The times., 1897-12-12
RULES OF THE HOUSE.

A fiattering unction is besieging the
souls OF certain sanguine st atesmen on Cap
itol Iiil:. Tley declare that they do not
have enough liberty of action under the
rules OF the House. This stamps
them as statesmen OF horse sense.
They further assert that Thomas
Brackett Reed will agree with
them and COME TO their relief, and this
Indicates that they are imaginative rath.r
than mentally well poised. Commenting n
the situation u contributor To one OF tie
New York papers says:
Possibly the rules might be altered in a
few minor particulars with advantage: hut
whoever cherishes the fancy that the pres
ent driver of the House coach is going 10
let the reins ard whip pass out If his
hands, or allow the horses their free " i'll
with the bit, is doomed to disappointment.
There is no such prospect ahead.
The trouble with most of the members
who are clamoring for change IF -uies
is that each has one scheme I'm mind
which he has been unable to carry out
directly on account Of some obstruction in
the rules. Now they wish 20 10 away with
ali such distractions, 81 as to accomplish
their single purposes. This is d dan.s ~
Gus resort. 1t il using too big gun to
bring down too small game.
Take single instance in illustrai ion
Tie Massa chusetts members have for years
beeI interested III plan for establishing
naval drydock at Boston. So far IS
any one knows, it is very worthy project,
and 1t certainly has the approval 1f Sec
retary Long. Year after wear they have
introduced bills which they have tired to
induce the House TO incorporate as am nd
ments in the general naval appropria ion
bill.
Each time they have been defeated
IN this purpose by point OF order raised
under House rule u, one clause OF which
prohibits the Incorporation in any general
appropriation bill OF an appropriation
for any expenditures not previously au-
thonZed by law, unless in continuation
of appropriations for such public work
and objects as are already in progress.'
The dry-dock not having been be z sdn
has, OF course, never been public work
already in progress, and the ameni,ment
has gone down time after time before
an adverse ruling of the chairman of the
committee of the whole House.
Senate rule 16 is much more elastic. II
provides simply that no amendment shall
bereceived to any general appropriation bill
ths effect Of which will be TO increase an
appropriation already contained In the bill,
or 10 add new item o approprfa tion, IN
less ii be made to carry out the provision
OF some existing law, or treaty, stipula ion,
| or act, or resolution previously pa ssed by the
Senate during that session; or unless the
same be mos ed by direction OF standing
| or select committee of the Senate, OF pro-
posed or pursuant TO the estimate OF the
head of some one OF the departments This
is very nearly equivalent TO saying that
anything under the sun may he put into
an appropriation bill In the Senate; for
IL would be hard to get up form OF
new appropriation that could not be made
in some way TO meet these very gener-
GUS requirements
Every one knows that the Speaker has
often expressed ia very vigorous Ian.
guage his opinion of the easy going ways OF
tue Senate. Besides the Gear has no idea
OF rule that works more than one way
He has the whip hand now and VIII not
surrender it, even to oblge his friend
Barrett, OF Boston, who is one Of the san
guine gentlemen already referred TO. He
| is too much of an admirer Of that, French
King, who, had he been Speaker, would
have Said; THE House / aaf IL"