Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-03-09
TRICKS OF LEGISLATION.

TRICKS OF LEGISLATION.
If it were only possible to give the
exact facts as to the closing hours of
the last session Of the United States
senate, the story would include chap
ter on the sickest politics that have
been seen in Washington for quite a
while, and it would open the eyes of
many confiding people as to the capa-
bilities of the heroes that they are dis
posed to worship.
In the first place it may be worth
while to explain that under the rules of
the senate, a small minority Of men,
bers, sticking together, have it in their
power to indefinitely block any kind of
final action upon almost any subject.
This is especially the case during the
last few weeks Of the session. The
subsidy bill was killed that way by a
few Democrats, who antagonized it
merely because it was championed by
Republican leaders. AS the end of the
session draws closer, it becomes more
in the power Of individual senators to
throttle any given measure. 1t Is only
a question of how many hours it is to
the last minute Of the session, and the
ability Of the filibuster to consume time
up to the last minute.
Under conditions brought about by
recent events, not necessary to partic-
ularly explain, it was absolutely nee
essary for the proper administration of
the government. that bills be passed
providing for the reorganization of
the army, establishing system Of CIV
IL government in the Philippines, and
fixing the relations between the United
States and Cuba. In addition to these
measures, there was also. Of course.
the sundry civil bill, the river and har-
Dor bill, and other important routine
measures to be provided for.
It Is generally understood not only
in the house and senate, but through
out the country. that the river and
harbor bill has long been a "division
and silence" arrangement. There Is
about it much Of the element Of steal
ing. The bill usually carries from $780,
600, 900 to sec, 100000, a considerable por-
ton Of which is intended for "im-
provements" that can never be Of any
practical benefit. Almost every sena-
tor and representative, however, Is in
terested in some pet scheme Of "im-
provement" in his state or district. and
within certain limits there Is dispo-
sition to allow everybody to have all
they want for themselves provided
they keep quiet as to the claims of the
other fellows. The river and harbor
bill this year had been drawn on un-
usually liberal lines, carrying more
than s5O,0O0,OO0 to go especially to the
South and West, and more particularly
into the territory of Democratic con-
gressmen and senator's.
Vest and Cockerell, Of Missouri. and
Tillman, of South Carolina, are all
very necessary to the success ofany de-
termined Democratic fight against anv
measure. It was understood sometime
back that all Of the administration
measures, especially the declarations
as to Cuba and the Philippines, and the
Of the army would be
fought to death, if possible. Now that
it is all over, it is clear that all Of
these measures could have been killed
with proper determination on the part
of the Democrats; but it Is also clear
that none of them made any real effort
to fight, and the army Of Washington
correspondents Is engaged in telling
their papers the reason.
The Missouri senators had been wire
pulling for the $5.OOO,OOO appropriation
for st. Louis and Senator Tillman was
pulling with all his might for the $780,
900 appropriation for Charleston. 1t
became apparent sometime back that
the St. Louis measure would be a go,
and Senator Tillman sought to link the
fate Of the Charleston appropriate
with that of st. Louis. The senate ap-
peared agreeable; but the house turned
Charleston down. Senator Tillman
declared that unless Charleston was
provided for, st. Louis and Buffalo
would both be deprived of their appro-
pria tions, and for a time 1t looked as
if they would all be lost. The senate
conferees so reported at the last min
ute, and all three exposition appropri-
ations were dropped from the sundry
civil bill to which they had been tack
ed.
In the meantime, however, before the
sundry civil bill had come up for final