New-York tribune., 1905-02-17
HOUSE STANDS FIRM.
Sends Wheat Drazcback amendment
Back to Senate.
TFRoM THE TRIBUNE puRBAu.l

GFRoM TRIBUNE BuREAU.I
Washington, Feb. 16.-With only five dissent
ing votes the House to-day adopted the resolu-
ton outlined in The Tribune this morning,
authorizing the return to the Senate of the Agri-
cultural Appropriation bill with the information
that the Hansbrough amendment is original leg
islation affecting the revenues, and consequently
is in direct violation of the rights secured to the
House under the Constitution. The resolution,
which is directed solely at what is regarded as
Senatorial usurpation of the privileges of the
popular chamber, was the result of protracted
conferences between the Speaker, Representative
Payne. chairman of the Committee on Ways
and Means, and Representative Wadsworth,
chairman of the Committee Agriculture.
Precedents We're examined, and 1t decided
that, as the Hansbrough amendment abolished
the drawback clause of the Dingley act i'm
ported wheat used exclusively in the manu-
facture of -four for export. the House would oe
justified in declining to receive a bill with an
amendment calculated to change existing
.nue laws
Mr.. PayneS presentation of the soundness OF
the proposition clear and convincing, as
was indicated by the applause from both sides
Of the chamber and the practically unanimous
approval of the House when the vote was taken.
Party lines were swept aside, Republicans and
Democrats alike voicng their intention of up
holding the dignity of the lower body and their
ipsistence that there should be no violation of
its Constitutional prerogatives. All attempts
to discuss the merits of the amendment or to
branch out into discussion of the tariff were
received with ill concealed impatience. and the
demand for the ayes and noes, cutting off fur
ther debate. was vigorously applauded. lrrespec-
tive of party affiliations.
That the House is determined to stand by
it's action, and that further legislation the
Agricultural Appropriation bill cannot be had
unless the Senate withdraws the Objectionable
amendment apparently assured, but the
House leaders believe that the upper chamber
Will perceive it's error and gracefully yield in
compliance with the provisions of the Consti-
tuition.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Payne reads as
follows:
Resolved, That the amendment No. 208. added
by the Senate to the House bill H. r. 1883,
in the opinion of the House, contraVeneS the
first clause of the seventh section Of the f1rst
article of the Constitution of the United states,
and is en- infringement of the privileges of the
House. and that the said bill with the amend
ments. be respectfully returned to the senate,
with message communicating this resolution.
The reading of the resolution was greeted
with applause
Mr.. Payne said the amendment abolished the
drawback clause in the Dingley bill wheat
imported into the United States and afterward
manufactured into flour and exported He said
he did not intend to discuss the merits of the
amendment, whether it was wise unwise. He
loudly applauded by both Republicans and
Democrats when he asserted that the main
question was whether that clause in the Con-
stitution which declares that all bills for rails
ing shall originate in the House of
Representatives shall be cherished by this House
as one of it's privileges" The question, he said,
also was whether we will resent any infringe
ment from any source of that clause of the Con-
sittution." He called attention to the fact that
the House uniformly had insisted on its rights
as guaranteed by the Constitution, and read
number of precedents in proof of his asser-
ton. He said that the right to originate rev.
enue legislation was a sacred one of the House
He declared that none could be originated,
should be- and he added, "none will be
originated in the other body if the House stands
by its rights and privileges as guaranteed by
the Constitution
Mr.. Williams. the minority leader, alluded to
the action Of the Senate Sin engaging in
strenuous effort to prevent real or supposed
attack by the Executive a usurpation, in the
opinion Of the Senate, upon its functions and
dignity and said it a peculiarly inapprO-
a plain palpable, obvious and aggressive attack
upon the dignity of the House" Except in con-
nection with legislation affecting the revenue. Mr.
Williams said, the House stood to-day body
composed OF great many committees, and all it
did was to prepare legislation in some shape or
other and send 1t over to the Senate, as was
done with the Rate BILL ito be put into the
shape that even a majority of the House de-
sired" He charged the Republicans with being
afraid to touch the Dingley law. Instead OF
making changes through legislation, he declared,
it being done by executive construction.
He was cut short by Mr.. Payne, who said he did
not yield the floor for a tariff discussion.
Mr.. Payne denied statement by Mr. Spald-
ing of North Dakota, that there had been many
violations or infringements of the privileges of
the House by the Senate in the matter of reve-
nue. legislation.
The resolution was adopted yea and nay
vote. 261 to 3, those voting against it being
Messrs. Davis and Volstead OIinn) Adams
CWis), Marshall On. d. and Jones CWash), all
Republicans.