The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-18
VOTE UNANIMOUS
WAR REVENUE REPEAL BILL SUD-
DENLY ADOPTED,
RICHARDSON RESPONSIBLE.
SPECIAL RULE RARRED DEBATE
THEN WHY DELAY.


ing Vote Cast-This Action Fol-
lowed Upon Heels OF "a stormy De-
bate Upon the Special Rule Oner-
ed by the Majority.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE unex-
pected happened in the House to-day
where the bill to repeal the war reve-
nue. taxes was passed unanimously
without a word of debate. This action
was the outcome of challenge thrown
down by Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee.
the minority leader. after the adoption
by strict party vote of a special or
der for the consideration of the bill
which permitted debate upon it until
4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon, but cut
off all opportunity to offer amend
ments except such as had been agreed
upon by the Ways and Means Commit
tee. The adoption of the rule
had been preceded by stormy debate,
in the course of which the delegates
protested against the application of the
gag" which Mr.. Hay. of Virginia,
charged was meant to prevent free
expression not only by the Democrats,
but by some of the Republicans, at
tention being especially directed toward
Mr. Babcock of Wisconsin, the father
of the bill to amend the rate schedule
of the present taSTH iaw; When'fthes
rule was adopted by the vote OF 1853 to
12S. Mr.. Richardson ersphasized the
fact that debate ON the bill could ac-
complish nothing, and that deliberation
upon it would be fruitless, and asked
KnN lxA ~
placed upon its passage. Not an OBJ
lection was voiced, and the vote was
forthwith taken. Every vote, 21S in
number was cast In the affirmative.
Mr. Dalzell of Pennsylvania, from
the Committee on Rules, presented the
special order agreed upon by that COM
mittee. Mr.. Dalzell explained the
effect of the rule. The measure, he
said, was presented to redeem a pledge
made when the war revenue taxes were
imposed, that when the necessity for
them ceased, they would be repealed.
At the conclusion of this brief state
ment, Mr. Dalzell yielded thirty min
utes to Mr.. Underwood of Alabama,
also of the Committee on Rules.
Democrats Fight the Rule.
The Alabama member protested
against the adoption of the rule, not,
he said, because it provided for the
consideration of a bill to reduce tax
alton, but because it prevented indi-
vidual members from exercising their
own Judgment or carrying out the
wishes of their constituents as to what
portion of the excessive taxes should
be repealed.
Mr.. Underwood said he did not think
a general tariff revision should be made
because such a revision, whether good
or bad, would unsettle present condi-
tions and might lead to disorder. He
thought that the proper method of re-
ducing duties at this time should be
through reciprocity agreements made
in pursuance of congressional enact
ment and sent to the clerks desk and
had read an amendment representing
his ideas in this particular
Mr.. Ball of Texas denounced the rule
as but another step in parliamentary
evolution by which individualism in
the House was being crushed and
few men We're enthroned as autocrats
to dominate it's will.
The reason for the presentation OF
the rule, he declared, was because it
was necessary to gag two Republican
members of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, a number of the Republicans
on the floor and all the Democrats of
the House. He referred to the report
in the newspapers that the President
even had been converted to the view
that the Iron hand" was necessary to
prevent a wholesale revision of the
tariff.
BnbcOck FavOrs the Rule.
At this point, Mr.. Babcock of Wis
consin, one of the Republican members
of the Ways and Means Committee. to
whom Mr.. Ball had referred, read a
statement of his reasons for favoring
no adn NJ ha 10 bn
effect that after consultation he and
his colleagues did not consider II wise
to jeopardize the passage Of the repeal
bill by complicating matters, but he
gave notice that al the first opportu-
nitv he would press for the considera-
ton of his bill to amend the steel
schedule.
Hay Calls II Cowardice.
Mr.. Hay OF Virginia, declared that
the pending rule would humiliate every
member on the floor because IL pre-
vented the Offering Of a single amend
ment TO this bill IL was such a dis
play of cOwardice as had never before
been witnessed in the House. Demo-
cratic applause). When the bin went
to the Senate IL would be debated and
amended. but by this rule the House
would be deprived Of It's rightful func-
tion. II would but emphasize the grow
ing opinion Of The country that the
House Of Representatives simply was "A
machine 10 register the DEGREES of a
few men. When the popular branch Of
every legislative assembly In Europe
was being given more power, be said,
this House was being bound and
gagged. The debate 10 be. accorded un-
der the rule, be declared, would be a
farce because Il could accomplish moth
ing
Mr.. Cannon Of Illinois argued ear
nestly In favor Of the adoption " the
rule. Even II other revenue reduction
was advisable n should not stand ln
the way Of repeal Of taxes gathered
In the treasury from the people. there
10 constitute a prize. MI Richardson
closed the debate f0r the minority ~
doing so he offered 10 yiei1 half be
time 20 any on the kepubliC9p sidc
VINO cared 20 oppose fhe adoption ~
the rule. He paused when he bed
made the offer but no Republican
arose smiling faces looked oyer ~
bim frOm across the aisles no
gentleman on thet slide is OPPOSED A.
this rule said he aarcastieally "Wlfh
your majority of AZ N Wil ~ Yffs
eesy to adopt ii but ie a nof airanef
that VIII sueh majority HNoh . ruie
should be necessary
RiohsFdAon gspnts asHtefiss
ne insisted fhat thefr Narf mrn
horf ou thD other aina NNn NaIt Festive
under thf dfuIan1 W thr eunNfIinNNff
f0r "a revision ~ iNf NHfIh NrhfNuIft
ehq inei tAef NslQ hANf het4 eNh