Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-01-24
PARLIAMENTARY IANGle
Wound Up Action on Quarantine Bill in the
House Yesterday.

WA>HI>atoN, Jan. 23.--Ihe House in
continuation OF Saturdays session, met nj
/ / o'clock this morning The House I'M
mediatcly proceeded, in committee of the
whole, to the further discussion of the
quarantine bill The amendment was
adopted extending the provisions of the
bill to immigration aud importation across
land boundaries as well as across sea
boundaries.
Malloy. Democrat, offered an amcnmcpt
providing that nothing in act be constructed
10 authorize the secretary of the treasury
to prohibit or the President restrain or pre-
vent the passage from one state to another
of persons not immigrants and not engaged
in commerce.
Malloy said the object of the amendment
was 10 bring the bill within the cons,itu-
tion. For instance, if New York was an
infected port, persons living in Jersey CITY
AMI employed in Now York could not. il
the treasury department So decreed, return
to their homes after their daily labor
This was an infringement of II personal
right. Mibken of Maine, in opposing the
amendment, laid down the proposition tha,
no person had the right TO go from one
state To another and carry nuisance or
infection with him. The amendment was
lost.
An amendment providing that all quar-
antinc regulations existing by the authority
of state law OF municipal ordinance at any
place where the federal government shall
establish quarantine regulations G Of no
effect so far as they be in conflict with this
act was lost.
An amendment tina, nothing contained in
the bill he construed To authorize the cs-
tablishment or maintenance of any guaran-
tine station in ny locality. where proper
constitutional authority shall officially de
termine such action dangerous to the lives
and safety of the people of such locality,
was rejected.
Cummings said the pending bill ovcrrode
all state laws: and that he now served
notice on the House that whenever it pro
posed TO consider bill that overrodc state
rights, he intended to use every parliament
ary rule 10 defeat any such measure. After
the rejection of various other amendments
the committee rose, and reported the bill to
the House.
Then the House found itself in tight
parliamentary tanglc. The bill as reported
from the committee of the whole WIS a sub
stitute for the original bill, introduced by
Rayncr, and Ms such substitute was reported
as one amendment, although it had received
several amendments.
Complaint was made that this was not the
proper status of the bill, but the Speaker
was firm in his decision that there was but
one amendment, the substitute, pending.
The previous question was ordered on the
substitute reported by the committee of the
whole, and agreed to.
\ On the final passage of the bill, on divi-
\ sion, the vote stood III TO ~. Mallory
raised the point of no quorum; and on vote
/ by tellers, the vote stood 1873 to 90. No
effort was made 10 secure the yeas and
! nays.
/ Wise of Virginia called up the New York
/ & New Jersey bridge bill. nunphy of New
! York offered substitute. Wise said the
substitute was agreeable to the committee
on commerce and members from New
York, but it did not prove acceptable to the
3'ennsy ylvania delegation, which resorted TO
( flibusterug tactics and compelled the with
I drawal of the bill.
Z The House, in committee Of the whole
| considered the sundry civil appropriation
bill. General debate occupied about u
minutes. Tracy of New York, offered an
amendment, reducing by 5000 the appro'
priation for the transportation of silver
coin, coupled with the proyis" that the sec
retary of the treasury may suspend the pur
chase of silver bullion under the Sherman ac
whenever it may be advisable to do SO, for
the purpose of maintaining on parity will
each other gold and silver, on the ratio pro
viied by law, this being the policy of the
United States as declared by this act.
Ona point of order the amendment was
ruled ont. The committee. after disposin.
Of about half of the bill, arose and tn,
House adjourned.