St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-06
The Sturdy Missouri Agrieult-
urist Routs the Great
Director.
Assumptions of the Appro-
priations Committee Given
a Black Eye.
Preeedents and Practice Are
No Longer Sacred Beyond
Their Merits.
Would-Be Champions Of the
Old Soldiers Shown Up
as They Are.

WASHINGTON, March. 5.-The magic
power of Chairman Holman, of the ap-
preparations committee, was broken in
the house today for the first. time this
season, and all the barriers and tradi-
tions which preeedents and practlc e
have thrown around that committee
were borne down under the impetuous
sway of the champions of agriculture.
1t was the old conflict of prerogatives
against presidents, of the committee on
agriculture against the committee on
appropriations; and, as usual, Chairman
Hatch and his colleagues carried the
day, and Mr.. Holman was unable to
check that tide of sentiment which
swept over the house and awarded to
the agricultural committee juri sdicton
over its own appropriations.
The effect of today's action of the
house is not matter of today alone,
for 1T is regarded as the first breach in
the bulWarkS that urround the COM
mittee on appropriations. 1t is far
reaching in its results, and may break
entirely the force of the appropriations
committee in its assn mption and de-
sires to scrutinlze and revise all ap-
preparations to be passed by the Fifty
second congress. Among the executive
communications presented by the
speaker which were appropriately re-
ferred was letter from the acting sec
rotary of the treasury. In this the act
ing secretary says that 100000 will be
required during the fiscal year ending
Inn fnr rf nnl
Letting and preparing the government
exhibit for the Worlds Columbian ex-
position.
Mr.. Tucker. of Virginia, from the
committee of election, vice president,
ETC., reported Joint resolution prOpoS-
ing constitutional amendment chang
ing the date, beginning and ending of
terms of senators and representatives
from March to Dec. 81; providing that
the annual sessions shall begin on the
second Monday in January; and further
providing that the term of the president
and vice president shall commence and
end on April 80 instead of March 4.
The urgent deficiency bill was then,
on motion of Mr.. Savers, of Texas,
taken up and passed without
amendment or debate. Mr.. Hatch, of
Missouri, called up the bill appropria-
ting Gas deficiency Sl50,000 for carry
ing on the work of the bureau of ami
NAL industry and $4,000 for expert
ments in the production of sugar.
The Exciting Incident
of the day occurred when Mr.. Holman,
of Indiana, opposed the bill on the
ground that the committee on agri-
culture had no jurisdiction over the
matter, and that it properly came under
the jurisdiction of the committee on APP
preparations. He made the further OBJ
lection that the committee had not prop
erly investigated the question of appro-
priatlon, and prOp0unded several in
quirles bearing upon tn is point.
Mr.. Hatch declined to be catechiSed
by the gentleman from Indiana, but
Mr.. White, of Iowa Ga member or the
committee on agriculture), asserted en-
phatlcally that proper inquiry had been
made. When Mr.. Holman had finished
speaking, Mr.. Hatch took the floor, pre-
missing his remarks with an expression
of regret that his colleague on the com
mittee on agriculture (Mr. White, of
Iowa. had been caught in the trap set
by the gentleman from Indiana. Il set
no trap" said Mr.. Holman.
Mr.. Hatch said he regarded Mr.. Hol-
mans objection as resting upon the
founda ton that the appropriations car
led in the bill had not been properly
inquired into, because they had been
investigated by the committee ON agri-
culture, instead of the committee on APP
preparations. Laughter.l The com
mitteee on agriculture would faithfully
discharge its duty to the house and to
the country; but he
Would Not BE Catechised
by the gentleman from Indiana as to
what information he got about this or
about that. 1t was none Of the gentle
mans business. 1t was the business of
the committee OH agriculture. The
fact was that the committee had had be-
fore it the secretary of agriculture. the
heads of the various bureaus and three
or four members of congress. The
committee had reported this bill, not by
leave of the gentleman from Indiana, or
by favor of the committee on appropria-
tions, but under the rules of the house,
which gave to the committee on agri-
culture jurisdiction over all ap propria-
tons for the agricultural department..
If this was not an Appropriation bill
what was il?
Mr.. Holman-It is a deficiency. Mr..
Hatch-That is distinction without
difference.
Continuing, Mr.. Hatch said that time
and again he had seen the gentleman
from Indiana take the constitutional
knife and pare appropriations so that
they could not be seen under micro
scope, and when his own state was in
terested open the doors wider than was
necessary to allow this capitol to go
through. Laughter One of the first
l. L. 4 10 4