The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-30

WASHINGTON. D, G., August oo,-An
animated discussion over the rules be-
tween Speaker Crisp and ex-speaker
Reed enlivened the proceedings OF the
house to-day. AT times the debate was
somewhat personal and each speaker
received the plaudits OF his party
friends. Mr. Aitken offered resolu-
ton providing for special committee
of FIVE members to investigate the
Ford's theatre disaster, "and to deter
mine what action should be taken for
the relief Of the families OF the vic
Tins" Referred to the committee on
rules. q.
Mr.. Catchings called up the report Of
committee on rules reporting the rules
for the present house.
When speaking in favor OF the rule
making quorum OF the committee OF
tho whole one hundred members he
was interrupted by Mr.. Kilgore, with
the inquiry whether o quorum OF the
committee OF the whole should not be
the same as the quorum OF the house.
In reply Mr.. Catchings said that the
adoption OF this rule by the Fifty.frat
Congress was good and beneficial. Jap
plause
Mr.. Reed twitted the Democrats upon
their partial approval OF the rules OF
the Fifty.frst Congress, but, in hu.
morous vein, contended that they had
not gone far enough. He then, in a
more serioua manner, argued in favor
OF the rights OF the majority, which
rights had been firmly maintained in
the Fifty.frst Congress. Why not adopt
q system Of rules which would give TO
the majority control and take away
from the flibusterer his opportunity to
stop the consideration OF measure2
It was better to have a speaker exercise
power in full light Of public opinion
than to exercise It in tho seclusion Of
the committee room.
CRISP REPLIES.
Then, for the frat time this session,
the speaker took the floor, having called
Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee, to the
chair, and replied to the criticisms Of
the gentleman from Maine. He said
there were provisions in this code which
were taken substantially from the rules
of the Fifty.frst Congress. Nolther
himself nor any member OF the COM
mittee on rules would refrain from re-
porting rules simply because they were
part OF the rules Of Fifty-frst Congress
Very much Of those rules was to be
commended; very much of those rules
had been by the country absolutely
condemned.
The first action OF the Fifty-frst Con-
gress which was odious to the country
was not an action under any rule, but
it was the arbitrary, high-handed action
on the part OF tho speaker without
authority OF rules, without authority OF
anyone. Applause. When the
charges were made against the Fifty
first Congress, let no one forget that the
first charge was that, without authority
Of the house, without the authority OF
the committee on rules, the speaker had
exercised power that had never been
granted to him. Applause. He had
assumed upon himself the power 10
count a quorum. The question had
gone to the supreme court Of the United
States, and the gentleman from Maine
Mr.. Reed had never been justified.
lie had Heard the gentleman from
Maine say several times that the su-
preme court had justified his course.
The supreme court had not touched the
question.
The gentleman had referred to tho
power lodged in the committee on rules,
Let him (Mr. Crisp) call the gentle.
mans attention to the distinction that
existed between the policy OF tho gen.
tleman from Maine and the policy OF
the present committee on rules. Tho
gentleman from Maine believed that
power should be lodged In tho speaker
absolutely to decide what was dilatory
motion. Under the system proposed
by the committee on rules 1t was left to
the house to decide whether the motion
was dilatory or not. The system
adopted by the Fifty.second Congress,
and now reUdopted by the committee
on rules, was to maintain, not the indi'
vidual judgment OF tho chair, but the
udgemnt OF tho majority OF the house.
PERSONALITIES.
The speaker was not granted the
authority to control legislation, the
committee on rules was not granted
such authority The authority rested
in the majority OF tho house. Under
the rules proposed dilatory motions
would be avoided, for tile house hdd
due power to reach that result by re.
port from tho committee on rules. Tho
power lodged in that committee was
Simply TO report proposition. Tho
committee could not adopt cloture. "
could not llx tho order Of business With.
out tho consent OF tho house. Instead
OF following the old method, whpn illi'
clustering could not have boon stayed,
instead OF following the rules OF the
| Fitty.arst Congress, the Filty.second
Congress had taken d middle cohrsc.
10 him II WAS source oil plenBnrO
and delight that tho peopl . mad on.
dorsod that course and had returned n
large Democratic majority to the house
The people had decided that they did
not believe that any man who was sent
here a. their representative should be-.
como their master Applauscl No
man could dictate TO thum. LApplnuscl,
Whenever, oi recent years, Republicans
had como into power In the house their
lease Of power hnd been one term. Mr.,
Keller had been FepudIRted, TAP.
plauscl
The gentleman from MNine tMr.
Reed) had stated by arrogant assertion
that the 5lst Congress should be 70.
! pnrhod na nn oxRmnlN TINT shonld DO