The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-05
LEFT WITHOUT QUORUM
REPUBLICANS REFUSE TO VOTE
ON A MOTION BY MR.. MILLS.


They Wanted to Rush Through the
Senate's Dependent Pension Bill
The Speaker Pro Tom. Criticised for
His Ruling-An Early Adjournment
Without Accom- plishing Anything.
WASHINGTON, june Am the house
to-day Mr.. Mills moved that the rules be
suspended and n resolution passed setting
apart the evening sessions for consideration
of bills reported by committees as follows:
Saturday, June O. committee on public
lands; Monday, June H. committee on mill
tary affairs; Tuesday, June II, Pacific rail-
roads; Wednesday, juno Is, territories;
| Thursday and Saturday, June IA and l6,
committee ON commerce.; Tuesday, July 10.
committee on territories.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois Immediately tried
to propose an amendment, setting apart a
day for the general pension bills, having
special reference to the arrears bill, but
could not secure recognition.
MIR. Buchanan of New Jersey declared
that the resolution did not provide for con-
slderation of general pension bills, and that
the other side did not mean to let it be
amended III that respect
A vote was taken on the resolution, re-
|
quorum, the republicans not voting.
Mr.. Mills thea withdrew the resolution.
He then moved that the debate on tho
pending paragraph in the tariff bill DO
limited to ten minutes
MessrS. Mckinley and Reed both de-
manded, as a parliamentary inquiry, to be
informed whether il was not in order to sus-
pend the rules and set apart days for gem
eral pension legislation.
The speaker pro tenn, Mr.. Mcmillan of
Tennessee, replied that the regular order
was Mr. Mills motion.
The house was in uproar, the democrats
demanding the regular order, and Mr..
Reed persisting in his inquiry, and the
speaker pro tenn, refusing to countenance
further interruption, declared that the
house was dividing, and put Mr., Mills mo-
tion and began the count, while Mr. Reed
exclaimed that the house was dividing
simply because the speaker had overridden
the parliamentary law
LEFT WITHOUT QUORUM.
The vote showed no quorum, and the ayes
and nays resulted in the same way, SO a
call Of the house was ordered. Members to
the number of 222 having responded, Mr..
Mills withdrew his motion to limit the detate
and simply asked that the house go iato
committee of the whole on the tariff bill;
but the republicans. hoping to make an
opportunity for the pension bill, persisted
in their refusal to vote ard another roll call
was ordered on the motion to into commit
tee. On this vote Ill democrats responded.
This was not quorum, and Mr.. Mills
moved TO adjourn, which motion prevailed,
and the house, at o'clock adjourned.
EXPLANATION OF THE REPUBLICANS.
The republican members explain their
action in breaking the quorum by state
ment that the day was under the regular
order set apart for motions to suspend the
rules and pass measures called up by indi-
viduals. In preparation for such an order,
Representative Morrill, of Kansas had made
ready to move TO pass the senate dependent
pension bill. Had the democrats seen fit TO
dispense with suspension day." and pro-
ceed with the consideration OF the tariff,
there would have been no opposition.
THE BURDEN OF COMPLAINT.
But the burden of complaint among the
republicans is thai after Mr. Mills had
recognized the character of the day by his
motion to suspend the rules and pass his
resolution setting apart certain evening
sessions for action upon committee reports,
parliamentary usages and proprieties were
violated by the refusal Of the speaker pro
tenn to recognize members on the repub-
lican side to make q suspensary motion.
Therefore, they refused TO take up the tariff
bill.
EXCUSE OF THE DEMOCRATS.
The apparent explanation OF the course
pursued by the democratic side is that the
committee on rules wished to make oppor-
| tunity for legislative business other than
tariff bills, but the report fixing dates, IL
| presented 20 the house, would be open to
amendment in an Objectionable way. There
fore Mr.. Mills pursued the plan OF moving
the report in the shape OF resolution on
suspension day when it could not be
amended under the rules.
| A coysuITATToN
The democratic members Of the ways
and means committee we're in consultation
for some time after the adjournment of the
house to-day discussing the situation.
Counting on an abandonment Of further
obstructive tactics by the republicans the
| tariff bill will be called up tomorrow morn
ing, Immediately after the reading of the
journal, it being the intention to allow no
further legislation "by unanimous consent"
There was some talk Of laying the tariff
bill aside for time, in order TO permit the
| house to pass the army appropriation bill,
but it was concluded that bad moral effect
might follow the adoption of such course.
POSSIBLE WAY OUT.
To meet the republican demand for addi-
tional pension legislation and at the same
| time preserve a consisl ent record in the mat
| ter Of tariff reduction, a number Of democrats
incline favorably to the plan of setting
apart a day to such legislation, with the
understanding that at the proper time
motion will be made similar to
that made at one time by
Mr. Morrison, under like circumstances,
10 provide the money required 10 meet ex-
penditures, authorized by the imposition or
a tax on incomes above $4,000
Up to this time, however, the proposition
has not taken practical shape.