The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-03
A REFORM IN THE HOUSE.
Unfinished Business Can Be Taken
Up Immediately.

Under the Old Rule Six Days Must
Tlapse-Voorhees' Bank Circulation
Bill May Not Be Called Up Again.
The Proposed Changes in the Senate
Rules to Be Given Consideration
Early.
Washington, Dec. 2.-For the first time
since 1860 the House can resume the con
alteration of the unfinished business i'm
mediately on meeting. Up to and inclu-
ding the second session of the last con-
press, the F'ifty-second, the rules of the
House provided that six days must elapse
before the unfinis he'd business of the pre-
vious session could be taken up. The
rule was an old one, and its inconsistency
was brought to light at the beginning
Of the second session of the last
congress by Mr.. Kilgore, of Texas. The
House tried to take up an unfinished
measure, but Mr.. Kilgore made the asser-
ton that six days must elapse before the
matter could come up under the
rules He carried his point, but
the committee on rules the next
day reported a resolution, which
was adopted, repeating the six-day clause
The present rules of the house were ac-
cordingly framed 50 as to allow business
to go ahead, as if no recess or adjourn
ment had taken place.
THE SENATE CALENDAR
The Senate calendar is full of business.
There are fifty-six bills, seven miscel-
aneous documents and one resolution
awaiting action and there are number
Of other measures lying on the calendar
subject to call.
Not much headwav will be made in the
Senate. at least until after the Christ
mas holidays. The most important bill
on the calendar is Senate bill No. 453, in
troduced by Mr.. Voorhees,, Aug. Is, and
referred TO the committee on fl
nance, which provides for the in
crease of national bank circulation up to
the par value of the bonds deposited to
secure such circulation. 1t is doubtful
whether or not this bill viii be called up
again. Mr.. Voorhees, stated this after
noon that he would take no steps in re-
gard to any matter before his committee
until there had been a meeting of the
committee, and this meeting will be held
Tuesday morning at the usual hour of IL
o'clock
CHANGES IN THE RULES.
An early subject for discussion will be
the proposed changes in the rules, which
the long debate on the silver bill brought
to the prompt attention of the Senate and
the country. There are eighteen amend
ments now pending before the COM
mittee on rules, and that com
mittee will meet to consider them
at the earliest practicable moment.
A great majority of these amendments
are in the direction of closure, and We're
introduced by senator's as follows: HAl
five; Butler one; Mills one; Hoar one {;
Platt two; Lodge two; Challenger two /;
DOlph two; MandersOn two; Voorhees,
one Any report made by this committee
recommending closure will be the signal
for the opening of prolonged and hot
debate
OATES BANKRUPTCY BILL.
In the House on Wednesday Representa-
tive Oates, of Alabama, will call up the
bankruptcy bill, which was under cOnsid-
Grafton at the conclusion of the first ses-
slon as unfinished business. The gen
eral debate on this measure has lasted
some time and Mr. Oates will ask tina / it
be closed in two days. Afterwards
amendments will be in order, and debate
under the fve-minute rule will begin
Mr. Oates hopes to bring the measure to
vote in eight or ten days. He thinks it
Will pass, and he will endeavor to have it
voted on before other measures of more
urgency get the attention Of the public.
THE TARIFF BILL.
The ways and means committee are
anxious to get the tariff bill up as soon as
possible, and expect to do so before the
holiday recess All other measures will
theu retire in the House and give the
tarH the right of way.
Chairman Savers, of the appropriation
committee, will have two or three appro-
pHatlon bills ready for the House to act
upon by the end of the first weeks ses-
sion, but he will not offer them for con-
SQefatlon if he sees that they will in any
way antagonize the ''all important" ques-
Ton of revising the existing tariff laws.
HelnIormed Speaker Crisp to-day that
The sundry, civil and fortification bills are
complete.
- The House calendar contains some forty
mouse bills, and about fifty of a private
Character.
SILVER TO BE HEARD FROM.
,, MT Bland, who now contests with Mr.
Ho-man the right to be called the oldest
member in the House, will endeayor to
VHhg up the silver question at the earliest
Oos' A majority of the committee on
,yAage weights and measures, of which
N Is chairman, is in favor of free coinage,
oIu Will report favorably a bill to re-
14atJ the coinage law of 1887 But the
II"er question cannot come up in the
mouse until the tariff is disposed of.
"a, Az some time during the session, and as
SSar} as possible, Mr.. Wheeler of Ala
.oal, chairman Of the House committee
vi l0Wtories, will ask the House TO con-
,r 1,lei the adyisabiity Of admitting to the
TT.IoN as states, Arizona, New Mexico and