New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-09

practice OF the English Parliament the original sources
of parliamentary rules and practice and OF moderh
constitutional government"
In conclusion, the majority report says: " Your
committee have thus gone over briefly inc proposed
ne,y code of rules They believe, II followed out In
good faith il will at enable the House 10 nave
due control It's business, ana al the same tihe
provide those safeguards of elaboration and debate
which Will enable the House to act wisely
The minority report, signed by MeSsrs Carlisle ana
Randall reviews the proposed code. and crticises
rnanv of its features. The first change antagonzcd
is that to Rule 24 ON this subject the minority
report says, in part
Under clause i Of Rule "A, no bill on the House
calendar can be reached for consideration unless
called up by the committee that reported il; and
under clause of the same rule. no individual mem
ler can make an original motion for the purpose Of
considering any particular bill in the Committee of
the Whole House on the state of the Union. When.
however a motion has been made, by direction Of
committee to go into Committee Of the Whole
on the state of the Union, to consider a particular
bill. an individual member may TO amend it by
designating another bill This is the extent of his
right under the proposed rule, and it is evident that
he will be placed at a great disadvantage.
eve are unable TO discover any sufficient reason
Cor this discrimination against members who may net
ne fortunate enough the cooperation Of com
mittees in making their motions. II majority vote
i sufficient TO suspend the ueS, and fix day for tho
consideration of bill, when the motion is made by
direction Of a committee certainly the same vote ought
10 be sufficient when the motion is made by an in
dividual member upon his responsibility, and in be
half of his constituents The only reasonable ex-
PLANTATION for discrimination is that IT is the policy
of the proposed rules suppress the individual mem
Der of the House far a. possible. ana increase tc
lowers Of the committees. In fact, under the pro
posed rules the individual member will scarcely nave
power to make motion of any KIND except wien nc
acts the representative OF committee ana by N'
directions
Relative 70 the change in =, the u. ine'
gSyern mport9 e rcT Dp'. Usys lit has always
been universally conceded that Committee Of the
Whole House simply the House itself that IL IaS
never been considered necessary TO prescribe in the
rules what number Of members should be necessary 10
constitute quorum IN such committee. In aduluoh
10 this proposition 10 reduce the number necessary ~
constitute quorum it is also proposed by modi ,
tee of the Whole the power to all debate on any
section paragraph of the bin under conslderauTm
Committee. bat has always been exercised by tho
House and in opinion. IT will be unwise To mako
are 10 constitute a quorum IN the committee A.,
In pursuance of Thu same policy OF reducins va
transact other business il /, proposed by the maJorH
to insert thc following clause in Rule 10 g. ON tic
speaker before the second rOllcal Is entered upon,
the names of members sufficient to make quorum,
noted bv the clerk and recorded in the Journal ana
reported to the speaker. with the names ol lnc o t
hers voting. and be counted and announced III uo,
termininC the prescn'e Of quorum To q" pi>nc>N',
Thi, is the most radical and in our opinion, the mos
agreed TO- il will not ONLY overthrow the construction
that has been uniformly given to the Constitution ior
more than century but II VIII enable - nv, i"
majority Of the Representatives Of the people to pass
the most important laws affecting the Interests oil INC
whole county ..- a..
Discussing the abolition OF dlatory motions ths
minority report il emphatic IN it, protest. IL say
The proposed clau>". allowing the >PcdN'I 70 iI
tory. j. absolutely inconsistent with The othrr PR
visions Of the rule. To provide tHi mchlN,N NI1,t
have the right 10 make certain motions. and. al the
same time. to provide that the speaker may rcu,c 10
entertain them and may also refuse 10 entertain an
appeal from his decisions is simply {" place III" whole
law of the House. FAR 49, parliamentary motions arc
donryc fbc members Of every right I'm thi- respect
which the rule, purport 10 confer upon them