II the committee on rules draw up res
on that it shall be considered imme-
Ply after the passage of the resolution
70 house. 1t does more than this. It
s debate to two days, two hours, or
APPS one hour.
gives the committee from which the
was reported preference in offering
hdments. and allows so little time for
hdments that no one else can offer anv,
mes the allowance has been so short
the committee itself has been cut off.
has been the case with the most i'm
mt measures. It was the case with the
inley tariff bill. An amendment al
hR uncut diamonds to enter the country
free and placing duty of five dollars
at on all imported cut diamonds, was
cut of. 1t WAS intended to foster the
( diamond QUITTING in this country.
hundred other amendments exceed
important had been printed in the
q, and were left Enacted upon. About
the LES pages were never acted upon
nmittee of the whole.
der the privilege of the committee on
Major Mckinley or Joseph G. Cannon
into the house, is recognized by the
ger, and introduces the resolution pro-
for the immediate consideration of
nre, limiting debate and ordering the
pus question. The majority of the
IS expected to stand by the majority
committee. The resolution is showed
gh like board through planer. The
Elty IS the parliamentary planer and it
fully as much noise as the planning
Inc. Unlike the planer, however, it
succeeded in trimming the plank.
democrats are wary and watchful.
whenever they can. If possible, they
points of order and take appeals from
Eclslon OF the chair. They move to
and to adjourn, if they can secure
milton: This they seldom get.
or mckinley or Joseph G.. Cannon
di ately demands the previous uues-
n the adoption of the resolution. The
nd is seconded and the previous cues
ordered, despite the protests of the
gratis. Then, under the rules, forty
es for debate are allowed. The dem
get twenty of the forty. The reso-
then goeohrough, and motion to
Bider it is tabled. After that the ma.
of the house has full swing till the
et for the vote has arrived.
once since the opening of the pres
ession has the committee on rules
snag. It was on July s. On that
I. Cannon offered q resolution pro-
that Immediately after its adoption
use take up the original package bill
e Torrey bankruptcy bill. -Four days
be allowed for their consideration,
order was not to interfere with rev.
and general appropriation bills and
ence reports. On the previous day,
Payson, as a matter of privilege, had
pt mp the land grant forfeiture bill
consideration of the house. A res
from the committee on rules was of
privilege. The forfeiture bill was
ending as unfinished business. The
Indignantly raised the question of
eration on Cannon's resolution. He
probably have been knocked out
not that William b. Wade. chair
the committee ON labor, was seek
opportunity to call up the eight
aim bill.
Payson's bill out of the way he fan
|at the house would touch bottom on
|rning hour, and az his committee
pit on the roll call he could raise the
our measure from its grave on the
ar. Those who favored the eight
" and the friends of Judge PaysOn's
ined In opposing the proposition
Pc COMMITTEES ON rules. 1t was de-
by 30 yeas to IS nays. Only % re-
M voted against considering the res
Cannon, however, had help from
emocratic side. Those Who we're
70 secure consideration Of the
ptcy bill, even at the expense Of Giv-