New-York tribune., 1899-02-09
HALT CALLED IN THE HOUSE.
FILIBUSTTRs PREVENT ACTION ON PUB
Lie BUILDING BILLS.
THE NEw-YORK CUSTOM HOUSE Bill. AMONG
THE MEASURES WITCH LOSE THEIR
PRIVILEGED STATUS
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !

tBY TELEGRAPH THE rRrBuNE.l
Washington. Feb s-The House Of Representa-
tives was not In so benevolent mood to-day the
Committee ~ the whole was yesterday In fact. It
would be difficult 10 imagine more complete
trast Yesterday the Committee Of the Whole
passed no fewer than forty-two bills for pub
lie buildings CT sites therefor, only with
celerity, but wiki enthusiasm and virtual
unanimity. IN the short space OF Ave hours; and
even to-day so long as the House remained in
Committee ~ the Whole the sort Of business
went on with Fmoothness and enthusiasm. II not
with equal celerity. and the total Of achievement
was sensbly increased
But when the House began 70 review the work
Of the committee trouble at once arose Members
whose voices had been drowned in the enthusiastic
camor ~ the Committee OF the Whole began 10
make themselves heard. asking ugly questions and
making annoying suggestions. Prospects which
had seemed golden and glorious quickly dark
ened and soon became shrouded In gloom. There
were members whose conscientiousness had been
quckened by the consciousness that others were
about to enjoy honors and privileges shared by
themselves. there other members whose CON
scientousness needed no such quckening-who
heartily approved much that tho Committee Of the
Whole had done but believed that the time had
now come to separate the sheep from the goats.
These two forces combined strong enough.
even without skilfui parliamentary leadership TO
control the situation. and they proceeded 10 do 80.
The result that the action Of the Committee
OF the Whole was fully confirmed in only single
case-that Of the bill providing for public build
Ing at Norfolk. Va. In one other case 80 much
progress made that vote will he taken to-
morrow. All the other bills. including that for a
new Custom House building IN tho city Of New
York. We're left In legislative dodrums the calen-
dar Of unfinished business" which may not be
reached before the expiration Of this Congress, un
less the Speaker shall rule that favorable report
from the Committee OF the Whole is privileged
one. Reports public building bills enjoy no
privilege by virtue Of the special order under which
they adopted FOR that expired at $50 p. m.
to-day In this in many other matters things
might have turned out differently II the camel had
Sixty-nve bills i'm all, carrying authorizing the
expenditure Of about sl200G0. had been favOrably
considered I'm Committee of the Whole when the
committee rose to-day. bat because seventeen other
r - e',is , ~ biiIs wcra bocked The sec
ond bill. appropratng A1ep for building ar BAR
denand For tho production OF the engrossed bill
prevented Il from being placed on rs passage ne
PENN Bill carving sl25Ooo when the House ad-
iourned so that II will he the unfinished business
tomorrow All the other bills. however, lose ne
order Twenty-four bills were favorably acted on
10y the committee to-day. Among them were the
For Site for a public library in Washington, 70 tor
which Andrew Carnegie contrio9tea g s7"", nreserg
a Government reservation. No appropriation con on
soqueutly involved. joplin, MO. NGp'
streator. M So 90. Stockton. Cal, increase limit
- cost 70 5000 Lawrence Mass, 800 oo; James
town Y i. S0eo: Freeport ~ $500, Tampa
Fla 800 100: Anniston. Ala: 5000 Bristol. Ienn
SS- ,.0 Sal EN- ore 500 100; Menominee Mich. 81
on; ~ cloud MINI. 5000: Abilene Tex sou: ~:
Ia dvilla Co 5000: Newport Vt. SsD"D Eau
clair Wis $50 ooo: Macon. Ca. s5s e0 Monmouth
mi st7 0ni. Oskaloosa Iowa. $4,000; Wnston y -,
e. o,0. Columbus Ca. to enlarge postotice s0w
Lockport y T. 5000 The Senate bi 70 ainena sasa
M law -equl-inC ballots FOR members OF congress.
~ be written or printed az 10 permit the use on
machines whore authorized by the laws or the
State was passed.