The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-23
THE CODE OF THE SENATORS.
THE MEMBERS OF THAT BODY Ex-
ERCIsE CONTROL OVER IT.

Dbe Committee on Rules the Lever
of Action-HOVv 1t Got Control of
the Appropriation BiIIs-The New
Members Dazed by the Swift Leg
ssIation-HOw the Sundry Civil
BiII and the Indian Appropriation
BuI Were worked ThrOugh-DIf-
ference Between the House and
senate.
Washington, May 22.-There is no imper-
ator process in legislation in the Senate.
This body is like a well-freighted mer-
chant vessel, with sails spread to trade
winds. Its code is etiquette. Individual
rights are never impaired. Senatorial
courtesy forbids it. Each senator stands
upon his dignity, and his dignity is rec
ognized by his associates. 1t is a quiet
but impressive dignity. You might call
IT a political lust in rust. The atmosphere
seems to be far different from the atmos-
phere of the House. There is a gravity
about the body that gradually encompass
es all within its reach. There are no mar
row bounds in its procedure. Apparently
indefinite, it is definite par excellence. Its
rules may appear shadowy, but they work
without friction and in an easy and pre-
else manner. New senators frequently
strive to break down the barrier. Within
few months they are silently tanned, and
join with the old senators in supporting
the ancient regime.
Nothing illustrates the difference be-
tween the House and the Senate more
tly "a Of -,
n the extra session on the appropriation
bills The House is controlled by the
q speaker and the Senate by it's members.
& The speaker may control the action of the
4 House with or without its assent, but the
3 presiding officer of the Senate can never
control the action of that body. The lever
Of action in the House is the committee
on rules, which is appointed by the speak
er, and of which the speaker is the head.
i The Senate has a committee on rules, but
the Vice President is not a member, nor
has he the appointing power The com
unittee is selected by the Senate itself, and
1t never oversteps the bounds
1t IS interesting to note how deity the
committee on rules in the present House
of Representatives. got control of the four
appropriation bills left over by the last
congress. Some might think it required
arbitrary action on the part of the speaker
TO secure this result, but the facts speak
for themselves.
On the opening day of the extraordinary
session, before the members had drawn
ther seats, parliamentary action was
taken. Gen. Henderson of Iowa offered a
resolution adopting the rules of the pre-
Nlous House. Although an old republican
member, he was then simply a member of
the House by the will of his constituents
AN hour afterward he was the Boanerges
OF the committee on rules by the grace
OF the speaker. Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa an
Old and wary republican member of the
House, moved limit of thirty DAYS as an
amendment. At this Gen. Henderson de-
manded the previous question on the orig
mai resolution The speaker was about
10 put the question, when Mr.. McEwan.
Jersey City republican of moderate ten
denotes, asked whether Mr.. Hepburn did
not have a right to offer any amendment
under general parliamentary law Here is
the Record:
The SpeakeT-He has a right to offer
any amendment, but the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr. Henderson, is recognized to con-
troll the question.
Mr.. Henderson, ask for the previous
question, and will say to my colleague
that the rules will probably be reported
long before the thirty days expire.
The Speaker-The gentleman from Iowa
(Alr Henderson, asks for the previous
question.
Mr.. Hepburn-I desire to raise a point
OF order My amendment must be in or
der in the absence of rules. There is no
previous question without a rule and
mere is no rule here which gives to the
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Henderson, the
right TO make that motion. His motion Is
70 adopt rules, which is a concession that
there are none; therefore, 1 insist upon
my right to make this amendment
me Speaker-The chair overrules the
point of order.
No reason was given for this ruling, and
ar. Hepburn took no appeal. He evil
gently thought that 1t was useless The
House never reverses the ruling of the
speaker The real feeling i'm this case was
SHOWN, however. when on a rising vote
there were 158 yeas and the same number
OF nays 1t was a result dumbfounding TO
Inose imbued with the Imperator idea. Mr..
henderson was not dismayed. He prompt
asked for the yeas and nays on his
uenand for the previous question, and Sc
cured them.
me new members were all at sea. There
was much confusion and some exquisite
puLtonholing. The vote recorded 1872 yeas
onu lo4 nays. This was a loss of four
votes for those opposing the motion, and
a al increase of twenty-four for those sus-
tanning the demand. The increase came
ION OLD republican members who were
s.ousted out Of the committee rooms ana
The restaurant.
AIterward the representatives drew their
seals' While they were doing this, under
oIe rules of the last congress, the four
appropriation bills left over by that con-
5sress We're handed TO the file clerk Of the
aiouse by Messrs. Cannon, Wadsworth
~ asa sherman. Mr. Cannon was chairman
20 me committee on appropriations that
Sesported the sundry civil and deficiency
oliis 20 the last congress- Mr.. Wadsworth,
10 chairman Of the committee on agrl-
culture, reported the agricultural APP
ptoPrnton bill, and Mr.. Sherman, as
SSnalIman OF the committee on Indian af-
i ielrs reported the Indian appropriation
III IN this congress. however, they were
,hnnp'y members Of the House, as none OF
49, 800 committees had been, or have been,
Ippointed. The House could have 40
hhili,o"ledge Of the introduction Of these
us until the following morning, when
a. record showed that the hle clerk, I'M
~ ~ tne supervision Of the speaker, had
s-CiIed them to the committees on APP
ssssSoprlation, on agriculture. and on Indian
@iairs. These committees did not then