New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-21
QUARRELS IN THE HOUSE.
1T HAS WHAT THE MEMBERS CALL "A
FAMILY ROW"
ALL OVER A LITTLE ITEM OF 1000 TO REFUND
DEDUCTIONS FROM sALARIEs-No EXTRA
PAY FOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
on THE GENERAL Def
fpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
CHENEY BILL.

not lacking either in spirit acerbity was pro-
| voked by several items in the General Deficiency
Appropriation bill. which the subject OF con-
sideraton and which had not been disposed Of when
the sitting ended. Gre OF the items In controversy
was for about $1,000 enable the sergeant-at-arms
| to pay to Representatives in the LII Congress
! the amounts withheld from their salaries on ac-
| count OF absence This item concerned some thirty
| members of the last Congress. many of whom are
| members of this
1t may be remembered that. although there was
| large Democratic majority in the last House OF
Representatives, 1t found virtually Impossible
| to keep a quorum In attendance by any ordinary
means. and resort was had to an obsolete stat
| ute which had never been enforced and the pay OF
| members was "docked' TO cover the days during
which they absent from the slttings OF the
| House Many OF the members held that the law
imperative and void. but the majority OF the
Judiciary Committee Of the House held to the con-
| trary in a formal report the subject. and the
order enforced, each member certifying TO the
! time during which he had been absent-many or
them, however, qualifying the certificate by insert
! ing the word legally before the word absent
| This remedy for absenteeism di not prove an et-
fectua one. for various reasons and the ditncuity
of keeping quorum In attendance was ABOUT az
great before It was applied.
The proposition to pay the members the amounts
that had been withheld from their annual salaries
In the and by the uncertain authority above
|
House to-day voted otherwise by adopting. after
a somewhat acrimonious debate. the motion offered
by Mr.. Hopkins, OF Illinois. to strike out the appro-
priation Before the vote taken, Mr. Johnson,
OF Indiana, who had not found an opportunity 10
take part in the debate, raised breeze and Gre
ated some tumult by trying 20 get In his little
speech under the shelter OF IA question of privi-
lcge' He had not spoken long before he was called
to order by member and the result was brisk
colloquy between him and Mr.. Payne. Of New
York who was presiding over the Committee OF the
THE INCOME-TAX DECISION.
Later IN the day there was a short but sharp
debate between Mr.. Bartlett. of New-York. and Mr..
McAIillln OF Tennessee In recent speech the lat
harshy criticised the Supreme Court, and espe-
cally member OF it-Associate Justice Shiras--
on OF the inc0mo-tax decision. Mr. Bartlett
found an opportunity to-day to reply to the critl-
cisms. and Mr.. McMillin allowed to make a
reionder which amounted TO n reiteIation OF his
previous assertions. He said he had proof to sus-
tain them. but ne did offer 1t to-day. He re-
marked that he would do whenever Mr.. DalzelI,
of Pennsylvania should undertake his promised de-
fence and vindcation OF the Supreme Court, and
especially OF Associate Justice Shiras-a promise
which Mr. Dalzell expects to redeem early
day.
Yesterday afternoon motion had been made to
strike out the General Deficiency bill an item OF
$2 202 enable the sergaant-atarms to refund the
account of absence Mr.. Sayers dem, Texas. a
member of tho Appropriations Committee, ex-
planned how the committee came to allow the
amount lie explained that the judiciary Com
mittee had decided that the money could not be
deducted He dd not believe in refunding 1t, how
ever and would vote against the item MI. saycrs
referred to an attack made yesterday on the item
nv Mr. Hopkins Rep. I'D and read statement
showing how many times Mr.. Hopkins had not re-
sponded rollcalls
Mr. Hopkins contended. In reply, that this was an
attempt to get tho Republican House to wash the
dirty linen Of the Democratic LID Congress. lie
said that Mr. Sayers could have put the item IN
deficiency bill while chairman OF the Appropriation
Committee but had waited 10 unload 1t on Repub- |
lican Congress instance of Republican ex-
trayagance The table read by Mr.. Sayers. he said
did not show that he (Mr. Hopkns) had been alb |
sent He had been engaged in his committee-room |
scores Of times during rollcals and did not answer
Mr. Livingston Dem Ga) protested against maxi |
ing the question a political one.
Mr. JOHNSON CALLED TO ORDER.
Mr. johnson (Rep Ind, rising TO question of per-
sonal privilege. involving some remark he had maze
about NJ Sayers was called to order by the chair
man of the Committee OF the Whole (Mr Payne. of
New York; for going into matters outside the prov
Ince of personal privilege. Mr. Johnson and Mr..
PAYNE had lively interchange OF words and consld-
erabIo confusion ensued Finally, however the chair
man ordered Mr.. Johnson TO sit down, and he COM
piled.
Mr. Bartlett Dem.. y. " caused some astonish-
mcn by making the point of order that members IN
divduallv interested financially in any question were
not permitted to on that question. under the
rule providing that member can vote on question
II he has drec: personal or pecuniary interest IN H.
The Chair expressed the opinion that each gentle
man must decide question Of his interest for him
self.
Mr. Bailey Dem. Tex) held that there moth
ing In the rule prohibit a member pecunariiy IN
torested from voting against the appropriation while
Mr.. Grosyenor (Rep, Ohio contended that the mem
bers could not appropriate their own salaries under
Mr.. Bartletts construction.
The Chair adhered 10 his ruling, and rising
vote the item stricken out OF the bill.
An amendment to pay some extra salary a door
keeper Of the House gave Mr. Bailey the opportunity
20 criticse the Republicans for voting back the
amounts deducted from their salaries for absence So
greedy was the Republican party for office he said.
that the majority OF the presen, House had turned
the very BARRIERS out OF the Democratic coakrooms
and put Republicans in their places He had seldom.
he said witnessed dscredable piece Of petit
Jogging than the arguments on the Republican side.
He criticised the ruling Of the Chair that members
must decide for themselves whether not their per-
sonal interest in the refundng paragraph connicted
with the rules.
EXTRA COMPENSATION NOT ALLOWED
An amendment providing for the payment OF extra
10 certain House employees went out
on a point OF order Then Mr. Sherman (Rep. y. "
and others proceeded to make points OF order against
items for services rendered by employees Of the House
on the ground that there no authority for them
This led 10 considerable debate. In the course OF
some remarks NJ. Huh (Rep. Iowa. suggested that
IL was said that the gentleman from Missouri. Mr |
DockerD had organized the Dockery Commission in
order provide places for his friends M |
Dockery resented this warmly. lie said that he had
not an appoln ment in the Treasury Department
Mr. Hull had suggested. and. furthermore. he had
declined patronage offered to him. because he did not
as chairman of the Commission. want to place himself
under suspicion
\ point OF order against item OF 81 500 to pay
e. W. Coombs. one OF the Democratic employees OF | /
The House appointed through the courtesy OF the d
ma jority brought about a storm. Mr.. Henderson
Ron InMal appealed for the retentOn of Colonel 1