The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-23
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5 SENATORIAL COURTESY. T.. 5
Why the
Senate Never Acts
Hastily.

the committee on rules. None but those
specially interested could know that
this had been done without Sitting the
704 bills and resolutions that had been
dumped into the basket while the
journal was being read in a ten-lninute
session. ta
On the next day Gen. Henderson re-
ported a resolution from the commit,
tee on rules providing for the prompt
consideration CT these four appropria-
ton bills. The first, the sundry civil,
was to be taken up Immediately upon
the adoption of the resolution. After
forty minutes debate the bill was TO
be read, the previous question to be
considered as ordered. and the final
vote was taken. The other three bills,
the agricultural, Indian and general
deficiency, were to be considered in
the same manner. Gen. Henderson
promptly moved the previous question
on the adoption Of the resolution Tn
der the rules Of the last house it could
not be amet, ded, and debate was limit
ed by the same rules to forty minutes
The resolution was adopted, yeas, 174
and nays, III.
The four appropriation bills were
passed by the house in the order
named. They involved an expenditure
Of 81, 1885, 1921. Such bills have al
ways been in charge Of the chairmn
Of the committee, or subcommittee
who reported them to the house. In
this case, however. they had been re.
ferred to non-eXisting committees and
could not be reported from any COM
mittee. Fortunately the chairmen of
the committees, who had reported them
In the last congress. were all re-elect-
ed. The speaker sagaciously placed
he 11c in, hot oh, y1l1A
jected. They parceled out the limited
time for debate and piloted them be-
tween the shoals of legislation.
The new members looked dazed. 1t
was swift legislation for them. The
seventy-two millions whizzed by them
before they were aware of what was
going on. and how it was going on.
Of course the minority made a great
outcry, but 1t was like the cry Of a
man swept overheard in a gale.
The reader should understand that
there was no vital necessity TO-. the
immediate passage of these bills. They
were not appropriations for the present
fiscal year, but for the year beginning
July l, 1897. With this fact in view,
the delay in the senate can be readily
understood.
that the thirty days within which the
Of rules expired long ago, and no rules
have yet come from that committee.
The representatives are still acting I'M
der the rules of the last house.
The house passed the sundry civil
and the general deficiency bill on March
10, and the agricultural and Indian
appropriation bills on March 20. It
informed the senate of it's action on
March %, and the bills were promptly
referred to the senate committee or
appropria On March "a that COM
mittee reported the agricultural bill
without amendment. The bill rested on
the senate calendar until April 20, and
was. then passed without debate. 1t
was the smallest of the four appro-
priatien- bills. The president promptly
signed it. "
The Indian appropriation bill was
reported back to the senate on April
6. 1t was; taken up on April Ii and
discussed at odd moments until April
10, when 1t was amended and passed
twas sent back to the house with the
amendments on April 81. OF course
there was no committee to take charge
Of it. 1t was, however, promptly lari
ated. Vim. A. Stone, of Pennsylvania,
on the same day placed In the file
clerks basket resolution making the
appropriation. bills passed by the SEN
ate and returned the house privileged,
so as to be considered without refer
ence to committee.
The file clerk naturally referred this
resolution ito the committee on rules.
On April % that committee reported a
special resolution providing for the
consideration of the Indian appropria-
ton bill without reference 70 stand
ing committee Immediately after the
adoption of its special resolution. This
resolution was carried, and after
discussion lasting. Two days the bill
was sent to conference committee.
which the speaker appointed.
The sundry civil bill, which passed
the house on March 10, was reported
back to the senate on April 6. 1t re-
manned on the calendar until May L.
when it was taken up and passed
day or two afterward, as amended by
the committee on appropriations.
The general deficiency bill. which
passed, the house on March 10 ana
reached the senate on March %, Is
buried in the senate committee at the
present writing.
: These dry facts are instructive, IL
not entertaining. They clearly portray
the attitude of both houses. One has
driven the appropriation bills through
at lightning speed without any con-
sideration in committee: the other has
taken it's time under the usual course
OF procedure and considered the bills
with the gravity of an ecumenical
council At the same time it has pass
ed bankruptcy and pension measures
and is continuously working in the
field of legislation without regard TO
the action Of the house. which shut
down after the passage Of the tariff
bill. a.i''a-aAmos J. Cummings.