The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-06
TARIFF TOPS ALL BILLS.
THE RIVER AND HARBoR MEAS
URE SIDE-TRACKED.

A Caucus Of the Republican Repre-
sentatives Decides on Giving the
Mckinley Bill the Right OF Way, and
Fixes the Limit for the Debate-Ad-
journment May Come in July.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-Immediately after
the adjournment of the House the repub !,
ican members assembled in conference to
endeavor to ascertain the feeling respecting
the proper time to be allowed for debate in
the House upon the tariff bill, and to reach
an understanding that may be adopted as a
policy. The river and harbor bill
managers made strenuous efforts to have
their appropriation bill made a special
order for consideration to a conclusion be-
fore the tariff bill is taken up, and Mr..
Henderson, who is chairman of the COM
mittee on rivers and harbors, by direction
of that committee, made a statement of
reasons why this should be done. He
pointed out the danger of the failure of the
bill through delayed consideration, and
offered a resolution setting apart Wednes-
day and Thursday for its consideration.
THE WATERWAYS BILL-SIDETRACKED.
Apparently q majority of the members
could not be made to take the same view of
the matter, for it was decided by a vote of
70 to 10 that the tariff bill is a matter of
prime importance and should be called up
Wednesday. Then arose the question of the
time for its consideration. The record of
the proceedings of the last congress was
quoted to show that the general debate and
consideration of the Mills tariff bill had run
along for nearly three months. with inter
ruptions on account of the necessary con-
sideration of general appropriation bills.
Finally it was agreed that the gem
eral debate should go on for four
days, Wednesday, Thursday, Friady, and
Saturday of this week, with night sessions
for speeches Eight days additional will
then be allowed for. consideration of the bill
by paragraphs under the five minute rule
May 81 the previous question on the final
passage of the bill is to be considered as
ordered by the terms of the special rule to
be adopted.
BURROWS TRIES TO BEAT THE LIMIT.
Mr.. Burrows tried without success to have
the five minutes debate go on for a few
days without fixing date for its conclu-
sion, holding that the presiding officer
could, under the rules, keep the
debate within reasona BILE length. When
this subject had been disposed Of, the river
and harbor men made another effort, this
time seeking to have adopted a special rule
after action on the tariff bill, but again
they were defeated. There was talk of the
remaining business before congress. and it
became evident that the general feeling
was that final adjournment could be
reached about the middle of July. The
members of the committee on rivers and
| harbors feel somewhat indignant over the
manner in which their bill has been
| side-tracked. They appreciate the fact that
unless early action is taken upon that meas
ure it may fail by reason of lack of time for
due consideration by the Senate. Yielding
to the inevitable, however, they are deter
mined to press its consideration as soon as
the tariff bill is out of the way, and will
antagonize all legislation till the river and
harbor bill is disposed of.
The caucus adjourned to meet in joint
caucus this evening with the republican
senators for the appointment of the con-
| gressional campaign committee