The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-10
THE OUTLOOK IN THE HOUSE.
CONGR1SsMAN CUMMINGS DRAWING
HOROSCOPE OF LEGIsLA7IoN.

The Everlasting Silver due stion-Blnnd's
Persistent Fight Work on Suspension
Day--Patriots Chained in Washington.
WARRINGTON. July o.-The House is now
chop seq OF legislation. The end OF the sos
sion ie in sight All OF the appropriation bills
have been passed and most OF them are dan
Cling in conference committees. Tho Agrl-
cultural. the Indian Appropriation. and tho
River and Harbor bills have been ground out
and have gone to tho President Col. William
II. Hatch. Samuel W. Peel. and Newton G.
Blanchard showed them through without
ceremony. Others in charge OF appropriation
bills have not been 80 successful. The House
has refused to assent to the agreement OF its
oonferrees on the Consular and Diplomatic bill.
u resolutey insists upon striking out tho APP
preparation for the survey Of a transcontincn-
tai railway What 1t will do with the agree
mont on tho Naval Appropriation bill
remains to be seen. Tho House provided
for the building OF ono moro cruiser. The
Senate added a number of ships to this crus-
Or. and the conferrecs have agreed to one more
two In all. This Is hardly in line with the
policy laid out by Secretary Whitney. The
House. however. will probably sustain its con-
ferrees. Tho Post Office Appropriation bill. the
Army. tho District. tho Military Academy. the
Pension. tho Post Ofllco. and tho Legislative.
Executive and judicial bills arc still in con-
ference. The Senate Is considering the Forth
fcations and the Sundry Civil bills The Con-
efal Deficiency Is still in the Senate Commit
tee. All could be disposcd.of in short order. II
the House would resolutely buckle down to
business. A prompt settlement ought to be
Effected. Tho fiscal year closed on June 30.
Tho extravaganza appropriations made In the
second session Of Tom Reeds Congress havo
been continued so as to keep tho Government
IN running order.
Conference reports nro privileged. They
cnn be called up ut any time unless special
order intecvenos. Tom Reed recently said
that this House seemed to think all it had to
do was to pass appropriation bills. II this Is
30. the work Ia almost done. But there are
hundreds of bills upon tho calendars. all
awaiting action. No one is called up by unan-
imous consent. because tho Farmers Alliance
members object They desire to force the
Ways and Means to mako some sort of a report
upon tho Sub Treasury scheme.
The Labor Committee has had its day. 1t
ground out two bills. Ono grants thirty work
ing days leave Of absence to the employees OF
tho Bureau Of Engravin. and Printing Tho
o; her Is tho Eight-hoar bill. 1t makes eight
hours 4 days labor. and applies to all con-
tracts hereafter made Tor Government work.
The Senate will probably not take action on
these bills til the next session. The Light
hour Back Pay bill! went to the House Commit
toe on Claims this year. 1t has not yet been
reported. II it should reach the House there
will be no chance fos its consideration.
There are other bills that interest working
men. Ona is the bill to increase and cTualize
tho ruy Of letter carriers. 1t has been reported
10 the House. and IS now on the calendar. 1t
Gun hardly &c reached this session. If brought
up on Sus pension Day Il would not receive the
necessary two-thirlS. 1t would increase the
expenses Of the Post Ofco Department
81. 2Oo.COO yearly. This fact alone is su fcient
t. drfca. u on suspension D.y. Ii may squeeze
through Ut thu short session. provided tho let
ter carriers spur W thcir Congressmen.
Nornrc tho letter carriers the only ones who
will suffer. lle Post Office clerks and tho
fourth class postnasterS are in the same boat.
Their bills have not even been reported from
the Post Office Committee. And still buried
In committee lies the Lie Saving Pension bill.
The lam cn.cd Sunset Cox introduced it years
ago. 1t has been rcntruduced in every Con-
grcss since then. and has not yet shown its
head above tho sui face.
These are only u few OF the bills In which
lahor.n :: men are interested. They are pretty
apt to 90 buried bc"ond hole Of resurrection.
u.-rHIvATE BILLS.
The reasons are manifold. Legislation in
the House does not follow beaten path.
Thero is so much privileged business 50 much
Alibusterins. and above all so much useless
talking. that the work Of many House commit
tees is wasted. Without n special order it can
never Le brought before tho House There is
what ia known as tho Morning Hour Under it
each committee in turn secures four hours for
the con sideration OF bills. But the privileged
business is so great that the Morning Hour
went out Of sight weeks ago. and is never
reached. Even If a bill Is reached in the Morn
ing Hour it can be politely talked to death.
and 1t is in the power Of any man to fliibuster
against 1t till the four hours have expired
Hundreds of would be pensioners are await
ing action on the pension bills. Tho calendar
II loaded with them. and two hours and n half
OF each Friday night are set apart for their
consideration. Ne!y few. however. are passed.
Tho House throttles itself. 1t has never had
quorum present on q Fri lay night since tho
beginning of the session. This leaves 1t in the
power OF any ono man to prevent legislu-
tion by raising tho point OF no quorum.
Either Buck klEo:e II Texas or his con-
frorc Mr.. Bailey. i, ALWAYS present and
never fails to raise this point unless the bill
seems to them to be OF the most deserving
character. In previous Congresses members
OF tho House in rotation had the power to call
up any pension bill they pleased. With tho
Texas brake in operation. only the most de-
serving ones We're then called up. AS it is to-
day. tho bills como up as they stand on tho
calendar. Tho instant shaky case is reached
tho point Of no quorum Is made. and the
evening session is practically at an end. Thus
bad bills damn good ones.
Sandwiched among the pension bills on tho
calendar are bills for the relief OF desertcrs.
There are hundreds Of them. Relieved Of tho
charge OF desertion. tho men can apply for and
receive pensions In forty-pin cases out Of
NIFTY. relief is asked with this object in view.
The instant such bill comes before tho
lIous" it cNcitrs tho suspicious. not only Of
Buck kigore, hut OF MANY n Union veteran.
They think that tho clai ms OF honorably dis
charged soldiers should have tho preference.
but the deserters' hills block tho path. The
consideration Of each ono leads to a btter de-
bate. and the night session ends with little ac-
complished.
Aside from these there, are hundreds OF pri-
Nate bills upon the calendar. lhoy have been
rssported from tho Committee On Claims, tho
Committee on War Claims. and tho Commit
on Private Land Claims. They involve Sums
ranging from lifty dollars to millions Just or
u iiet thnV n "a ia1 Nor A.,