The Portland daily press., 1890-06-20

Mr.. Anderson Of Kansas, while declaring
himself an earnest advocate of free coinage,
maintained the correctness of the Speakers
ruling. The Speaker was bound to obey the
[Mr: Andersonl wanted to ask the
coinage. weights and measures
whether the committee would give the House
a chance to vote upon the measure
Mr.. Conger, chairman of that committee,
replied that he would make every effort to
secure legislation on the subject.
Mr.. Anderson then proceeded to argue in
favor of the position taken by the Speaker,
citing decisions of former Speakers to show
Mr.. Burrows Of Michigan, held that under
rule "a it was the plain daty of the Speaker
to refer any House bill with Senate amend
ments, carrying an appropriation. to the ap-
propriate committee.
Mr.. Mills of Texas, said the point he had
made was under the existing rules. The sill
yer bill remained upon the Speakers table
to be disposed of as the House, and not the
Speaker should determine.
Mr.. Breckenridge of Kentucky, argued that
IL the Speaker went beyond the scope Of his
authority in his reference Of the bill, his acs
tion was not erroneous, but illegal and void.
The action of the Speaker had no validity
unless the House gave 1t validity. Ii the
pending resolutions were voted down, the
reference of the bill would be the act of the
to sustain the reference would vote to give 1t
validity
The Speaker, in rendering his decision,
said he desired the members of the House to
diyest themselves of the idea that. any unus-
ual procedure had taken place in connec.
tion with the bill The reference of bills of
this kind and in this way had been daily
occurrence since the adoption of the present
rules. The Chair desired that the House
should know that this particular transaction
did not take. place in corner. In the regu-
lar course of business the journal clerk in
formed the Speaker that among the list Of
bills to be referred under the rules to the ap-
propriate committees was the silver bill with
Senate amendments The Speaker had
been asked whether he had any particular
direction to make In regard to it. Kno wing
the bill to be one of grave public Importance
and being anxious that he should have all
possible light on the subject, the Chair con-
suited the Democratic members Of the COM
mittee on rules, Messrs. Blount and McMil-
lin and the gentlemen, from Missouri and
Illinois, [Messrs. Bland and Springerl, not
for the purpose of throwing any responsible
ity upon them, but in order
that he might benefit by any light they
might be able to give. After .conversing
chair that the rules Of the House covered
the question and 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 politics or currency. 1t
was a question of parliamentary law and on
the decision of the House depended the car
rying out of the system of rules the House
had adopted. II not satisfied with the ref
present system, the House could change the
references. Did this bill contain provisions
which under the rules ought to be consid-
cred in committee of the whole? There was
provision in the original House bill by
Snd Mcn csrteass S ssTed wa 70 thspedn Fee
Senate amendment was for free coinage.
For this an appropriation was made. If any
thing was clear in parliamentary law, 1t was
that this bill was one.of those which would
be properly considered in committee Of the
whole. This being so, it was obviously the
duty of the chair to refer it in the same man:
ner in which hundreds and thousands of
bills were referred during the present ses-
sion. The point of order raised by the gen.
tleman from Illinois Mr.. Cannonl put the
the proposed action of the House was dec
laratiOn that an error had been made in par
liamentary law. 1t was proposed to erase
from the journal question of fact. While
point of order, he felt it was question the
House ought to determine. He would there
fore overrule the point of order and submit
the question to the House.
MI CANNON nOVeu W taDlo tne MILLS IeSo-
luton and on a standing vote the motion
was carried, 120 to 110. Messrs. Morrow OF
California, Bartine of Nevada,Iand Town
send of Colorado, voted with the Demcc ats.
They stood in little group on the extreme
western side of the hall and were overlooked
by the Speaker in the first count Mr.. Nor
row called attention to the omission and 1t
was rectified. The motion to table was lost
yeas, 118; nays, 1913. The question then
recurred on the Mills resolution and 1t was
agreed to-yeas, III; nays, III. At the con-
l19; nays, III A change of one vote only
would be necessary to defeat the resolution
by tie vote. The change was made by Mr..
Funston of Kansas, amid derisive jeers
by the Democrats. This left the vote-.yeas,
yailing Messrs. Abbott of Texas, and Bull
lock Of Florida, who names were not re-
corded, stated that they had voted in the af-
firmative, the Speaker accepting their state
ments. The vote then stood-yeas, 120;
nays, 118.
Then Mr.. Mckinley arose, amid Demo-
cratic laughter, and changed his vote to the
affirmative. The vote was finally announced
as yeas, 121 nays, III. Mr.. Mckinley was
then recognized to move reconsideration
and also to move adjournment, Mr.. Mills iIs
managing to sandwich in motion to lay the
motion to reconsider on the table.
On the motion to lay the Mills resolution
on the table, the following Republicans vot-
ed with the Democrats in the negatives
Messrs. Bartine, Carter, Dellavan. Ewart,
Kelley, Morrow, Townsend of Colorado. On
the resolution itself, Mr.. Ewart did not vote.
The other gentlemen mentioned voted with
the Democrats in the affirmative. Mr.. Nc
Kinley voted in the affirmative only for the
purpose of moving reconsideration.
The motion to adjourn was lost-yeas, ,119;
nays, 120. Mr.. Mills motion to table the
motion to reconsider was agreed to-yeas,
III nays, ia. Mr.. Mills moved the approval
OF the Journal as amended, asking to with
draw the preamble which recites that the
order of reference made by the Speaker In
referring the silver blu to the committee on
coinage, weights and measures was incorrect
under the rules of the House and done with
out authority under the said rules. Mr.. Nc
Kinley objected and the question required
on the adoption of the preamble which was
lcst-yeas, 1O9; nays. 121. Republican ap-
plause.l
Mr.. Springer moved the approval of the
Journal as amended, pending which, on mo-
tlon OF Mr.. Mckinley, the House at o'clock
The bill is left in the custody of the coin
age committee. Chairman Cooper is not
likely to give 1t up, nor is the Speaker likely
to order its surrender. just what the out
come will be is difficult to say.
Mr.. Blaine Recommends Reciprocity
WASHINGTON. June 1S.-President Harri-
son today transmitted to Congress letter
from Secretary Blaine upon the subject of a
customs union and the recommendations in
respect thereof by the Pan-American Con-
ference. Secretary Blaine suggests an
amendment to the tariff bill authorizing the
President to declare the ports of the United
States free to the products of any American
nation upon which no export dues are charg-
ed, so long as such nations shall admit to its
ports manufactures and products of the
United States.
The Pension List.
WASHINGTON, June Extensions have
been granted to the following Maine peo-
pie:
ORIGINAL.
Hiram r. Brown. Harmony.
VIM. Hart, Rockland.
Fred w. Moran, Lubec.
Nathaniel Hall. East Lowell.
Emery w. Smith, Franklin,
John W. Blssell, Brewer.
Henry Mansfield, Vanceboro
B. p. Brackley, Rockland.
Andrew j. Palmer, Perry
James Rutherford, st. James.
John A. Hughes, Soldiers Home.
Washington Notes.