, 1892-01-29
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.


Allen of Mississippi drew the attention
Of the house TO the Chilean controversy
again by moving to amend the rules by
increasing the membership Of the com-
mittee of foreign affairs from thirteen to
seventy-fve and delivered a humorous
speech in support thereof. The great
struggle to which the members Of the
committee have been subjected the last
two days, he said, prompted him to offer
this amendment. The house had no
right TO impose go much responsibility on
thirteen men. Furthermore, that it was
an unlucky number and he didn't want
any unlucky happenings in foreign affairs.
Laughter.
He did not blame the foreign affairs
committee with any haste, but you
know how easily thirteen men might be
taken una wares and rushed into war with
some sort of precipitation Allen went
on 10 say he was not familiar with
diplomatic correspondence between ma
tons. but he did know the code of honor
that governs gentlemen. In Mississippi
ii, when one gentleman institutes corrc-
spondeuce with another and brings him
down TO the point of difference and finally
sends him an ultinatum. if that man
after sending that ultimatum were to
rush into print and publish correspou-
dence before he had time to hear TIE
ultimatum. he would be persona non
Prata in that state.
IL is not the proper thing when you
have sent an ultmatum to rush into
print and give your side of the case to the
country before you have a reply. Allen
then read from a newspaper interview a
remark by ex Speaker Keller to the eff
feet that the Republican party is drifting
rapidly toward Harrison. His message
IN time. Now" said Allen, this
drifting of sentiment toward the presi-
dent might have stopped If he hadn't
got in here with that Chilean message Just
it time. Laughter.
Il remember that not a great while ago
when the president was to go to New
York the train was to leave at ten minutes
to II was detained until ten minutes after
II lest the president should travel on
Sunday, and vet, I'm Informed, the prcsl-
dent had a number Of printers working
all day last Sunday to get the message of
his Just in time [Great laughter and
Democratic applause.
Allen continued ut some length to make
raps at the pan-American congress aud
the reciprocity schemes, much to the de
light of his Democratic brethren.
He wanted to know why should
we proceed with haste 10 bring
the government of Chile. another
republic of our sister republic, a part Of
the great pan" into a state of humilia-
ton.
OF course Allen 4 motion was defeated,
but it had served its purpose in giving
! him a chance to deliver his speech on the
subject.
Mcmillan OF Tennessee and Catchings
Of Mississippi defended the proposed
rules, and animadverted on the code
adopted by the ifty-frst congress and
Speaker Reeds rulings. The rules were
then READ by paragraphs for amendment,
The membership committee of inter.
state snd foreign IN was increased
from sixteen to seventeen. Hemphill
offered an amendment giving the COM
mittee of the District of Columbia juris
dlction over the appropriations for the
support of that district.
Pending action, Cochran of New York
announced the death of Representative
Spinola and the house, as a mark OF re-
spect, adjourned.