Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-15
LODGE BILL CANNOT GET HEARING.

executive session.
At 6:25 p. m. the senate adjourned.
LODGE BILL CANNOT GET HEARING.
House for Second Time Refuses TO
Listen 20 the Measure.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE house to-
day. for the second time during this con-
gress. refused to consider the Lodge immi-
grafton bill. At the last session an attempt
was made to take 1t from the speakers
table, but 1t was defeated by a large ma
jority. Mr.. Danforth of Ohio, chairman OF
the immigration committee, thought the bill
would be stronger after the elections we're
over, but today when he tried again to
secure consideration. the house declined by
100 to 103 to take 1t up. --.f
An interesting but brief debate on the
rules was precipitated by Grow Of Pennsyl
vania, during which Mr.. De Armond made
speech on the decadence OF the privilege
Of debate in the house, and he held Speaker
Reed responsible for the fact that the house
had no opportunity to adopt a new system
Of rules at this session. The speaker re-
piled In sarcastic speech, In which he
referred to the complaints of John Ran
dolph, In the; early days Of the century, to
show the same remonetrances made then
were being heard today.
The pension appropriation bill was reported
to the house and Mr.. Barney republican OF
Wisconsin. gave notice that he would call
1t up tomorrow. The senate bill to regu-
late the sitting OF United States courts
within the district OF South Carolina was
passed.
Mr.. Danford, republican OF Ohio, then
called up the Lodge immigration BILL which
was passed by the senate at the last ses-
sion and which has since been upon the
speakers table. Mr.. Barthold. republican
OF Missouri, raised the question OF consid-
Grafton against 1t and Mr. Danford de-
manded the ayes and nays, which were
ordered. The house refused to consider the
immigration bill, 1O1 to 1O4 a
The opponents Of the bill applauded Justify.
The consideration of the bill to incorpo-
rate the Inter American bank, which was
special order for today, was postponed unit,
tomorrow.
Some miscellaneous pension matters were
disposed Of when Mr.. Grow, republican OF
Pennsylvania, the patriarch Of the house,
made a short historical address by unani-
nous consent, upon the origin Of the COM
mittee OF the whole on the state Of the
union, in which there was no limitation
upon the latitude Of debate. Mr.. Crows
remarks caused Mr., Robinson, democrat OF
Indiana, to rsproach the major because no
code Of rules had been prepared for this
congress. He charged that Mr.. Henderson,
republican Of Iowa. had promised, when the
other rules were temporarily adopted at the
first session, that a code OF rules would be
presented within thirty days
Mr.. Henderson Indignantly denied the
charge. He pointed out that he had only
expressed his opinion that a new code Of
rules would be presented within thirty days.
Mr.. De Armond, democrat Of Missouri, got
the floor and proceeded to contrast the con-
dition Of affairs In the house today with
the days III which Mr.. Grow had spoken,
when there was full opportunity for discus
sion. He declared that the speaker held
the balance of power on the committee on
rules, and It was he who In fact had deter
mined that It was better that no new code
Of Tules should be presented and adopted by
He was exceedingly ;ironical in his REFER
ence to the decadence OF the old time privi-
lege Of full debate. 1t had become the fash
ion. he said, to bring In repressive rules to
cut of debate upon every important question
aud asserted that the rules under which tho
house was now operating, which could not
have been adopted permanently. had be-
come permanent by the attitude Of. the
speaker. ... ...g ...s. .s
The speaker from the chair replied to this
criticism as follows: ,, ... ..-.;,
"The gentleman from Missouri has per-
mitted himself to make statements regard
ing the relations between the speaker and
other members Of the house that am happy
to say are not justified by the facts. The
house must not feel itself to have been
treated to an unusual discourse upon the
lack OF liberty given to the citizen. 1t so
happens In this world that there are many
citizens 1t 30 happens that in the house CT
representatives there are many members.
| and that while in theory every man can oc-
cupy all the time in discourse, in actual
practice he has to occupy 1t In subordna-
| tion to the rights Of every other member
| TO the rights OF the body itself, and to the
prosecution Of public business. In actual
practice also the house may have noticed
| that however much despotism is exercised
by the rule there is no subject in the heav-
ems above or In the earth beneath that has
not been discussed, even in this congress
| (Laughter.)
| Now II the gentleman from Missouri will
| turn to the annals OF congress. away back
| In 1916 during the period Of liberty. such
as he thinks he desires. he will hnd that
John Randolph. who certainly was heard
enough to become famous for century
was complaining about the despotism of the
rules at that period and was also complain.
ing that even the arch inQuisitor himself
would have been satisfied with the wicked
ness of them. So you see that human ma
ture IL the same In all time" daughter
and applause on the republican sids)
| The house then. at 2:05 p. m. adjourned