Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-30
HOUSE DISTRICT DAYS
The Rule Has Been Amended in Regard
to Them.
The House Can, by the New Rules, Set
~
the District Aside Effect
of the Change.

The proposed new rules of the House pro-
vide for a change in the rule setting apart
a day for the consideration of District busi-
ness. The old rule providing for District
day was as follows:
The second and fourth Mondays in each
month shall. when claimed by the COM
mittee of the District of Columbia, be set
apart for the consideration of such business
as may be presented by said committee"
The committee on rules now propose to
substitute for that provision the following:
THE second and fourth Mondays in each
month shall be set apart for the considera-
tion of such business shall have been
previously reported from the committee on
the District of Columbia, unless otherwise
determined by the House."
In the House late yesterday afternoon
Mr.. Catchings of Mississippi explained the
proposed change as follows:
THE amendment, if adopted, will have
the effect of placing what are known as
District days upon the same footing pre-
cisely with the Fridays of each of week,
which are known as private calendar days.
will explain to members who have not had
an opportunity of witnessing the operation
of the old rule that it was not within the
power of the House to determine, as a gen.
eral proposition, on District days whether
1t would consider business reported from
the committee on the District of Columbia
or not; whereas 1t has always been within
the power of the House, when Friday comes,
to say by a vote that it will dispense with
the private calendar and proceed to general
| business.
The only method by which the House
| on District day could refuse to consider
business reported from the committee on
the District Of Columbia was by having the
question OF consideration raised against
each bill presented by that committee; and
the effect was, SO far as my observation
goes. that the day was generally lost both
10 the committee on the District of Co.
lumbia and the House. When this House
desires to consider business reported from
the committee on the District of Columbia
1t will do 80. and when 1t does not desire
TO do so no rules you can adopt can compel
1t to do SO.
THE effect. therefore, was that hour after
hour was spent in having a bill presented
by the committee on the District of Column
bia, having the question of consideration
raised against ii and sustained: then hay-
ing another bill called up by that commit
tee. the question of consideration again
raised and again sustained: and so on until
the whole day was wasted in the struggle
between the House trying on the one hand
to rid itself of that business and the com
mittee on the other hand trying to compel
the House to consider its business.
Inc committee on rules would suggest
TO the House whether it would not be wise
to put these District days upon the same
footing with Friday, which is private cal
endar day; so that If, from any cause salts
| sire to enter upon the consideration of
measures reported from the committee ON
the District Of Columbia, II could bv a
single vote SO decide and pass on to the
| cohsioeratlon or general business"
How Will 1t works
Mr.. Richardson Of Tennessee asked
whether the effect of the new rule as
proposed, If adopted. will not be TO make
1t much more difficult for the committee on
the District of Columbia to have its busi-
| ness attended to on District days? In
! other words, will it not be easier to dis
pense with District business under the new
rule than 1t was under the old?''
| Mr.. Catchings replied that is a matter
OF speculation. Mr.. Speaker. and the gentle
mans question is one to which, of course
no definite or conclusive answer can be
| given. My own opinion. however is that
| the effect Of this rule will be to expedite the
| consideration of bona fide measures or
| those of at least quasi public nature
which may come from that committee"
| Mr.. Richardson then asked Mr.. Catchirgs
| whether, in view Of the great and grow
ing importance Of the business pertaining
to the District of Columbia, he thinks that
| two days In each month Is more time than
1t ought to be allowed for the transaction
| of that business?"
| "Mr. Speaker. i might admit the truth of
what the gentleman implies in that ques-
| tion. and still contend that this would be a
wise rule" answeded MIR. Catchings. Il
may also suggest that one day in the week
| for the consideration of private bills is ut
| terly insufficient to give any sort of consid-
| GRAFTON to measures Of that kind which
| Congress has to pass upon; but, in the
very nature of things, we cannot give as
many days to the consideration Of either
private bills or the business of the District
/ as perhaps they should have
! rs the object of this new rule to make
1t easier to do away with District business
on District daysg' asked Mr. Richardson.
| THE object is to enable this House. when
| 1t is determined not to consider business
! reported from the District committee, to
say so by n single vote, and pass on to gen.
eral business, instead Of wasting the whole
| day in voting down one bill after another
| presented from that committee" replied
Mr.. Catchings.
Invite Opposition.
| Chairman Heard of the District commit
| tee then said:
! Il will ask the gentleman whether II Is
| not the object Of this rule and whether
| the effect of it will not be to invite the
very opposition to the consideration of Dis
trict business which is relied upon to set
| that business aside in the interest Of other
| business?
| Il do not think this amendment can be
! regarded as an invitation to obstruction,
said, there are times when this House will
| not consider business reported from the
| committee on the District of Columbia-'
| "Or from any other" interposed Mr..
Heard.
"Old members have seen that repeated
| ly," continued Mr.. Catchings "They have
seen the efforts of that committee to OBJ.
| tain consideration for it's business, and
have seen them fail repeatedly. If the
House wishes to consider the business re-
| ported from that committee 1t will do so,
| and IL 1t does not think it ought to have
| q right to say SO. to put 1T aside, and pro-
ceed to the consideration of other busi-
ness
Mr.. Hopkins of Illinois asked If the pro-
posed rule would have a tendency to cause
the committee on the District of Columbia
to bring forward only mertorious meas
ures-such as they can satisfy the House
have merit in them, to which MIR Catch
ings replied that he had no doubt that this
rule would have the effect at all events of
| causing that committee to put at least In
the front rank those measures of the great
est general Importance to the District of
Columbia.
This closed the discussion upon the pro-
| posed amendment for the present.
Army Orders.