Evening star., 1902-01-31
WAYS and Means Committee Directed
to Investigate.
POWER FOR RECIPROCITY TREATIES
OIeomargarine Bill Made Special
Order for Monday.
MORGAN ON PHILIPPINES

When the House of Representatives met
today Mr. Dalzeil (Pa.) from the committee
on rules reported favorably the Tawney
resolution. introduced yesterday, to direct
the ways and means committee to investi-
gate the question of whether the treaty
making power could negotiate reciprocity
treaties affecting the customs revenues
without action by Congress. and asked for
action upon 1t,
Mr.. DalzefI said that the question in
volved one of the highest and most sacred
privileges of the House. As it concerned
the relations between the two houses. he
thought action should be deliberately taken
after the subject had been duly considered
by committee.
Mr.. Underwood (Ala.), also a member of
the committee on rules, Joined with Mr..
DaiZeil in urging the adoption of the reso
luton The settlement of the disputed
question in favor of the House, he said,
was necessary if the lower house expected
10 preserve its constitutional prerogative.
rs there any instance where the treaty
making power has exercised this preroga-
tive?'' asked Mr.. Moody (MassD.
II know of none" replied Mr.. Dalzen.
The resolution was adopted without di
vision
The OIeOmargarine Bill.
Mr.. Dalzen followed this with another
from the same committee to make the oleo-
margarine bill a special order for Monday
next. to continue until disposed of. Mr..
Dalzell urged that, regardless of the merits
Of the BILL the House should have an op-
2ortunity to discuss and pass upon it.
Mr.. Richardson CTenn). the minority
leader. saw reason why this piece of
legislation should be picked out and given
priority over other bills.
Mr- Underwood tAla) was opposed to the
proposed legislation. and declared that its
opponents should begin the fight now on
the adoption of the special order.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio) also declared him.
self uncompromisingly opposed to the pro-
posed legislation and all kindred legislation
He believed at the root of 1t lay a menace
to the liberties of the country: that under
It's operation the strong could crush the
weak Nevertheless as there was public
demand for the consideration of the bill, he
believed that the House should have an op-
portunity to pass upon it. and for that rea-
son he would support the resolution to
make it special order.
Special Order Adopted
Upon rising vote the House stood sc to
6l In favor of the adoption of the order.
Mr. Richardson made the point that no
quorum was present. The Speaker counted
1i9 members present-a quorum-where-
upon Mr.. Richardson demanded te1Iers, and
Mr.. Tawney CMinnD supplemented this with
Were ordered.
On roll call the special order was adopted
-132 TO Il. :.
Mr. Richardson (TennD presented as a
matter OF privilege a resolution with nu-
merous Whereases rectting the pendency in
the Senate of commercial treaties and bills
affecting customs duties and revenues, and
declaring it to be the sense of the House
that such treaties and bills invaded one of
the highest prerogatiyes of the House
Mr. Mo-
MIR Payne, the majority floor leader
made the point OF order that the resolution
was not privileged. He contended that until
the Senate actually sent to the house a
g biIf- OF negotiated a treaty which invaded
the rights of the House nothing had been
done which constituted a matter of priy-
iege here. Mr. Payne incidentally declared
that he agreed with Mr.. Richardson that
tne senate could not invade the privileges
OF the House, but the simple assertion of
the power on the floor of the Senate ddi
not. In his opinion, constitute question of
privilege.
Speaker Henderson called Mr. Richard
son attention to the fact that a threat tn
infringe was not infringement
Mr. Richardson urged strongly that il was
time 10 meet the issue. The claim was he
ing set up on the floor of the Senate that
certain things could be done Was the
House TO wait until a treaty had actually
Deen negotiated, In which tariff rates fixed
py congress We're uprOoted.
0uld such a declaration control tho
Senate or any of It's members" asked Mr,
jenkins (Wis).
=. Perhaps not" replied Mr.. Richardson.
put we should assert our position
MT Tawney (MinnD argued that more
would be accomplished by allowing the
ways and means committee to report upon
MS resolution after due investigation of the
law than by the adoption Of simple decla-
ration now.
Point of Order Sustained.
Speaker Henderson sustained the point
OF order against Mr.. Richardson's resolu-
tion-
The House then began the consideration
OF claim bills.
SENATE
hen the Senate met today it adopted a
resolution offered a few days ago by Mr.
Rawllns tCtah providing for a general in
curry by the committee on Indian affairs
into the matter of leasing mineral lands by
inildns INTO the authority of the Interior
Department 10 approve such leases. and in