The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-06
A DEATH BLOW TO FILIBUSTERING.
The New Code Of Rules Prepared
for the House.
Changes Which viii Help stop OBJ
structIon Of Business.
Mr.. Reeds Recent Ruling Incorpo-
rated In the New Code.

House caucus was called today Immediately
after adjournment by Mr.. Henderson Of Irli-
nois, chairman. Each member present was
furnished. .lneon6dence, with copy Of the new
code. Mr.. McKilley proceeded to explain In
detail the scope and purpose Of each Of the
rules. The reading consumed great deal Of
time. The work OF the caucus progressed
slowly. Generally the report Of the commit
tee was adopted without amendment. There
was at least one important addition. Mr..
Atkinson Of Pennsylvania offered an amend
ment placing pension legislation In the privi.
legged class, making reports from the commit
tee on invalid pensions in order at any tine.
There was lively opposition to this amend
ment. Some members OF the committee on
rules sought to prevent It's adoption. The
amendment was finally Incorporated, 20 20 "a.
The full code as 1t emerges from the caucus
differs from the old rules In the following ma
terial points,
Under Rule cards are not to be taken in
to members after O'Clock, except by their
direction.
Under Rule Ii the committee on invalid
pensions is given the right to report at any
time.
Under Rule 10 three calendars are provided
for; first, on cJmmittee Of the whole. 70
which shall be referred public bills; second,
House Calendar for all bills Of a public char
acter not raising revenue nor directly or In
directly apDroprlating money or property:
third, calendar Of committee OF the whole
House for bills OF a private character.
Under RUE 10 a new clause was added that
on demand of any mrmber the names OF
members pre- III and not voting on any Call
by the Speaker OF the yeas and nays shall be
noted by the clerk under the supervision Of
the Speaker and recorded In the journal I'm
mediately after the names of those voting tu
the affirmative and negative, under the head
OF "Present-nOt voting" These shall be
followed by the names OF absent members
entered under the head Of absentees. This
Is ip line with the Speakers ruling)
Under Rule 16 Clause 4 reads: when q
question Is uudrr debate no motion shall be
received but to adjourn; to lay on the table;
for the previous question, which motions
shall be decided without debate; to postpone
to a certain day; TO refer, or amend, or post
pOne indefinitely; which several motions
shall have precedence In the foregoing order
No motion to postpone to certain day,
to refer and to postpone indefinitely, after
being decided, shall be again allowed on the
same day and on the same stage OF proceed
ing This section Is aimed at hlibustering
and changes the old section by the stG.sing
out of the motions which may be received,
those to fix the day to which the House shall
adjourn and to take recess. In Section s
of the same rule the provision that motions
10 adj aurn to fixed dav. to adjourn and to
take ecesS, shall always be In order, Is
stricken out. Section 10 Of the same rule
carries the principle still further. The new
section reads: "No dilatory motions shall be
entertained by the Speaker"
Under Rule II 1t is provided that the pre-
viOus question may be made 70 include bill
TO its passage or rejection. The old rule In
cluded bill only as far as its engrossment
and third reading, and required renewal
and second of the motion to carry the bill
through. This change Is also In the line OF
preventing an obstruction. The pro-
-. Of hn aid
code that motions to lay on the table
shall be In order on the second and
third reading of a bill is omitted. The
principle preventing obstruction Is again put
In operation In rule 1S, which Is amended, as
compared with the old code, by the striking
out Of questions that may intervene between
a motion to reconsider and the vote, those to
adjourn 10 fixed day and to take recess.
| Section one Of old rule q. which requires
| read three n u2assing, is stricken
| out SectioI : of ths sz1fca,Sale, f1.hId'
| ding the inclusion in general aDpropflAsA|
/ bills OF appropriations not previously au-
i thOrized by law or of legislation, Is retained,
with the addition Of an exception in favor OF
| such as being gernane to the subject matter
/ of the bill, shall be deemed necessary 10 pro-
/ viding for the carrying on OF the several de-
| partments Of the government. Another adj
| dition to the same section makes 1t generally
| out OF order to increase any salary In an ap-
preparation bill beyond 1.-The amount author
| lied by law. The same rule omits the pro-
| visions of the old rule forbidding the ANAL
| gamation OF two pending resolutions, and
treating river and harbOr and post route
bills as petitions In their introduction.
Another Important step to prevent hlibus-
teTing Is found in rule %. which has refer
ence to the Introduction Of bills Under for
mer rules, one member could on Monday
prevent the transaction OF business by In
PRODUCING long bills, new or old, and de-
manding their reading in full, thus consum-
ing the day. Under tho prosoas oodc, no
provision Is made for bill day on Monday.
Whenever public bill Is introduced II shall
be read by title only. In rule %, section 2,
which requires the COMMITTEES OF the whole
| to rise when without quorum, clause is
| inserted after the word quorum, as fol-
lows: (which shall consist Of 100 mem
| bers." What may he change full OF sig
| nfcance occurs in section 3 of the same rule,
/ requiring that certain measures be eonsid-
| cred In tue committee OF the whole. This =
| in the opening sentence, which reads: All
/ motions on propositions originating either
| in the House or Senate, involving tax or
/ charge upon the people, and all proceedings
| touching appropriations Ihewords orig
/ mating Ia the House or Senate" are newly
inserted and would appear to recognize the
| long disputed right of the Senate TO originate
tariff and appropriation bills. !.
1 Another important change in tho line OF
| expediting business occurs In secuon q
the same rule which preseribes the order OK
business in committee OF the whole. Inc
| change reads 'Or In such order as the cOm-
| mittee may determine, unless the question
| tion to be considered was determined by the
| House at the time OF going into committee.
| The effect Is to relieve the House fron the
| necessity of laying aside bills aud proceeding
/ In order to the one 1t Is desired TO reacn,
which has offered large opportunity for
obstruction. Another change In the same
direction is in section 6, Of the same rule,
which permits the committee OF the whole TO
limit + close debate without rising and 60
ing into the open House for the order and.tor-
bids debate on motion to close debate. :,
kule "A, [Order of businessl, Is radically
different IRON the old rule.
The caucus was In session until z O'CLOCK.
| 1t was stated that its deliOeratiOn were en-
tirely harmonious, but this Is doubted, and
there are stories to the effect that there
were many Emergencies OF opinion.
The other Side.
| WASHINGTON, February 5.-Soon after the
| Republican caucus adjourned, the Demo-
cratic members OF the House held theirs.
They appeared in good number, and were
presided over by Mr.. Holman. The only
sbbject discussed was the new code OIL rules.
As the members were not supplied with cop
les OF the rules, Mr. Carlisle was Obliged to
read and explain them from his copy. Mos'
of the session was consumed in tnat way
| There was little discussion. Now aud tnen
| some mamber would burst over with lnuig
nation and express himself forcibly as sone
particularly obnoxious rule was read. anc
the effect pointed out. Mr.. Springer though
the rules meant that watchmen were gasssu
watchdogs chained and the treasury tnr0wt
open to plunder, butssenerally the senunen
| was that no matter how obnoxious the rules
are, they were asked for by the Democrst
i, | and would be considered In a fair spirit. MI
| Carlisle was accordingly instructed TO nego
tlate with the majority managers LOT
| proper and reasonable time to consider tne
} | rules. Ia case they should be reported tomor
| row, inasmuch as the Demoeratle mrmosr
are without copies. If these COZ cessiols ar
granted the Democrats Will lnteIPoso no VI