The Portland daily press., 1897-06-23
HOW TO HANDLE THE BILL
HtuSe Leaders Considering What
They Will Do.
WHEN AMENDED TARIFF BILL
COMES FROM THE SENATE.

How Debate in Committee of the Whole
70 Will Be Bio cked-Conferences Likely
To Be Quiet--Dingley Law Will Be Mr..
Reeds Second Tariff Bill.
GPEC uL TO TIE PREss.l
Washington, June 22-This week opened
with the prosp. cts of the tart IF bill in the
Senate considered very excellent by both
prophets and experts. The action of Mon
day in passing over the wool schedule
temporarily was considered in the interest
of expedition, since the supporters Of the
bill were somewhat divided as regards
wool and to have plunged into debate
there would have resulted in much mis-
understanding anil waste of time. After
the Republicans have considered the
matter i'm caucus they will be in much
better shape to go ahead OF course they
will have to move with much circumspec-
tion in the consideration of wool, for the
margin is very close in the way of votes,
and ON Monday even the Vice President
had to be SUNNI oned out of his eonstitu-
tional seelusion in order to cast the decid-
ing vote in the case of a tie This recalls
the time when tariff bill was passed by
the deciding vote of Vice President Dallas
of Pennsylvania, who voted for a bill that
his state did not particularly like it.
The HOUSE leaders are already beginning
to consider how they will handle the bill
when it shall come from the Senate with
it's hundreds of amendments. Under the
usual course of business according to the
ordinary rules of the House the bill
would be referred first to the ways and
means committee, who will very soon
report recommendation as to the Senate
amendments. Their recommendation
will undoubtedly be to disagree to all
the amendments en- bloc. According to
the rules the amendments would have to
one by one. AS there is no effective way
of stopping debate in committee of the
whole such consideration might take
several weeks. The leaders of the, House
do not believe that the people of. the
country wish for any such delay So
they will, as soon as the ways and means
committee report in favor of disagreeing
with the Senate amendments, by means
of special order. from the committee on
rules, provide for voting at once, or per-
haps after short debate, on the PROPOSE
ton to disagree to the Senate amend
ments all together. Thus one vote will
bring about the disagreement Then an
o4l,a xxri11 ho1 r.,
to ask the Senate fora conference. Tkis,
however, will be merely formal. Then
the conferees will be appointed, probably
five or seven. The bill will then go to
the Senate. They of course will vote to
insist on their amendments and to accede
to the Houses request for conference.
The Senate conferees will be appointed,
and then the bill will be sent back to the
House with the Senate's notification that
the conference is agreed to.
Everything then will be zeaay for the
| beginning of the conference. Conferences
are not public, and few but the H.. clerks
who transcribe the results are privileged
| to see them. But it is generally known
| that conferences are great wrestlings be-
| tween the champions of both houses.
| Each side makes huge demands and init
body which the side represents does not
get its way There is much bluffing, and
sometimes pickering. The leader of one
side will often deliver an ultimatum and
then go off and stand by a window for
| fifteen minutes waiting to see if his oppo-
nent will not yield. Sometimes the per-
| formances are quite entertaining and
spirited. However, as Mr.. Dingley will
be at the head of one committee and Mr..
| Allison at the head of the other in the
coming tariff conference, it is not to be
supposed that there will be SO many of
these auxiliary performances. They will
probably proceed, to business quietly and
with the desire to get as speedily as
possible compromise that will be the
best for the country and at the same time
be sure of passing both houses.
The Democrats will be represented on
the conference committee as it is con-
slant principle of parliamentary organiza-
ton that both parties shall be represented
on committees.
| The conference committee will probably
settle all points of difference before they
report, so when they bring their report i'll
| it will be final. Then it will be put to
vote in the House and will be adopted bv
single roll call. If the Senate also
adopts it the bill will have then been
finally passed, and all required will be it's
enrolment on parchment and the signing
of it first by Speaker Reed and then by the
! Vice President and finally by the Pres i
dent This will be the second tariff bill
which Mr. Reed has signed as Speaker.
and which have become laws. 1t is doubt,
full if any other Speaker has every had the
same opportunity.
Of course if the Senate should reject tbe
conference report it would be necessary to
have another conference and another re-
port. But it is not expected that such
will be the case.
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