The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-11
The Amendments Recommended BY The Rules
Committee Discussed In the House.
SMOKING ON HOUSE FLOOR PROHIBITED
Republicans Virtually Admit tls,L II
Democratic Rulc iS IL Good One
Committees to Rc Allowed 10 Re-
port nt Any Tiuc- -Popuiist He'll
MOI Satisfied With Treatmcut.

ported the changes In the rules recon-
mended by the Committee OH Rules.
them seriatim
The first amendment was one speci-
fically directing the clerk to pay officers
ana employees their salaries. u provision
adopted by the rules OF the Fifty-sec-
ond and Fifty-third Congress- 1t was
agreed to.
The next amendment struck out the
provision requiring the Sergcant-at-
Arms to give bond In the sum OF $50.
0o0. Because of the Silcott defalcation
a law was passed covering the case and
the provision was, therefore, useless.
Agreed to.
Mr. DeArmond Oem) proposed an
amendment to the rule governing the
duties of the Sergeant-at-Ams rcquir-
ing that officer to deduct from the sala-
rles of the members for absence other
than those caused by Illness
Rule lit was proposed to amend In
accordance with the rules of the last
Congress so as to permit the Committee
on Rules to sit at any time, and so as
TO preclude any dilatory motion upon
the consideration OF II report from the
committee tsave one, to adjOuym until
the report was disposed of.
Mr. Crisp said that when that rule
was proposed in the Fifty-second Con-
Sress, gentlemen upon the Republican
side exercised themselves earnestly in
denouncinE II as the method the Demo-
Gratis proposed of gagging the minority
He was I'm favor of the rule then, was
in favor of it now, and he only wanted
to congratulate the Rcpublicans upon
having at last reached that point where
they were willing TO admit that Dem
ocratlc rule was a proper method of
procedure. Uaughter.)
Speaker Rced-I imagine that the feel
ing is mutual. Uaughter)
This rule indicates the committees
With leave tn report at any time There
are ten rulcs-Elections Ways and
Means, Rivers and liarbols. Public
Lands, Printing. ACCOMPLISHMENTS the
committees having charge Of general
appropriation bills.
Mr. Walker Rep.). of Massachusetts,
endeavored to secure the same privilege
for the Committee on Banking and Cur
rency and Mr.. Bailey (Dcm) OF Texas
Tor The Committee on Coinage, Weights
anu Measures, which led to n wide dis
cussion OF the relative Importance OF
the several committees of the House
alr. Crisp advocated the Insertion in
the privileged class pf the two commit
tees named. because OF The gravity of
the subjects committed to them. If
they were not SO included, he urged The
probabilities were nrcntly against any
consideration of these questions. "Whcn
YOU go home" hc said. '+at the close of
this Congress ana your constituents ask
why you did nothing on the currency
had no time to consider that question :
tell them at the salnr time that i'm a,lont-
ing the rules of the House. you delib-
eratcly. by your own votes, put IL out
Of Your power to consider it." ZAP
plauSr)
y vote by yeas and nays was ordered
ON Mr.. Bailey's amendment. to give the
Committee or Coinage. Weights and
Measures the right 70 report at any time
and the amendment was lost Yeas. Ill:
nays, lS3. The Democrats and Popu-
lists voted for the amendment and the
Republicans generally against 1t.
The following broke over their party
traces and voted aye: Mcssrs. Aitkin.
anderson, Andrews. Baker IN. H),
Bowers. Rroderick. Connolly, Doolittlc,
Johnson (Cal) Mcclure. McIachhtn.
Alilncs, Mondcll, Pearson. Shafroth,
store, Tracewnll, Walker MassD, and
Wilson Udaho).
Amendments were accepted making
the representation of territorial dele
gates on the Committee on Territories
two. instead of one. and forbidding
smoking on the floor OF the House al
all times-the latter with general APP
plauSc.
MIR. Hepburn proposed an amendment
to th" rule governing the debate so as To
require the Speaker to recognize a mem
her who addresses the Chair instead Of
leaving 1t optional
Mr.. Henderson Rep.). of Iowa, snid
this proposition was a startling innova-
tion, and merited The careful consitern-
tion of the ltouse. The power lodged
In the Speaker, he concededa was great
one, but the amcndmhntof OF his colleague
provided no remeoy OF the evil complain
ed of. II was evidently impossible for
every one of 356 members of the House
TO he heard on every subject. and the
rule attacked had grown INTO the prac-
tice of the House because of its neces-
sity.
The adoption af the amendment OF Mr..
Hepburn would result In pandemonium
being let loose on the floor of the House,
There was no other policy in any civ
ilZed legislative li,dy in the world
than that the selection of the member
that such power be lodged In the Speak
er or presiding officer.
Mr. Hell said he had gone to the
Speaker in the course of the period dur
ing which tine House was doing nothing
whatever and asked tn be recognized to
present a resolution for unanimous con-
sent to consider a resolution directing
the Committee on Coinage, Weights
and Measures. to investigate and report
what effect upon the interests OF the
country had been exercised by the d.
vergencc between the values of gold
and silver. The Speaker kindly but