The herald., 1896-01-11

Of Rules
WASHINGTON, Jan. lO.-The house gave
its time today TO discussion of the propo ed
amendments of the rules of the Fiftyfrst
congress which were Professionally adopted
early in the session, to govern this house.
Two interesting discussions relieved the
monotony of the technical deba g. One
was precipitated by Mr.. Walker of Massa.
chusetts, chairman of The banking and
currency committee, who made fight
against the proposition to drop the COM
mittee on banking and currency from the
list of committees privileged to bring bills
to the house at any time. A partisan de-
bate resulted, in which Mr.. Walk r was
supported by the Democrats and Repub-
licau contingent which included many free
silver men.
Mr.. " alker failed to carry his point.
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa Inspired the second
discuss ion by an amendment to direct the
speaker 10 recognize any member who adj
dressed him when NO other member was
on the floor and spoke against the growing
over given bv the rules 10 the speaker.
! He withdrew his position, however, after a
speech by Mr.. b. IL of Colorado, who
| claimed that il would secure for the Popu-
! list members the recognition of which he
| claimed they were deprived. The dscus-
/
! When the rule giving certain commit
| tee leave 10 report TO the house any time
/ was reached. it created decided breeze.
alker. chairman of the comm ttee on
banking aud currency. asked why that
committee had been omitted from the list,
and offered an amendment to include his
committee Bailey offered an amendment
to " Walker's amendment to include the
committee on coinage. After a somewhat
animated debate in which Walker accused
/ Dalzell of having taken his committee TO
tile door and kicked il our. Baley's
I amen 1.nent was defeated, Ill to 1888.
Walkers amendment was then defeated,
! 1I2 to 100.
Another surprise was brought into the
debate by Mr.. hepburn Republican. Iowa),
who made a vigorous spec ch against the
usual rule putting in the hands of the
speaker discretion in the matter of recog-
nizing members to speak. He said that if
any principle was we'll established it was
the equality OF every constituency with
every ear on the fl ,or, yet members were
surfendering their power and ther equal
rights to the speaker and putting into his
hands the power to parayze any constitu-
e"cy through whole congress. Mr.. Hep
burn would make it the speakers du'y to
( recognize he member who frs. addre ssed
him.
Mr. Henderson Republican. Iowa) re-
piled that startling innovation was pro-
given the speaker, but under any other
system every nemner would have to be
heard on every question. 1t was prOpar
that the speaker should first recognize the
members of the committee which reported
any bill under discussion.
Mr. Bell, Popu ist of Colorado, seconded
Mr.. Heoburn, saying that the seven Popu-
list members represented 800 900 votes.
yet they were practically without tights on
the ioor; yet they had no places on i'm
portaut committees and not one of them
had been permitted to open his mouth for
five weeks He complained that the state
of Maine monopollzed the leadership of
the house with four important places,
while the stare of Colorado was not recog.
nlzed, although it had single coun les with
more wealth than Maine.
When Mr.. Bell concluded. Mr.. Hepburn
/ rose and said:
II desire to withdraw my amendment
and there was great applause and laughter
on the Republican side.
Mr.. Tawney, Republican of Minnesota,
! offered resolution relating to pension
cams. 1t recies hat ii was frequently
charged by pensioners and applicants that
| the medical division of the pension bureau
fails to properly regard The reports and
/ findings in pension claims male by various
boards of tue United States examining sur
Peons, and declared that il was due to the
officials of the department, to pensioners
| nhu VIC Pu'itt tidt tiIc uulu OF IalSilE or
the charges be made known. 1t called
| upon the secretary of the interior 10 fur
nish copies of the reports and findings by
boards of examining surgeons, rrespectiye
of locality, in the drst nifty claims for
original invalid pensions rejected on med
| ical grou DIS after November | , 1891 after
Sep ember l. S94, and Oct Der i Sg5. An
objection to its consideration was mad. nv
| Mr. Mcclellan, Democrat of New York
Mr. Odel, Republican of New York.
offered a resolution to direct the co,nmittaa
on banking and currency to report an
| amendmen to the general banking laws
giving power 10 banking associations tn in
vest not to exceed so per cent of tbei. law.
ful reserve in bonds of the Unite d States tn
be bereafter issued under the acts of .June
"A, 1875, and May 81, 1878.
Objection was made to Mr.. OdeJI g reso.
luton and it was referr. d to the cotumittee
Then The changes in the house rules REQ.
commended bv the committee on ruIes
wera reported by Mr.. Henderson. Kennbl,'
can of Iowa, and were debated section hv
section.
MIR. Dearmond. Democrat of Missouri;
offered an amendment providing for de,
Quoting from members pay for absences
not due to sickness, or sickness in the
| family '-o
Mr.. Stone, Republican of Penusyjvania.
assured him that the only effect of the en-.
forcement of he rule in the last house had
| been to increase the sick list. Althouoh
Mr.. Dearmond endeavored TO obtain the