The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-08
'oT OLD TIME IN THE HOUSE.
IVELY SxIRMIsH OVER DIsTRIBU-
TION OF THE MESSAGE.


Fires the First Gun of the Session
against the Civil Service Law.
Washington, Dec. THE session of the
F,use to-day, though it lasted but two
bdrs. witnessed a very lively skirmish
oar the question of distributing the Pres
fints message to the various committees
clthed with jurisdiction over the sub
let's dealt with.
he conflict of authority came between
I'd ways and means committee and the
bnking and currency committee
The battle ragged all along the line.
buring the debate Gen. Grosvenor of
OHo fired the first gun against the civil
twice law, and this brought the friends
"a enemies of that measure into action.
lyr. Johnson of Indiana made a ringing
warning, declaring that if bill to emas
cbate the civil service law was passed it
01uld meet the presidential vote.
Eventually Mr.. Dingley in Difference to
ne opposition of the members of the bank
ing and currency committee agreed to
notification of the order of distribution
a as to send to the ways and means
committee all matters relating to the rev.
e1ues, the bonded debt, and the treaties af-
fscting the revenues"
The resolution was then adopted.
After the session Chairman Walker
claimed he had won a decisive victory and
that his committee, under the order, would
have jurisdiction of measure to-" as
he expressed it, convert the greenbacks
into gold certificates" But members of
the ways and means committee insisted
that the changes of verbiage in the order
would not affect their jurisdiction and that
a measure, such as the President suggest
ed, if introduced in the House, would be
referred by the Speaker to their committee.
Washington, Dec T. The House of Rep
resentatives settled early down to the GUS
tomary routine to-day. Rev. Henry Cou-
den, the regular chaplain, who delivered
the invocation to-day, in his appeal to the
throne of grace, asked for the divine bless
ing upon the President in the hour of his
trial and anxiety.
After the reading of the journal leave
was asked by several OF the more import
ant committees to sit during the sessions
of the House and for the printing of docu-
ments for the use of the committees.
There was the customary requests incl
dent to the serious work of the session,
and they were granted.
The Presidents message, transmitting
the report of the special committee on
the Paris international exposition in 1900
and recommending a liberal appropriation
for the representation of the United States
was laid before the House.
Mr. Dingley, chairman of the ways and
means committee, then presented a res
olution adopted by the committee for the
distribution of the Presidents message
to the several committees having jurisdic-
ton over the various subjects treated.
Mr.. Walker, rep, of Massachusetts,
chairman OF the banking and currency
committee. asked for re-reading of that
portion of the resolution giving the ways
and means committee jurisdiction of ali
the portions relating to the revenues
the national finances, the public debt and
the preservation of the public credit
A very considerable debate followed upon
what the language of the resolution meant
and the issue as to jurisdiction of the cur
rency problem as between the ways and
means and the banking and currency COM
mittees was sharply raised.
Before the debate, which lasted over
an hour, had been concluded, the House
was plunged into a debate on the cur
rency problem.
Mr.. Walker, after the reading of the
resolution, asked with some heat what
was left to his committee.
Mr. Dingley replied suavely that all mat
tiers relating to banking and currency un,
der the resolution would go to the bank
ing and currency committee.
There seems to be a decided conflict of
opinion as to what matters refer to bank
ing and currency" exclaimed Mr.. Walker
rather sharply.
Mr. Dingley protested that the language
of the resolution was identical with that
of former resolutions on the same subject,
but he was Immediately bombarded with
questions as to the practical effect of the
resolutions language.
Mr.. Bailey of Texas the minority lead
er. attacked the flank of Mr.. Dingley. He
wanted to know specifically whether
measure to effeetuate the recommendation
of the President on the currency would go
to the ways and means, or to the cur
rency committee.
Mr.. Dingley avoided a direct response.
IF it is proposed to retire the green
backs in the manner recommended by the
President. where would it go?" asked MIR.
Bailey.
Mr.. Johnson, rep, of Indiana, pressed
Mr.. Dngley along the same line.
Il would leave the determination of that
question to the speaker" al last replied
Mr.. Dingley. The House laughed
1T is to avoid that very thing" ex-
claimed Mr. Johnson, that 1 desire this
questio to be made clear now Does the
chairman of the ways and means commit
tee think bill embodying the principle of
the Presidents recommendation affects
the redemption fund.-"
Il think it does, replied Mr.. Dingley.
Then, the gentleman indirectly answers
the question" exclaimed Mr. Johnson.
BY this time it being apparent that de-
bate would be required to dispose of the
question at issue, Mr. Dingley sand Mr..
Bailey arranged for thirty minutes on a
side.
Mr. Walker then got the floor and in
dignantly protested that if the questions
relating TO our legal tender money, which
lay at the very foundation of our currency
and banking laws, were to come under the
jurisdiction of the ways and means com
mittee, the committee on banking and cur
rency might as well be dissolved.
Mr.. Cox, dem, of Tennessee, the senior
democratic member of the currency COM
mittee, seconded the suggestion.
The Presidents recomme pdation as to
bank circulation, he said. was inextricably
int ap 70