The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-06
VEST WANTS CHANGES
Says the Senate Rules Should be
Remodeled.
The Present Ones He Declares
Are Inefficient.
MR.. PETER SCORES.
His Bond IssueResOlutiOn Passes
the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Dec. en- the senate
yesterday, Mr.. Vest Of Missouri spoke
on the need of a change of the senate
rules He modified the form Of his
previous resolution so the committee
of rules IS to report by December Is
plan for closing de bate Mr.. Vest
said he had formerly opposed clio ture,
but he was now convinced clOture
was Inevitable and that it should be
effected as soon as possible The
question was thOroug hly und erstOOd,
having been debated for years, so
that the senate was in a position to
act at once. When the senate
mum bered forty mem bers there
was need of cloture, but
with the senate increasing 50 that It's
mem bership would soon reach 100 it
was impe "a lively necessary to have
rule bringing de bate to a close. In
reality the present rules stifie de bate
Senators will not debate a question
when they recognize the hopeless OPP
position under which they labor
These rules encourage parllame ntary
blackman, declared the senator
amendment to bills are offered
under the deliberate threat that if
they are not accepted an indehni tie
opposition will be inaugural d. " Ih e
senate had been brought into ublic
disrepute by its rules 1t was p0pu arly
perform its functions of legisla ton.
Bills of vast public interest LINGERIE
here until they were dead, and the
people were weary and DISCUS ted
with the spectacle of a pOwerless SEN
ate. Even when the bills passed
after such contest they were so dis
ere dited as to have no moral support
from the public
Mr. Vest said he had no Interior
purpose of securing the advancement
Of the separate tariff bills. He would
vote for these bills. But in the pres
ent case his only object was to secure
the change of rules which was essen
tial and inevita BILE.
Mr. Harris, Democrat. Tennessee,
added his opinion in favor Of d change
Of rules But he suggested that the
absence from the city of the chair
man Of the committee on rules, Mr.
Black burn. made it unwise to cOmpe
a report of a form of clOtUre by De
cember 10 Mr. Harris said he would
undertake to promise that some such
resolution would be reported soon
after the return Of Mr. 3 aezburn.
81 understand, " said Mr.. Aldrich,
Repu blican, that this new rule is not
to apply to legislat ton of this session.
not to the pending tariff bills?"
1t applies to every thing" said Mr.
Vest.
IF this new rule is adopted. as ked
Mr.. Allen, POpulist, Nebraska. will
any effort be made toward financial
legislation on the lines OF the pres
ident's message2'
Mr. Vest said he was not auth or
lied to state what would be done q
that regard.
IN order to terminal e the random
discussion Mr.. Harris moved to go
into executive session.
Mr. Ransom, Democrat, North Car
DINA. secured recognition to present
the credentials of Patrick Walsh, re-
elected as senator from Georgia
Arm in arm Messrs. Ransom and
Walsh went to the desk OF the presid-
ing officer, where the oath of Office
was administered. Mr.. Vest gave no
tice he would renew his motion in be-
half Of the resolution to- day.
Mr. PETER Of Kansas then se
cured the floor for long
and carefully prepared speech,
which he read from printed sheets.
Tt referred to his resolution calling
for information as to the action of the
secretary of the treasury in issuing
bonds and arraigning pu bile officials
for per6dy and usurpation Of author
At the close Of Mr.. PETERS speech
the resolution was adopted without
division t asked the judiciary com
mittee to inquire into the action of
the secretary of the treasury in issu-
ing bonds.
Another resolution by Mr.. PETER,
for infOrma ton from the president as
to the use of United States troops at
Chicago during the Pullman strike,
broug mt out considera bic debate on
the question of its reference to
committee.
Referred to the judiciary commit
tee