New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-02

but in the outside world He claims that the right
of the individual member, ana even OF ihc llousc'
has been trampled upon by having bills filed, in
stead of presented IN the open House. ana re-
ports referred by the clerk, instead OF w l.e
assembly Itself. He omlis 10 say thai private
bills petitions and decentralization DIS hdu
lonp been 81 referred. to the great saving OF the
time of the House. and TO the great satisfaction
of members. lie oms TO say That, 50 lar as
reference of bills was concerned, Ine new fules
were but the extension Of a practice already
tried and found entirely consistent both with
the rights Of individual members ana win the
business Of the country
ton of bills was. in actual practice one OF the
very worst specimens of our legislative work
Amid confusion which could nor pc con'foilen--
for nobody cared anything about other people
bills-thc title was read by the clerk, the Speaker
caught what he could of il, while members claimed
his attention on both sides of the chair. and with
the aid of the clerks disposed of IL as well as he
could Naturally there Were many msrctcrcnccS.
though they were seldom heard of because there
was no chance of correction. At present the blilS
are handed in not on the streets and after hours.
as MIR Carlisle has been misiniOrned. but during
the session, and then are referred with dcberatlon
and accuracy. or course there are still errors;
because the titles of the bills may mislead. and
tho Jurisdiction Of committees is not always clear:
but all important errors are corrected. because
the committee that ought 10 have bill can de-
mand it, and one that ought not to have II can
send it, if the House approves where IT. belongs.
So also with reference 10 the calendars OF re-
ports of committees There are only three
caleudars-one for public bills carrying property
or money one for public bills which do not
carry norcv or property and one for private bills
Under the new rules tho bills are all handed 70
the clerk and by him placed on appropriate cocn
OARS Formerly halfhOur On hour daT
was taken ont Of the public time and ont of TIE
public business to do this simple clerical work
in the presence and hearing Of members. III"
only mistake which can be made is ~ to bills
carrviro money. and il they Get on The wrong
calendar any member by point Of order can PUT
them where they belong.
ho,v, for nx-ar fttD
months. and has saved from three 10 five
hours n week. and four hours very near n
WORKING day II is not worth while 10 comment
ON This 4 smplc description Of what the system
is and what il does is annie defence. The House
will never 90 back 10 the tircSomr old method
which n waste Of time. WEAKNESS 10 mem
bcrs. and source Of confusion and disorder
While the reforms made by the List
Congress are valuable almost beyond estimate for
the direct good they do. they arc no less valuable
rs q promise Of future good. They have broken
ND in considerable measure the old system. and
have relieved mons minds Of certain fears which
possessed them. Many men who were among the
nrocnosticators OF evil. when the now rules were
~ sod were entirely sincere in the belief that. II
the House obtained the RIGHT 10 do what il pleased.
extravaganza and nnrcaSon would ran rI"'.
Accustomed to get behind the rules aS tho sole
protection, they forgot that III" best protection
of county, is liberty and government " the
majority They can now soc that f,cilitv Of action
has hut increased the senSc Of responsibility. and
that Instead of tlr rules tho real protectors OF
tho members Of tho House 49,.
CLAIMS ON CONGRFSSION,L IreTlCr.
All private bills 90 TO the private calendar, and
tie claims of individuals have now no chan''
except what they receive during the Fridays when
the press of public business permits IL hc uf'
for their consideration. There Is ia The House
no calendar which seems So hopeless and 50 un-
attac;ablc. During thirteen years | have seen
many bright and slngulnc men propose remedies
and offer panaccas. but they have All i"'ca u"
u 40 lao " a
body these claims can hc referred 10 no court, Tor
they are not legal claims, but rest almost entirely
on The sense Of equity Of congress. 81 man
ma es a contract with another and n proves
hard one the law can only turn him over - the
tender mcrcicS Of his adversary. II = man makes
a hard contract with ~" Government. nn'"'N
but Congress can be 'ncrciIul and comp3ss'nn"'rt
and when the discussion opens ana clogururc
begins. II j. astonishing 20 -" bow hard ~ VIII
be 20 predict whether the Quality of mercy VIII
hc closely strained or whether u WIl drop l'f"
the gentle rain. Three hundred and thirty mcn.
each liable 10 have acquired TcnowD 49, an orator
in MS own country. are not. ~ COMMITTEE OF H."
Whole House 1acIlc or speedy dsposcrS OF qne~
lions resting upon the broad principles Of equity
Perhaps the best practical remedy would Doe 10
spend Fridays considering such bills III thr House
where there might he full power Of debate hui
less invitation 10 oraf0rr.
II would undoubtedly be very unjust = forbid
Congress 10 consider such cl1mS ~ all. bu'
constitutional provision iorhddlnr the cpusi era
tiOn Of any which had been outstanding Nof"
than ten years would not only clear on Stale
claims. but would remove the temptation r" waste
lives and hopes in chasing the VIII" -ih"-w>p 81
Congressional justice Energies which could have
made new fortunes have too often been spent in
vain pursuit Of decisions Of CONGRESS which can
never be obtained.
The calendar If the Committee Of the Whole
House on the State of The Union holds IN rs close
embrace all bills which carry money or approprl-
ate the property Of the United Ntafcs. To y 90
all revenue and all appropriation bills mat
committee is substantially the same body rs the
House. though presided over by Chairman APP
pointed BY the Speaker There Is no previous
question, though there IS power f. limit debate
After general debate on the whole bll. there J.,
q fivc-ninutc debate on the sections. which prac-
ticalv gives unlimited power Of making five
minute speeches. By this system there IS much
debate and a great deal of II runs 10 waste. The
same arguments are itcratcd and reiterated. and
tho bill stands still Obstruction j. made very
easy and hence ~ the present House bnlS which
a large ajority desired have had 10 be rescued
repeatedly from the Committee Of the Whole
House in order TO pass at all
This rescue is achieved by the action Of tie
House. founded on tie RECOMMENDATION Of The
Committee on Rules. which has charge Of the
order Of business. By a resolution the House
takes bill out Of committee and considers H. IN
the House itself. with limitations a. :" debate
and az 20 time Of action. This can Dc done with
bills of large importance wien the whole House
appreciates The need Of action. and when. per
haps. experience has shown the impossibihty u
dealing with them in committee.
But this system is not applicable 10 small bills
affecting only local Interests; and hence some
plan ought TO lc devised either 10 transfer Sucn
bills 10 the House calendar. and let them De dealt
with IN the morning hour or 10 refuse - require
bill, with only one item Of appropriation 10 20
10 the union calendar at all
While the present House. by its good sense
and courage has cleared of many elements Of OBJ
struction il has moi prevented men from wasting
time and delaying business II has. however,
prevented its waste by wholesale Il is never
thcless. "A fact that the Constitution itself gives
10 one-hfth Of the members d RICH; that to-day
is the greatest cause Of delay and waste Of time
which Still remains in the House of Rcprcs"nta-
tiycs. Under the Constitution the House IS
obliged, at the request OF One-lfth Of the mem
beers. 10 record the vote Of each Representative.
Whenever one-hfth demand it,. the yeas and nays
must be called As has been already stated,
each one Of these calls means half-h0ur, and
when the State of Wyoming bill was passed the
other day IN the House, the better part of the
day consumed in roll-cals and ] venture
the prediction that history will never know any
thing more about il than that the Republicans
were for the bill and the Democrats were against
IL. TO make the calculation after the fashion Of
firGp fl.pre hon lf.. far