The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-23

mans ruling, but the chairman is sustained
sc to %. several Democrats voting with the
Republicans. It is now definitely decided
not compel the Committee to 60 at once to
the army appropriation bill unless motion
(Which the rule gives precedence over other
motionsl so to do shall have been put and
carried.
Mr.. Springer's point has served purpose.
however, as II has consumed considerable
time and, of course, fretted the Republicans
not little. Meanwhile, new Democratic
raid Is on.
The moment the Springer point Of order is
settled, series of gyrations attract the at.
tention Of the committee to a group OF men
near the front seats on the Democratic side.
Out Of this area of gyration a quick, ner-
vuus voice yells, "Mr. Chairman" "Mr.
Chairmanp and a little man, with bald
head and long, grey beard, dances into sight.
This Is General Wheeler of Alabama. he Is
president of the Shipping League of the
United States, and the shipping people have
been counting upon him as friendly to their
measure. Delusive hope! When the Dem.
0cratic bugle blows boots and saddle General
Wheeler drops everything to obey the call
General Wheeler sees chance to prol0ng
the filibuStering. He is member of the
military committee, which has the army ap-
preparation bill under its charge. He knows
that the members of the military committee
are not ready to bring the army bill forward,
and that the chairman, General Cutcheon.
Is at the moment absent from the hall. New
ertheless, General Wheeler moves that the
committee OF the whole House proceed to
take up Bill No. 1257S, the army appr0pria-
ti0n bill. Mr.. Farquhar's motion to take up
the shipping bill has not yet been disposed
of, but under the rule cited by Mr.. Springer
an appropriation bill mas precedence; so MIR.
Fa quhar's motion must step aside in case a
motion to take up the army bill Is madc
properly.
General Wheeler has made such a motion,
and the chairman seems to be on the point of
entertaining 1t. This Is critical point. The
chairman Is at the dividing of the ways, one
of those places in parliamentary practice
where one decision will lead to safe ground
while the other leads to broad wastes filled
with the forms of giant filibuster and other
parliamentary demons.
Before the chairman has clearly decided,
M. Breckenridge of Kentucky-his admirers
call him the "Silver-haired Breckinridge"-
interjects question of order relating to the
right TO have the shipping bill read at this
point. 1t Is clearly out of order. and
Harry" Smith. who Is prompting the
chairman, so indicates, and the chairman so
rules. Mr.. Breckinridge dissents mildly
aud very graciously from the decision of the
chair. limiting that the chair has blundered;
but Immediately, with ostentatious courtesy,
ment. would not make such blunder were
not he (the chairman) misled by ''s0me per-
son near who assumes to advise" This Is a
slap tnat causes "Harry" Smiths cheeks to
burn. but the journal clerk cannot reply to
member, and for him to assume to reply to
an hereditary gentleman like Mr.. Breckin-
ridge would be piece OF impudence likely
to scandalIZe the country, especially New
England, where Mr.. Breckinridge's limpid
oratory has quite captivated the descendants
of the Pilgrims.
Perhaps it is Mr.. Breckinridge's dexterous
eloquence that distracts the attention of the
Chairman and his prOmpter from the Import
ant point as to whether General WheeleI's
motion to take up the army bill Is in order.
Some Republicans contend that General
Wheeler has DO right to put such a motion
unless he is authorized by the military COM
mittee. But the rules are silent upon this
particular. 1t Is point where the chair
man must know not only the rules but the
decisions of the House. The clerk to the
Speakers table, Mr. Z. +. Goodwin of
not be entertained because he sees the diff
eultes which would follow; but he does not
presume to advise the chairman in 0pposi-
tlOn to more experienced clerks about the
desk, who have been studying the iurispru-
dence of the House for years. But the chair
man does not stop to recall previous decis-
ions. or perhaps he does not remember them.
He decides that General Wheeler Is entitled
to make the motion and have IL entertained.
VII
There is a stir on the Democratic side as
this decision is made, which the experienced
ones know Is stir of qualification. The
Democrats see In an instant whittier the de-
clsion leads. so do some of the Republicans
Mr.. Dingley of Maine, who is watching tine
proceedings closely, and Mr.. PaysOn of Him
ois, who is himself an excellent chairman of
the committee of the whole House, arise to
q Qrkaf fOn lafa hal
man is putting the question on Wheeler's
motion to take up the army bill. The motion
Is defeated 112 TO 81 on rising vote; but
General Wheeler demands tellers, not to YER
ny the vote put to waste time. On tellers
also ne Is defeated. He would like to force
a call on the roll and thus waste another
three-quarters of an hour; but happily the
rules do not permit the roll call in the COM
mittee Of the whole House.
But. there is another device. General
Wheeler moves that the committee rise. He
knows that the committee dues not want to
rise, out by so moving he gets another vote,
on which he may have tellers. The commit
tee OF course refuses to rise, but the vote has
worn away time.
1t is when the committee has refused to
rise that the import of the chairman's decis-
ion Is first felt.
General Wheeler dashes forward with a
motion that the committee take up bill No.
II, 729, the District of Columbia appropria-
tion oill Mr.; Farquhar's motion to take up
the shipping bill is still waiting; but an ap-
preparation bill has precedence when proper
J., called up, and the chair has ruled that
any member Of the House may call it up.
And II this bill, why not other b lis? and
others, to indefinite filibustering? The Dem
ocrats are preparing for a carnival. Mr.
Crisp. of Georgia, who is a candidate for the
speakership OF the next House, and has so
far been quiet while Blount and Springer
have been shining in the fray, comes forward
and stands at General Wheeler's elbow.
General Wheeler is so tremendously nervous
and excited at his success and at the pros
pect of running in all the pending appro-
prlation bills ahead of the shipping bill that
he is liable to make some blunder. So the
cooler Crisp is on hand to steady him. Be.
fore them there is prospect of a large num-
that may keep back the hipping bill all this
day and perhaps other days. Moreover the
principal involved in the chairman's ruling
will aid them to obstruct other measures.
They are feeling just as they felt years ago
after the battle OF Bull Run.
TX.
Meanwhile the leading Republicans are
crowding up to the chairman's desk "You
must reverse your IuliDg," says Mr.. Dingley
of Maine
"But on what authority?" says Mr., Bur-
rows, who Is as anxious as any one else to
get the Pandora's box shut
"On the authority of the precedents of the
House." replies Mr.. Dingley. ''Mr. Speaker
Carlisle has repeatedly held that such a mo
tion as Wheeler's could be made only with
the authority of the committee having the
bill in charge"
This decides Mr.. Burrows. He declines to
recoxniZe General Wheeler, and announces
that he reverses the recent ruling, and states
the authority. The Democrats see that the
game is up. Crisp, who moment ago was
down In front with the joy of combat on his
features, slips back to his seat in the rear OF
the hall. But Wheeler vainly struggles To
be recognized, and when the chairman recog.
niZes Mr.. FarQuhar instead, appeals from the
decision of the chair" as he regards il. No
attention Is paid to him because in no mar
llmentary body Is there an appeal when the
chairman recognizes one member Instead
of another. Most of the Democrats see this
but the irrepressible Springer. amid much
confusion. insists that the appeal. VIII ch is
in reality no appeal. be entertained. The
chairman is putting Mr.. Farquhar's long de-
ferred motion, and will not hear Springer,
who, amid confusion and tumult, is wildly
throwing up his arms and declaiming against
tyranny. You will not advance tine bust
ness OF the House by this arbitrary proceed
ure," he shouts. shaking his fist at Chair
man Burrows. You are seeking to emulate
the conduct OF a man who has already gone
down to history as the tyrant of the House. =
NJ O. l. n frRex