The morning call., 1890-06-20
4 SILVER VICTORY.
Action Of the House on the Sen
ate Measure.
Speaker Reeds Disposition Of the Bill
Not COnGufr0d In
lis Reference to The Committee on Coinage,
Weights and Measures Stricken
From the Journal.
Special Dispatches to THE MORNING CALL.

of the Silver Bill to the Committee on
Coinage, Weights and Measures.
Mckinley moved that the journal be ap-
proved, and demanded the previous ques-
tion. despite Mills protest that he was en-
titled to recognition to move to correct the
journal.
Springer raised the point of order that
the journal contained a record of something
which never happened.
The Speaker replied that that was for the
House to decide, and directed the Clerk to
call the roll.
The Clerk proceeded, while Springer,
amid the applause Of his party colleagues,
entered a vigorous protest, addressing the
Speaker saying: "You can ignore the
rights of the representatives of the people,
but the people will pull you down, sir, at
the polls next November, and your party
with youW
The House refused to order the previous
question by a vote Of 102 to III, amid loud
Democratic applause. The following Re
publicans voted with the Democrats in the
negative: Bartine, De Haven, Kelly, Kerr
of Iowa, Lind, Morrow and Townsend Of
Colorado
Mills offered resolution reciting that
the order of reference made by the Speaker
referring the Silver Bill to the Committee
on Coinage, Weights and Measures was in
correct under the rules of the House and
made without authority under the rules,
and resolving that the journal be corrected
by striking therefrOm the entry.
Cannon argued the Senate amendments
would require to be considered in COM
/
the Speakers duty to refer it to the Com
mittee on Coinage, Weights and Measures.
The resolution sought to strike out the reci-
tai Of the fact.
Mills characterized CaDnon's position rs
the boldest, most reckless and absurd po-
stion he ever heard maintained in a legis-
Iative body. Under the Constitution the
journal was to be kept by the House, not
by the Speaker or his clerks. The Repub-
lican party he charged with being false to
Its pledges on the matter OF silver Inc
Democratic party would give the people
free, unlimited coinage Of silver. at the
hustings the people would ask the Republi-
cans why, when they were sent here as
friends OF silver, they voted TO the death to
prevent the consummation of the peoples
wishes and the fulfllment Of their prom
ises?
Peters, though declaring himself free
coinage man, sustained the Speakers ac-
the Speakers duty to refer the bill as he
had done.
Biggs interrupted Peters and demanded
to know why the gentleman from Kansas
did not vote for silver coinage II he was III
favor Of 1t, This was received with great
merriment by the whole House, as Peters
was the Republican who refused TO bolt the
caucus on the s. .ver Bill. Biggs continued
his cross-questioning ofPeters, much to the
latter's embarrassment. while the whole
H0nso tua rpDuulsan with lanUHfor
Reed pounded with his gaVel, grew red in
the face, and declared the gentleman from
California was out OF order. Blggs! how
ever, continued to pour out perfect stream
Of words, and would not be silenced =
Reed cried out angrily. "Will the gentle
man IRON California be in order?" - | WILL
sir," responded Biggs, dropping into his
seat. But no sooner was he seated than he
again rose, and advancing toward Speaker
Reed, leaned over and whispered in the
Speakers ear. The irrepresslble man was
bound to have his say
Reed laughed heartily, and the contagion
took until the whole House rang with
laughter, which grew all the more bolster
GUS when the old Californian drew his
handkerchief from his pocket and stood up
in plain view and waved it over his head
Crisp submitted an argument to show
that under the rules the Speaker had not
the power to refer the bill as he had done.
Springer conteDded for the right OF the
House to revise the journal and make it
show what the majority of the House de-
cided it should show. The purpose of re-
feIring the bill to the Committee on Coin
age, WeightsIand Measures, was to prevent
the House from voting on the question of
concurrence in the Senate amendments.
The rules, which, he claimed, we're in
tended TO allow the majority to do business
and produce results, were even now pros
tituted to the base purpose oil gagging the
majority.
Bland held that no other course was open
but to strike the erroneous reference OF the
bill from the journal. This would place
the bill on the Speakers table again and
allow the House 10 get at it.
Butterworth said the time had not come
when the Republican party is willing to
abdicate its control over the business of the
House. The question would be put next
fall, not in time to affect this question.
McMillin Of Tennesse-But will it be
In time for this question to affect it? DEM
ocratic applause.
Continuing, Buttprworth held the real
question before the House was whether
not the Speaker referred the bill to the
commlttee-!f9t that it was or was not prop
5fiiy referred. The question arose whether
the Speaker was authorized to make the
reference. lie cOntended that he was so
authorized. Rule y gives the Speaker au-
thority to refer public bills to appropriate
committees.
Springer argued that the Silver Bill was
not properly under the rules before the
House yesterday, because the business on
the Speakers table had not been reached.
Bulterworth said the pending proposition
sought to unhoTse the Republican majority
and to put the Democratic minority in the
saddle. The Republicans should not abdi-
cate in favor of the Democrats until at least
they should determine they were unable to
conduct the business OF the majority. Re-
publican applause.l He was in favor of the
early consideration of the Silver Bill.
Anderson of Kansas, while declaring
himself an earnest advocate of free coin
age maintained the correctness of the
Speakers ruling. He wanted to ask the
Chairman of the Committee on Coinage,
Weights and Measures whether the com
mittee would give the House a chance to
vote upon the measure?
COngeT, the Chairman Of that committee,
replied that as far as he was personally
concerned he would make every effort to
secure legislation on this subject.
Crisp said that the Committee on Rules
might interfere, as 1t did to prevent vote
on the free coinage of silver.
Mills said that the point he made was
under the existing rules. The Silver Bill
remained upon the Speakers table, to be
disposed Of as the House, and not the
Speaker, should determine.
Breckenridge Of Kentucky argued that
the Speaker went beyond the scope OF his
authority in the reference of the bill. His
action was not erroneous, but illegal and
void.
The Speaker in rendering his decision salu
he desired the members OF the House TO dl-
vest themselves Of the idea that any unu-
sual procedure had taken place IN connec-
ton with this bill.
The reference of bills of this kind and in
this way had been Of daily occurrence since
the adoption Of the present rules. Tie
Chair desired also that the House should
know that this particular transaction did
not take place in corner. In the regular