Evening journal., 1890-06-20
In1 noooE IN 1URMUIL.
A Lively Session Caused B
Speaker Reeds Action
CONCERNING THE SILVER ELL.


reference Of the silver bill TO the commit
tee on coinage, weights aud measures with
out laying It before the house kicked up
the liveliest sort Of row. The Democrats
made fight over the approval Of the jour
nal. claiming that il contained record Of
something which had not happened, and
which should not be in it. Mr.. McKinleyis
motion that the journal be approved was
lost--yeas i00' nays, l11-several Republi-
cans voting with the Democrats.
When the Democratic applause had
ceased Mr.. Mills offered resolution that
the order Of reference made by the speaker
Of the silver bill TO the committee on coin
age, weights and measures was incorrect
under the rules Of the house, and was
made without authority under the rules,
and resolving that the journal be corrected
by striking the entry from IT,
Speaker Reed and the Hindoo Idol.
Mr. Mills charged the Republican party
with being false TO it's pledges on the silver
question. The Democratic party would
give people free and unlimited coinage Of
silver. The Republican party was voting
against the wishes OF the people Mr.
Peters (Kan.) declared himself a free coin
age man, but sustained the speakers ae-
tion. Mr.. Crisp (Ga.l argued thas under
the rules the speaker had not the power 70
70 make the reference he had made
In reference 10 remark by Mr.. Butter
worth that the chair was always right, Mr.
Crisp, disclaiming any discourtesy, drew a
simile between the remark and that Of the
Hindoo who approached his hideous god,
saying. II know that he Is ugly, but feel
that he Is great The speaker joined in
the hearty laughter that followed, and
caused another outburst by remarking
dryly; "The chair hopes that personal mat
ters will not bo introduced in this discus
sion.n
Mr. Butterworth said that the present
resolution sought to unhorse the Repuhli-
can majority and to put the Democratic
minority in the saddle. The Republicans
should not abdicate 70 the Democrats until
they should determine that they were un-
able 20 conduct the business Of the ma
jority Republican applause).
He favored an early consideration Of the
silver bill The question now was whether
the Republicans should stultify themselves
by voting for resolution which asserted
that a thing was done and then said it was
not done, and which rebnked the speaker
for having conformed 70 the plain letter Of
the rules. MIR. Anderson, Of the committee
on rules, then proceeded to argue in favor
Of the position taken by the speaker, citing
decisions Of the speaker 70 show that IL
was directly in the line Of precedents Mr.
Burrows (Mich) addressed himself to
an analysis Of the rules, holding that under
rule "a 1t was the duty Of the speaker to
refer any house bill with senate amend
- rfrtfr nrrf fnNf
Mr.. BreclSinridge's Accusations.
Mr.. Breckenridge (Ky) argued that if
the speaker went beyond the scope Of his
authority In his reference Of the bill his
action was not erroneous, but Illegal and
void. The action of the speaker had no
validity unless the house gave it validity
If the pending resolution was voted down
the reference Of the bill would be the act
Of the house, not Of the speaker. He who
voted to sustain the reference would vote
70 give il validity.
The Speaker Defends Himself
The speaker said that he desired mem
bers Of the house to divest themselves Of
the idea that any unusual procedure had
taken place in connection with this bill
The reference of bills Of this kind and in
this way had been daily occurrence since
sired also that the house should know that
this particular transaction did not take
place IN a corner.
In the regular course Of business the
journal clerk had informed the speaker
that among the list of bills to be referred
under the rules TO appropriate committees
was the silver bill with senate amend
ments. The speaker had been asked
whether he had any particular direction to
make in regard to H. Knowing the bill to
be one Of grave public Importance and
anxious that he should have all possible
light on the subject, the chair had con-
suited the Democratic members Of the
committee on rules, Messrs. Blount and
McMillin and Messrs- Bland and Springer,
not for the purpose of throwing any re-
sponsibility upon them, but in order that
he might benefit by any light they might
be able to give After eonversing with
those gentlemen, it had seemed clear to
the chair that the rules OF the house Gov
cred the question: and that his duty was to
treat the bill as he would treat any other
measure Accordingly the clerk was not
directed to make any change in regard to
the reference. The house must bear in
mind that this was not question OF poll
tics or currency
Purely Parliamentary Question
1t was question Of parliamentary law,
and on the decision OF the house depended
the carrying out Of the system Of rules the
house had adopted. If not satisfied with
the reference directed by the speaker under
the present system Of rules, the house
could change the reference. Did this bill
contain provisions which under the rules
ought to be considered in committee Of the
whole? There was a provision in the
original house bill by which certain bull
ion was to be purchased and certificates
issued thereon. The senate amendment
was an amendment for free coinage and
for this an appropriation was made. If
anything was clear in parliamentary law,
il was that this bill was one Of those
which would be properly considered in
committee of the whole, and this being so,
it was the obvious duty Of the chair TO
refer il in the same manner in which
hundreds and thousands Of bills had been
referred during the present session.
The point of order raised by the gentle
man from Illinois (Mr. Cannon) put the
chair in an embarrassing position because
the proposed action of the house was a
declaration that an error had been made
in parliamentary1aw IL was proposed to
erase from the journal question Of fact.
While the chair might have some doubt
about the point of order, he felt that il was
a question the house ought to determine.
He would, therefore, overrule the point Of
order and submit the question to the house.
MIR. Mckinley Changes His Vote.
Mr.. Cannon moved to table Mr.. Mills
resolution. The motion was lost-yeas,
IN. 4 n ~