The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-29
IN THE HOUSE.
Reed Criticises the Rules and Allen
Makes Fun OF the President.

MAKES Fun OF the PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON CITY, Jan. 2s-In the
House the debate on the rules was re-
sumed, but was broken into by the presi-
dents message and the Chilean correspon-
dence. After being read they were re-
ferred to the committee on foreign affairs.
Discussion of the rules was then resumed.
Reed spoke in opposition to the commit
tees report. He favored the rules of the
Fifty-tirst congress, and proclaimed his
adherence to the majority rule. He criti-
cised the Holman amendment, contending
that this body ought to be free for the pur-
pose of legislation. he said the majority
was responsible not only for what hap
pened. but for what did not happen. Zap
plause on tho Republican side
Allen of Mississippi drew the attention
of the House to the Chilean controversy
again by moving to amend the rules by in
creasing the membership of the committee
on foreign affairs from thirteen to seventy
five, and delivered humorous speech in
support thereof. The great strain to which
the members of the committee had been
subjected in the last two days, he said,
prompted him to offer this amendment.
The House had no right to impose so much
responsibility on thirteen men. Further
he did not want any unlucky happenings
in foreign affairs. He did not blame the
foreign affairs committee with any haste,
but you know how easily thirteen men
might be taken unawares and rushed into
war with some sort of precipitation.
Allen went on to say he was not IA
miiar with diplomatic correspondence
between nations, but he did know
the code of honor that governs
gentlemen in Mississippi. If, when one
gentleman institutes correspondence
With another and brings him down to the
point of difference and finally sends him
an ultimatum, if that man, after sending
that ultimatum, were to rush into print
and publish the correspondence before he
had had time to hear from the ultimatum,
he would be a persona non gratd. In that
state 1t is not the proper thing, when you
have sent an ultimatum, to rush into print
and give your side of the case to the coun-
try before you have reply.
Allen then read from a newspaper inter
view remark 10y ex-Speaker Keifer to
the effect that sentiment in the Republi-
can party is drifting rapidly toward Har-
rlson," and his message on the Chilean
imhroglio was issued just in time. Allen
went on:
Now this drifting of sentiment toward the
President might have stopped IL he had not got
In here with that Chilean message--just in time.
remember that not a great while ago, when
The president was to go TO New York, the train
That was to leave at u o'clock was detained un-
III I2:lo lest the president should travel on sun
day, and yet am informed that the president
bad number OF printers working all day last
Sunday to get his message ready-iust in time.
lureat laughter and Democratic applsuse.l
Allen continued at some length to make
raps at the Pan-American congress and
The reciprocity scheme, much TO the de-
light Of his Democratic brethren. He
wanted 10 know why we should proceed
with haste TO bring the government of
Chile, another republic. our sister repub-
lie, or part of the great Pan, " into state
OF Humiliation OF course Aliens motion
was defeated. but ii served its purpose in
giving him a chance 10 deliver his speech
On the subject.
McMiilin of Tennessee and Catchings of
Mississippi defended the proposed rules
and animadyerted on the code adopted by
The Fifty-hrst congress and Speaker
Reeds rulings. The rules were then read
by paragraphs for amendment. The mem
oership of the committee on interstate
ana foreign commerce was increased from
sixteen 70 seventeen. Hemphiil offered
an amendment giving the committee on
The District of Columbia jurisdiction over
appropriations for support Of the district.
Pending action Cochran of New York
announced the death Of Representative
splnola, and the House, as a mark of re-
spect adjourned