New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-18
THE HOUSE FAIR BILLS.
MADE A SPECIAL ORDER FOR THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY.
VOTING on SITE TO BEGIN on MONDAY, II
THERE rs TO BE FAIR-CHCAGo AGAIN
DEFEATED-LIvELY DEBATE UPON
THE QUORUM QUESTION.

THE QUORUM QUESTION.
Washington Feb. 17.-The House Committee on
the Worlds Fair held long session this morning. and.
after many skrmshes for vantage, finally decided
upon resolution, which presented in the House
this afternoon by Mr. Chandler the chairman OF the
committee. This resolution, which was proposed by
Mr.. Frank Of Missouri, instructs the chairman to
ask the House that Thursday and Friday of this week
be set apart for general debate upon the WORLDS
Fair bills and that Monday next after the reading
OF the journal, be set apart for voting upon mo
question OF Site unless the House shall nave ue'c
mined that no Worlds Fair shall be held THIS reso
luton Is In the nature OF compromise anu ic'co1
the unanimous vote Of the ooin"i'''ee'
though there was division on sew
oral other PROPOSITIONS with the result
that Chicago was defeated by the combined opposition
Of the other cOntcsting cities.
1t was evident, Immediately after the meeting Vi ue
committee that the Chicago men were IN FAVOR Oh
forcing the fight in the House to speedy 'eIih'ha-
tion and that the other cities. particularly ST. Louis
,-otorreA that some time should eapSe between the
nresentaton Of the claims Of the several cities and
balloting upon choice OF slte Mr.. Iltt on Dehan Oh
Chicago proposed that only one day shoud DC al
lowed for debate and that If sufficient time was let
a vote should be taken the same day, Or II the de-
hate occuped too much time, that balloting should
hscn tbe next dav Objections were raised to this
Inv the CONSERVATIVES of the other cities, based on
tho ground that time should be given for reflection
and that the matter should not be rushed through the
House. on a division. the Chicago men alone voted
in the Affirmative ,
Mr.. Flower of New-Yorb, proposed that Wednes-
d,y and Thursday should be given up to DEBATE ana
that voting should begin Friday.
Mr. Frank suggested that provision should be maze
for taking the of the House on the question oi
whether or not any Worlds Fair should be heid III
1892; and that this being airmatively decided DaE
lone should begin the following week After con
he
Thursday and Friday and baloting on Monday was
unanimously adopted; Mr.. Hit, however, securing
compromise of that part OF the resolution wmch pro
posed a vote on the question of holding any Noflu
Fair at ALL the form of the resolution being chanseo'
a. his instance so as to leave this with the House.
when tho worlds Fair Committee called in
,hs uouse Mr. Chandler offered the resolution that
had been decided upon.
Mr. Mills, Of Texas, demanded scconn' eHeiS
were appointed, and the result was announced Dis
ycss. ia; nays, s.
Mr. Kilgore made the point OF no quorum -
The Speaker ran his eve rapidly over the House.
and in a few moments said "There are H. members
present-more than quorum"
Mr. McMilin, of Tennessee. Immediately protested
that the rules prescribed tellers as a means OF
sscertaning the presence or absence Ol a quorum
and ii was not proper for the Chair to count
The speaker inquired what Iue required tho
rrasence Of tellers to determine the presence OF a
quorum. -.
Mr. McMnlin quoted from the rule touching
r,otions IN suspend the rules, which requires that
the motion shall be submitted to the House, TO be
seconded by the majority by tellers. If demanded.
The speaker responded that a imCority had
seconded the motion-1l4 to sand debate on the
motion was now in order. But the Democrats made
an earnest resistance TO proceeding further Mr.
McMiuin contended that there was no rule that
nermtted the speaker to count quorum. except
during the progress of a yea and nay call.
Mr.. Mills maintained that the rule required de-
cison by telers That rule was necessary 10 the IN
terest of fairness.
Mr.. Cannon declared that the Chair had done his
artv in counting the members to determine the presence
~ a ouorum. That was an entirely different question
from q vote by tellers
Mr.. Carlisle challenged the gentleman TO cite an
instance where it had been done in this House. before
this Congress.
Mr.. Cannon was under the impression that Mr..
Carlisle, when Speaker, had without INSTRUCTIONS or
dered the House 10 be counted.
Mr. Carlisle denied having done this.
Mr. Blount of Georgia, said that the rules never
contemplated the exercise Of any such power as he
had exercised this morning.
Mr. Lodge of Massachusetts,. argued in favor OF the
Speakers position The gentlemen on the other side
had argued that the quorum could be determined by
yeas and nays but under the r7ile, there could be
no rol.cau. The necessary majority had been aScen
tanned, and that by teers. Nobody denied that
quorum there also.
Mr.. Carlisle maintained that the moment the
tellers were ordered by the House to
take their places the power Of the Chair
TO count, except upon their report ceased
lie was not making his argument because he was
opposed TO the seconding Of the moton-hc expected
the vote for the second. But he believed that uls
was most important construction Of the rules. ana
the House should not surrender its power 10 the
Speaker.
Dir. Burrows of Michigan, argued in support Of
the Speakers right TO count quorum. Mr. Peters
of Kansas; Mr. Crisp Of Georgia; Mr. Herbert OIL
Alabama; Mr.. Buckaew, Of Pennsylvania; Mr.. Adams
of Illinois and Mr.. Dngley, OF Maine argued further
upon the subject.
The Speaker said that the provision Of the second
clause of the 2ath Rule peculiar. The qucs-
ton was one like that repeatedly passed upon by
the House Under the Constitution quorum was
necessary for them to act the question in dispute
since il had been decided here II had been discussed
from end Of the country to the other ana pIeCc
dents without number had been cited on each SIDE
Ia this House the question was settled mat II ma
jority was present TO do busln@'e their Pe'ehoc
all that required 20 make quorum. ii ulcy
declined 70 vote, their naction could not be IN tnY
pathway Of those who did their duty. Inc ided ulat
silence could be stronger than negative VOC seemed
10 have been unknown 10 our ancestors. Inc ohly
question remaining one OF detail by what inctod
should the presence OF quorum be a,ccitaihcd! an
examination OF all the books parliamentary practice
would show that it had been tine practice from time
immemOria for the presiding officer 10 determine IN
such manner a hc deems accurate aud proper thc
presence OF a quorum. The rule, # the House con
tained nothing derogatory. II II suggested that
any evil would follow, the simple what
ever officer was intuistcd with the count liable
20 the same objection and public business projected
upon the assumption Of the right performance Of pub
nc duty by public officer. Moreover, the House
could easily correct mistake, by ordering the yeas
and nays.
In conclusion. the speaker said In this case tho
Chair repeatedly counted the House during the vote
and after 1t closed and being that the con
stitutiOnaI quorum was present do busnpes there
announces that the and NAYS and
that the motion has been seconded
MIR. Chandler Immediately took the floor and i'm
few words announced his SAT- faction at The concIu.lon
Of the committees work, and his hope that lis report
would receive the Immediate consideration the people
Of the country demanded.
Mr.. Flower recalled the fact that he had promised
fair and complete report from the Fair Committee
and said that il ready for the House