Evening star., 1898-12-14
RULES OF THE HOUSE
Speaker Reed Replies to His Crit
les.
HISTORICAL ADDRESS BY Mr.. GROW
Refusal to Consider the immigration
Bill.
MIR. VEST ON PEN SION S

The pension appropriation bill was re-
ported to the House today. and Mr.. Bar.
ney NisD gave notice that he would call it
up tomorrow. The Senate bill to regulate
the sitting of United States courts within
the district of South Carolina was passed.
\ bill to pay ]. w. Saligman $1,756, the
amount of certain coupons of United States
bends lost at sea on the occasion of the
sinking of the Cunard line steamer Oregon
in 1856, was passed.
Mr.. DanfOrd (Ohio) then called up the
Lodge immigration bill. which was passed
by the Senate at the last session, and
which has since been upon the Speakers
table. Mr.. Bartholdt (Mo) raised the 4ues-
tion of consideration against it. Upon a
viva vOce vote the noes seemed to have it,
but before an announcement, Mr.. Danford
demanded the ayes and noes which were
ordered.
The House refused to consider the bill
1O1-1Ui. Much interest was manifested in
the vote, and when the Speaker announced
the result the opponents of the bill ap-
plauded Justify.
The consIueratfon of the bill to incorpo-
rate the International American Bank,
winch was q special order for today, was
postponed until tomorrow.
Some miscellaneous pension matters were
disposed Of, when MIR. Grow Pa), the pa
torical address, by unanimous consent, upon
the origin of the committee of the whole
on the state of the Union, in which there
was no limitation upon the latitude of
debate.
Mr.. Grows remarks caused Mr. Robin
son Gnd) TO reproach the majority be-
cause no new code of rules had been pre-
pared for this Congress. He charged that
Mr.. Henderson Qowa) had promised when
the old 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 new code of rules would
be presented within thirty days. He had
expected it then and he had not wanted
the House to adjourn at the last session
without adopting new rules. That had been
his wish.
Il urged it," said he emphatically. "and
1 don't want this charge thrown into my
teeth now because the committee of which
l am member did not agree with me. 1t
is cowardiy thing to do
Mr.. DeArmond secured the floor and pro-
ceeded to contrast the condition Of affairs
in the House at present with the days of
which MIR. Grow had spoken when there
was full opportunity for discussion. He
declared that the Speaker held the balance
of power on the committee on rules and it
he who in fact had determined that it
was better that no new code of rules should
be presented and adopted by this House.
He was exceedingly ironical in his refer
enceS to the decadenCe of the Old-time priv
iliges of fun debate. 1t had become the
ia ashiOn. he said, to bring in repressiVe
rules to cut off debate upon every impOr-
tant question, and asserted that the rules
under which the House was now operating
which could not have been adopted pernla-
nently, had become permanent by the atti-
tude of the Speaker.
MI. DeArmond was literally applauded
by his side Of the House when he con-
cluded.
Mr. Grow called attention to the fact that
the House. on motion of any member, could
go daily into the committee of the whole
or the state Of the union, if the motion Sc
cured a majority vote. There there would
be unlimited opportunity for debate.
The Speaker, from the chair, replied 10
his critics.
Speaker Reeds Statement.
The Speaker said:
The gentleman from Missouri has per
nlitted himself to make statements in re-
gard to the relations between the Speaker
and the other members of the committee on
rules that l am happy to state are not jus
titled by the facts The House must not
feel itself to have been treated to an unu-
sudI discourse upon the lack of liberty Civ
en- to the citizen. 1t SO happens in this
world that there are many citizens.
1t so happens that in the House Of Repre-
sentatives there are many members. and
that while in theory every man can occupy
all the time in diScoursee in actual prac-
tice he has to occupy it in subordinatiOn
to the rights of ever other member to the
rights of the body itself and TO the prose-
cution 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 heavens above or in the earth be-
meath that has not been discussed, even
in this present Congress. UaughterD
Now if the gentleman from Missouri
will turn to the annals CT Congress, away
back in 1916, during the period of / berty
such as he thinks he desires. he will find
that John Randolph, who certainly was
heard enough to become famous for a GEN.
| tury, was comp.a ming about the despotism
of the rules at that period, and was also
complaining that even the arch inquisitor
himself would nave been satisfied ETith the
Wickedness Of them. So you see that hu-
man nature IS The same in all time"
daughter and applause on the republican
Side.)
The House adjourned at 205 pm.