The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-02-12
THE NEW CODE OF RULES,

ALVEY Time uvcr tho Previous Question
and m Entcrtnining Debate.
WAslIlNGToS, D. G., Feb. 1l.-The
journal Of Yesterdays House proceedings
containing yea and nay vste upon
which the Speaker counted quorum.
The Democrats would not, by their 81.
iencc, acquiescc III its approval and a
roll call was rendered necessary. It was
approyed--yyas lG0, nays l, the Speaker
counting Il quorum. Mr.. Caunon, OF II.
linois, called up for consideration the
proposed code Of rules and he offered q
resolution proyiAing that general debate
shall close at one O'Clock tomorrow and
that, after debate under the ive-minute
faIe, the previous question shall be con.
sidercd rs ordered at fonr o'clocl; to.
morrow. Vigorous protests against cut.
ting oil discussion in such short order
were made by Messrs. Mcmillan. Hook
er, Springer, McCreary and Flower, but
they were Of no effect and Mr.. Cannon
demanded tho previous Questions But
the House would no. sustain this de-
mand and many Republicans voting
againstit the demand was rejected by an
overwhelming vote of IS to l40.
Mr.. srRlSGgR WINS.
Mr.. Springer Immediately claimed the
floor, but Mr.. Cannon declined to yield
it. He proposed to. either to lose the
previous question or at least to get some
indication at what time this year the
gentlemen on the other side we're will.
ing to close the debate. He demanded
the yeas and nays OH bis demand for the
previous question, but not a sufficient
number OF members arose to enforce this
demand and amid applause from the
Democratic side, the Speaker SO an.
nOunced. Mr.. Cannon then yielded the
hoor, recognizing, as lie said, that his
colleague (alr. Springer) was in charge
Of the resolution. Laughter.] The
Democrats were jubilant over their vic.
tory, and rs Mr.. Springer rose to make
motion he was greeted by many Of his
colleagues MS being iu charge of the sup.
posed new code. a@
Mr.. Springer then offered q resolution
providing that the general debate shall
proceed until adjournment tomorrow,
alter which the code shall be considered
under the five minutes rule till 5 o'clock
Friday, when the previous question
shall be considered rs ordered. This
resolution was adopted without objec.
ton, and Mr.. Cannon good-naturedly
crossed over to the Democratic side and
congratulated his colleague upon his
success. Mr.. Grosvenor, OF Ohio, in
supporting the new code, said that
while it had been charged on the other
side that changes in the rules amounted
to revolution, no one had pointed out
wherein this revolution would mater
tally and unfavorably affect the business
Of the country. He hoped that the
revolutionary theory would specify
wherein the revolution lay.
He defended the rule permitting the
Speaker to count quorum and criticised
the action Of minority in breaking q
quorum by a refusal to vote. Every
member Of the House Ind been guilty Of
this action. He confessed that he, him
self, had been guilty Of joining in the
method OF preventing legislation on
many occasions; and he was ready to
stand here and say (as his colleague, Mr..
Mckinley, hud said) that he had never
done it and prevented the action Of the
majority; that he had not telt that he
was guilty oian unjustifable and almost
uupatdpnable breach OF duty.to his con-
sttuents. @5a.s -.
Mr.. Holman, OF Indiana, characterized
the proposed cole as being complete
revolution in parliamentary procedure,
extraordinary in Its character. He
especially antagonized the clause pro-
vidlng that 100 members shall constitute
aquornm in committee OF the whole.
Mr.. Hatch, OF Missouri, said that he
would not attempt to argue in the de-
tail the radical and violent changes in
the rules. He made war upon the re-
port rs an entirety. He deprecated any
hard language or epithets addressed 70
the Speaker OF the House that did not
include in their structures the entire
Republican party. The Speaker, bad as
he was, was no worse than his party.
Gentlemen on tho other side had said
that the only rights Of the minority
were 10 discuss and amend; but as fal
the Democratic minority were con
cesned, one OF their rights was to pro
'ect the public Treasury. 8