The times., 1898-12-15

Crow speaks of a theoretic poss bi y OF
freedom of discussion here of every ques-
ton that may arise. There may be suca
theoretic possibility. but there is no p-ac-
tical possibility of 1t.
Like the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
/ should be glad to see opportunity given
in some regular way under the rules fer
4 discussion of questions at large n
Committeesof the Whole. whel any gen.
tleman, desiring to address hims.li to
any question pending in Congress or IN
the public mind. might do so In an Crder
ly way and not in violation of order or
rules. The condition of things that we
have now is that any one desiring 10 de-
liver some remarks, to address hims II to
some subject, and bsing fortunate en- uZh
to get the opportunity to speak. has TO
avail himself of that opportunity. come
when it may: and we have the result
which the gentleman from Pennsyiv ami 4
has pointed out with force and c.ea n SIS
that when important subjects are up
much OF what is said Is totally irr.l want
to the subject under discussion, and there
is no such thing ordinarily as real debate
A gentleman having obtained recogni-
tiou determines for himself. not as n mat
teT-9of choice. bNt as a matter of -neces-
sity whether. desiring 10 submit some
remarks upon a question which seems to
him to be important, he shall submit
them then. as opportunity may not come
to him again. without reference TO the
subject which is before the House.
Then we have the spectacle, frequently
when important matters are under con-
sideration in the House. or are supposed
to be, that speech after speech is made
having no application whatever to such
matters. but addressed to subjects totally
foreign to the one under consideration or
supposed to be under consideration: not
because the gentlemen who deliver those
addresses have no regard for the propri-
cites o. the occasion. but because. having
the opportunity. and desiring to make an
address upon a particular subject. they
avail themselves of the opportunity.
which may never come again.
Now, then, If there were free discussion
of questions that are in the public mind
and before the legislative body, in an
orderly and regular way. then when
particular matter comes up for consid-
Grafton, very naturally, without the en-
forcement of rules. from the general re-
gard of members for Just rules and out
of a general disposition in those who par
ticipate in debate to address themselves
to the question, there would be real de-
bate Then when bill came up for con-
sideration, man arising to address the
House. and obtaining recognition. would
address himself to the question before
the House. Then there would be debate
upon the merits of the measure. Then
there would be a fair opportunity, from
the clash of opinion and comparison of
views, to learn what Is right and what
is wrong, what practical and what i'm
practicable.
/ would be very glad il there could be
brought into this House not some theo-
retical plan, but natural and practical
plan whereby there might be something
like the freedom of debate TO which my
friend from Pennsylvania alluded. When
the rules to which he referred obtained,
great questions were discussed in Il man.
ner that not only illumined the subject,
but scattered wisdom abroad in the land.
That was a time when craftsmanship re-
ceived the consideration of statesmen,
when an opportunity was always offered
for those who desired to avail themselves
of their rights.
1t has come to be the fashion here late
ly for the rules to be reprcssive. to cut
off debate when most important me sures
are to be put through the House without
full dscussion-practically with no dis
cussion; when time is allowed to BE- vast
ed or frittered away so that amendments
of the most important kind cannot be
considered.
Take the appropriation bills, for in
stance, every item In which affords just
basis of criticism or discussion and M
parison of views. Huge approp-i ali m
bills containing from fifty to seventy-f five
and a hundred printed pages, appr pr.at-
ing ten. twenty. thirty, fifty or seventy
five millions of dollars, go through under
the spur of the previous question without
an opportunity to amend a line, change
a syllable or riexpress an opinion in res ard
to the merits OF demerits of any o; their
propositions to be numbered by hun
dreds.
l do not know, Mr. Speaker-none of us
can know until we shall be informed
whether this House yet, before it passes
out of existence, shall be afforded an
opportunity to consider whether the rules
now in force are the rules which the
members of the House desire for their
Guidance and government in this Con-
gress. 1t would seem that there is to be
but little done in the way of reporting
rules 1t would seem as though the rules
which could not be adopted at the COM
inencement of the session, except by the
enforcement of party discipline and ln-
der the crack of the party lash, which
could not be adopted permanently, have
become the permanent rules 1t was
made manifest in the little discussion
tHdt WHcii tut TuitS were tcm-
porarily reported that there was opposi-
ton in their adoption beyond a tempo
rary period of time.
l recollect well the inquiry or sugges-
ton of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr
Iepburn) in the first days of this Con-
gress. as to when, probably, the commit
ee would report the rules. and his sug-
gested limitation requiring the committee
to report within specified time-thirty