The Portland daily press., 1896-01-28
TO A LAST LONG HOME.
The Passing Of the Congressional
PiIIibuster.
THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO
REEDS BUSINESS RULES.

The Reform in the Calling of the Yeas and
Nays-Immense Amount of Time Saved
Congress Careful in Appropriations
Mr.. Anderson Still in Washington
Would Like to Bring the Surveyorship
look.
ESPECIAL TO THE pREss.l
Washington, January 81. 7.-Congress is
nearly through the second month of It's
session; and, SO far as the House is con-
cerned, has disposed of large share of
it's work. The Senate so far has done
nothing practical; but that body often
awakes from its vocal frances and passes
large number of bllls-especially appro-
priation' bills-in short time. The
House has already passed and sent over
three appropriation bills, the military
academy, pension AID urgent deficiency,
besides the bond bill and the tariff bill.
1t is usually the last Of March or April
before assmany appropriation bills as this
have been sent to ths Senate. Further
more, the other fourteen or fifteen great
appropriation bills by which supplies are
furnished to the government, are being
formulated very industriously by the
committees having them in charge.
Probably the coming week Will see
several reported and two or more passed.
There is general disposition on both
sides to be as economical as possible.
'When we are living on borrowed money
we ought to be as prudent as possible, +"
was the admonition that the Speaker
frequently gave to members during the
early days of the session. And it is to be
said to the credit of the Democrats, that
they are also recognizing the situation.
In the 51st Congress they showed a dis
position to mako all appropriations as
large as possible, knowing that the Re-
pHblioans were in power and would have
to bear the responsibility for all that was
done. In this House Mr. Cannon, chair
man Of the appropriations committee,
finds already an earnest supporter in
Mr.. Sayers OF Texas, who is at the head
of the Democratic members on that COM
mittee. Together they are able TO get the
appropriation bills through the House in
about the shape in which they came out
of the committee.
THE FILIBUSTER HAS GONE.
Another condition that is contributing
much to enable this House to do it's work
speedily and we'll is the total absence of
fill clustering. The filbibuster rides on
his raids no more; and the 54th Congress
is no more like the 51st than a picnic
party is like riot. OF course the
side contributes much to this; and yet it
may be doubted whether there would be
any flibustering even were the two sides
nearly evenly matched. 1t is recognized
that the Reed rules have come to stay,
that tilibustering cannot be successful,
and SO no one cares to try it. This oper-
ates to give more deliberative character
| to the House. The time that used to be
spent in fllbustering is now spent in de-
bate. In the 51st Congress the Republi-
can leaders used to give so much time to
b measure which was equivalent. to say
ing to the Democrats: " Here is the time
| You can use it to consider the measure.
or you can use it in your antics. You
can debate OF you can compel useless roll
calls" The Democrats used the time in
antics and then howled tnat there was no
freedom OF debate and that the House bad
ceased to be deliberate body There was
some truth in their statement, but they
and not the majority were responsible Tor
the situation. This Congress, so far, the
yeas and nays (Which consume from half
TO three fonrths of an hour. and which
may be ordered by one-ffth of those
presently have not been used more than
| three or four times. They would often be
used ten times in single day in the 51st,
and in month the years and nays would
be called thirty, forty, or even seventy
times Seventy roll calls means more
than week. as time is consumed by
see how the House can debate more, do
more, and get through earlier than it's
predecessors, all because the flibuster
| has been sent to his long home. IT the
Senate will take intervals of action from
| the long debates, an adjournment will
be possible by the first of May or June
Prominent Senators who are in position
to know, declare that this will be done.
A REFORM FOR THE FUTURE.
The week just passed. has witnessed an
interesting parliamentary event. The
final work Of perfecting Speaker Reeds
quorum rule was completed. 1t will be
remembered that in the Flfty-f first Con-
gress the vanishing quorum was invented
or discovered, by the irrepressible Con-
gressman sBilly'' Mason of Chicago, a
Republican. Hitherto the Democrats had
remain ed silent in their seats All that
had to be done to get a quorum was to
count them. But on fight over nom
partisan measure, bill relating 20 COM
pound lard, if recollection serves right,
the idea occurred to some one that if
those who had formerly remained silent
should run out Of the Hall, the Speaker
could no longer count a quorum. This
idea was bright one, and if it had been
put in operation in tine stormy days when
Mr.. Reed first counted quorum, it
would have embarrassed him seriously if
not fatally. When there is no quorum in
the hall nothing is left but to adjourn or
have a call of the House. In a call of the
Il ouse, the Sergeant at arms goes out
and arrests enough members to make up
a quoram. But he has no power to keep