The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-01
The HOUSE REBELS
RECIPROCITY TREATIES STIR UP
A ROW WITH SENATE.
TO DEFEND ITS PRERoGATIvE.
CLAIMS A HAND IN ALL REVENUE
LEGISLATION.

The Ways and Means Committee
ject and Report Its Conclusions
to the House-Both Parties Sup
ported ResoIution-Mr. Richard-
sons Attempt 20 Take Immediate
Action Defeated--The oleomarge-
rine Bill Made Special order for
Monday.
Washington, Jan. 31.-The House to-
day prepared to defend itself against
what Ii considers the threatened in
vasion by the Senate of its prerogative
in the matter of revenue legislation
by directing the Ways and Means Com
mittee to investigate the subject and
report TO the House its conclusions.
The action of the House was the out
growth of the agitation In the Senate
of the claim that reciprocity treaties
affecting the customs revenues can be
negotiated without the concurrence of
the House. The resolution adopted
was the Tawney resolution. 1t was re-
ported to the House by Mr.. Dalzell
from the Committee on Rules.
Mr.. Dalzell said that the question
involved one of the highest and most
sacred privileges of the House. AS 1t
concerned the relations between the
two houses he thought action should
be deliberately taken after the sub
ject had been considered by the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Underwood of Alabama. also a
member of the Committee on Rules,
joined with MIR. Dalzell in urging the
adoption of the resolution. The settle
ment of the disputed question In fa-
vor or the House, he said, was neces-
sary If the lower house expected to
preserve It's constitutional prerogative
The resolution was adopted without
division. MIR. Dalzell followed this res
olution with another from the same
committee, to make the oleonargarine
| bill special order for Monday next
| to continue until disposed Of
Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee. the MI
nority leader, saw no reason why this
| piece of legislation should be picked
| out and given priority over other bills.
| MIR Underwood of Alabama was op-
posed TO the proposed Legislation, and
| said that it's opponents should begin
the fight now on the. adoption Of the
1 u
| Mr.. Grosveror, Ohio, also declared
himself uncompromisingly opposed TO
| the proposed legislation. h
On roll-call the special order was
adopted 1872 to II.
| Mr.. Richardson, Tennessee, pre-
| sented as a matter OF privilege a reso-
! luton reciting the tendency in the
! Senate of commercial treaties and bills
effecting customs duties and revenues
| and declaring it to be the sense of the
| House that such treaties and bills in
| vaded one of the highest prerogatives
| of the House.
Mr.. Payne, the majority floor lead
err made the point of order that the
| resolution was not privileged. He con-
| tended that until the Senate actually
sent to the House bill or negotiated
| a treaty which invaded the rights of
| the House nothing had been done which
constituted a matter Of privilege here.
Mr.. Richardson, howeevr, contended
that the House should not wait until
an overt act was committed. He cited
the report made to the House by the
late Randolph Tucker of Virginia, and
that made to the Senate by Senators
Allison and the late Senator Voorhees,
in support of his contention.
Speaker Henderson pointed out that
Mr.. Richardson's resolution did not
contain a single averment that there
had been an actual assault on the
rights of the House, and ruled that
this was not privileged.
The House. adjourned.