New-York tribune., 1905-02-16
HOUSE ASSERTS RIGHTS.
WM Not Consider Hansbrough
Wheat DrazCbacIc Amendment.
TFRoM THE rRIBUyE BUREAIr.1

Washington. Feb. 15.-The House standing
on the rights secured to it by the Constitution
VIII Tomorrow, through a resolution, inform the
senate that it cannot consider an appropriation
Din with revenue amendment such as was at
tached by the Senate. for the reason that 1t
violates the constitutional prerogative of the
House to originate revenue legislation. This ac-
ton Will be taken because of the adoption by
the Senate of the Hansbrough amendment to
the Agricultural Appropriation bill, which for
ods the application of the drawback provision
OF the Dingley law to imported wheat used in
hour manufactured exclusively for export
Ihe decision to uphold the dignity and again
assert the independence of the House was
reached late this afternoon after two confer
ences between Speaker Cannon Representative
Payne, chairman of the Committee on Ways
and Means. and Chairman Wadsworth of the
committee on Agriculture. The provisions Of
the Hansbrough amendment were fully dis
cussed' with a view to determining whether or
not they encroached on the prerogatives of the
lower chamber. The conclusion was reached
that the Senate, in voting to withdraw the
drawback privileges OF the DingIey act, at
tempted to change an existing revenue law
which was clearly legislation that could origi-
nate only in the House
The duty of presenting the resolution to the
house was intrusted to Chairman Payne and
as II viii be adopted with little or no opposi-
tloD the Senate will be confronted with the
apparent necessity of having to recede from its
posltlon or as consequence. blocking legisla-
uon' 1t Is pointed out by the House leaders
that there are several precedents for the posi-
Ion TO be assumed by the lower body in de-
cHhlng to consider the Agricultural ApprOpria-
tlon Dill while the Objectionable revenue amend
Inent originating in the upper chamber is re-
tdlned The House will maintain that no con-
ference on the bill can be had unless the Hans
orough amendment is withdrawn.
II was Senator Hansbrough's contention when
oIerlng the amendment that il could not be
regarded as legislation but merely as a declara-
tlon or the purpose of Congress in enaCtiug the
Dlngiey tarin law for the guidance of the Sec
retary or the Treasury Many Senators voted
for the amendment because Of their apparent
approval OF the North Dakota Senator's argu-
ment that the trainers of the Dingley act never
anticipated such broad Interpretation of the
drawb provision as in the opinion of the
Attorney General, II may properly have. Lead
ers OF the House hold to the contrary, however,
and, jealous OF the constitutional right to orig
mate revenue legislation. the lower body will
line up IN solid opposition to the So-called en-
croachments of the Senate and light the end
for the maintenance of it's position.
The House by its action purposes merely to
enter a respectful but determined protest against
the retention of the Hansbrough amendment in
the Agricultural Appropriation bill but the
adoption of the resolution, it is declared will
carry with it nothing that be construed as
a threat even discourtesy to the upper
chamber.