The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-11
DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.
Day Spent I'm Discussing the Commit
tee Report on Rules.


WASHINGTON. JAM 1o.-The House gave
its time to-day to discussion of the pro-
posed amendments of the rules of the Fifty
first Congress. which were Professionally
adopted early in the session to govern this
House. Two interesting discussions relieved
the monotony of the technical debate. One
was precipitated by Mr.. Walker. of Massa-
chusetts. chairman of the banking and cur
rency committee, who made fight against
the proposition to drop the committee on
banking and currency from the list of COM
mittees privileged to report bills to the
House at any time. A partisan debate re-
suited, in which Mr. Walker was supported
by the Democrats and a Republican con-
tingent which included many free-silver
men. The last Congress bad added the
committees on banking and currency and
coinage, weights and measures to the privi-
legged list. but the committee on rules decid-
ed not to alter the list of the Fifty-first
Congress, which did not include them. Mr.
Walker failed to carry his point. Mr.. Hep
burn, of Iowa, inspired the second discus
sion by an amendment to direct the Speaker
to recognize any member who addressed
him when no other member was on the floor
and spoke against the growing power given
by the rules to the Speaker. He withdrew
his proposition, however, after a speech by
Mr.. Bell. of Colorado, who claimed that 1t
would secure for the Populist members the
recognition Of which, he claimed they were
deprived. The discussion of the rules was
not finished.
At the opening of the session Mr. Tawney,
Republican, offered a resolution relating to
pension claims. 1t rected that it was fire.
quently charged by pensioners and appli-
cants that the medical division of the PEN
sion Bureau fails to properly regard the
reports and findings in pension claims made
by various boards of the United States ex-
aiming surgeons, and declared that il was
due to the officials of the department, 10
pensioners and the pubic that the truth or
falsity of the charges be made known. 1t
called on the Secretary of the Interior to
furnish copies OF the reports and findings
by boards of examining surgeons. irrespec-
tive of locality. in the first fifty claims for
original invalid pensions rejected on med-
cal grounds after Nov. i. 1891; after Sept 1,
1893, and Oct 1, 1895. An objection to its
consideration was made by Mr.. Mcclellan.
Mr.. Odell offered a resolution to direct the
compittee on banking and currency TO re-
port an amendment to the general banking
to invest not to exceed 80 per cent of their
lawful reserves in bonds of the United
States. to be hereafter issued under the
acts OF June IA, 1876, and May 81, 1878. OBJ
lection was made to Mr.. Odelps resolution,
and it was referred to the committee.
DEBATE ON THE RULES.
Then the changes in the House rules rec
commended by the committee on rules were
reported by Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa. and
were debated section by section. Mr.. Dear
mond offered an amendment, providing for
deduction from members pay for absences
not due to sickness, sickness in the fam
lily. Mr.. w. a. Stone assured the House
that the only effect of enforcement of the
rule in the last House had been to increase
the sick list. Although Mr.. Dearmond en-
deavored to obtain the yeas and nays, his
request was refused-39 TO 1S2-and the
amendment was lost by about the same
vote. several Democrats voting against it
When the rule giving certain committees
leave to report to the House at any time
was reached 1t created a decided breeze
Mr.. Walker, chairman of the committee on
banking and currency, asked why that COM
mittee had been omitted from the list, and
onered an amendment to include his COM
mittee. Mr. Bailey offered an amendment
to Mr.: Walkers amendment. including the
COMMITTEES on coinage. After a somewhat
cused Mr.. Dalzel of having taken his COM
mittee to the door and kicked il out. Mr..
ia amendment was defeated-ll1 to
defeated-l12 to 16O.
Another surprise was brought into the de-
bate by Mr.. Hepburn, who made vigorous
spcccu dSdlHst the usual rule putting in the
hands or the Speaker discretion in the mat
ter or recognizing members to speak. He
said that II any principle was we'll es-
tabiished 1t was the equality of every con-
stituency with every other on the floor, We,
members were surrendering their poy er and
their equal rights TO the Speaker and put
ting into his hands the power to paralyze
any constituency through whole Congress
Mr.. Hepburn would make IL the Speaker $
duty TO recognize the member who first ad-
dressed him.
Mr.. Henderson replied that startling in
novation was proposed. He conceded that
great power was given the Speaker but
under any other system every member would
have 10 be heard on every question III was
proper that the Speaker should first recog-
niZe the members of the committee which
reported any bill, under discussion.
Mr.. Bell seconded Mr.. Hepburn saying
that the seven Populist members repre-
scented 100000 votes. yet they were prac-
tically without rights on the foor, they
had no places on important committees and
no one OF them had been permitted &c open
his mouth for five weeks. He complained
that the State OF Maine monopolizei the
leadership of the House with four important
places, while the State OF Colorado was
not recognized. although IL had single coun.
ties with more wealth than Maine.
When Mr.. Bell concluded Mr. Hepburn
rose and said: Il desire 10 withdraw my
and shouts OF laughter on the Republican
tomorrow.
Four Little Travellers.