Arizona weekly citizen., 1890-01-11
NEW RULES.
Briggs Considsredlfor Congrsss-.F ed eraI Election Bill.--White House Christmas Tree.
From Our Regular ICorre.pondent.

| From Our Regular Correspondent.
 | WASHINGTON, D. O., Dec. 27, 1889
 Speaker Reed has had something very
 much resembling the Irishman's monkey
 and parrot time this week, although one
 would naturally have supposed that
 having worked so hard to get the House committees announced before the recess
 would have been allowed to enjoy the | quiet so we'll earned for him. But it was not so. He has been the most sought for man in town. The cause of all this unexpected trouble for MT. Reed is rumor that has been generally ac- cepted as fact. to the effect that the republican members of the house com mittee on rules, of which the speaker is chairman, had agreed to report to the House early in January, a rule giving the Speaker authority to declare a quorum of the House present whenever the requisite number of members are in the chamber, whether the members vote or not. This is very important mat ter, and everybody has been trying to lind out from Mir. Reed whether the rumor was based on truth, but so far no one has succeeded, though Mir. Reed has been very much worried and his repub- lican colleagues on the committee, Messrs. Mckinley and Cannon, have not escaped. All that MT. Reed would say on the subject was that the committee had not discussed it. That was Of course known before. But he does not say that the republican members of the committee have not discussed it. The proposed change is approved by every republican member that your cores pondent has talked with, and they all expressed their readiness to vote for such a rule Ii given an opportunity; on the other hand the democrats are solidly op- posed to it, because it would take away their principal weapen-the power to break quorum of the House at pleas ure.
 Not even Christmas can stop the talk concerning the Federal election bill upon which Representative Lodge, of Massachusetts, is at work, at the request Of the republican members of the House committee on elections. It is now gen erally conceded that this committee will report a bill providing for the con- trol of Federal elections by the United States Government. Whether such a bill will ever become law is not so cer- tain. If 1t was to be voted on at this time 1t would undoubtedly fail to pass ha are opposed to 1t, and the democratic l leaders have given 1t out flat footed that | the democrats will not allow it to 20 | through If tillibustering will prevent it | If 1t should be made caucus question | after the republicans have been rein | forced by the admission of a number of | those new contesting seats, it may be pushed through the House, but it will | only be after one of the bitterest parti- san fights ever seen in Congress.
 For the first time in nearly twenty | years there is Christmas tree at the | White House. Last Tuesday night the President laid aside the cares of state. | together with his coat, and proceeded to | help erect and decorate tree for the | Mckee children, and all day Wednesday he romped with the delighted children,
 
 fun he got out of it can only be under stood by us grandfathers who did the same thing for our own broods. May | he live to repeat it many many times. | No man is so learned, or great, or good, | that he cannot be improved by associa- ion with children.
 It is highly pleasing to republicans to | see the leading democrats dividing be | tween Hll and Cleveland and engaging | in blackg Garding each other, as they | have been doing for some time. If they | will only keep it up long enough the | republican nominee in 1892 will have a | walk over.
 MT. Blaine smiles when anyone asks | him If he IS, as certain newspapers al | lege,a candidate for the republican nomi | nation in 1892. Its enough to make | nybody smile to think that man of | MT. Blaines brains and experience should even be asked such a question | at this time
 The House committee on Ways and | Means, under the able ehairnanship of | Maj. Mckinley, is losing no time. It | has arranged schedule of nearing on | the tariff bill, and expects to have that | measure perfected and reported to the | House in February.
 Senator Teller proposes making a | hard fight for his resolution providing | for open executive sesSious of the Sen | ate. The people have long ago decided | that they should be open. Cl MT Wanamaker is the only member | of the cabinet who spent Christmas out | side of Washington.