The Portland daily press., 1890-02-12

Cudle db WHdt tnty cOHSlueI lic waste OI
| two whole days.
PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL.
Mr.. Hatch Enlivens an Otherwise
Quiet and Orderly Debate.
WASHINGTON, February lin the House
today The journal of yesterdays proceedings
containing yea and nay vote upon which
the Speaker counted a quorum was read and
the Democrats would not by their silence ac-
quiesce in its approval and roll call was
rendered necessary. 1t was approved-yeas
150 nays l, (Mr. Buckalew) the Speaker
counting quorum as usual.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois, called up for con-
sideration the proposed code of rules and he
offered a resolution providing that the gen.
eral debate shall close at o'clock tomorrow
and after debate under the five minute rule
the previous question shall be considered. as
ordered at 4 o'clock tomorrow.
Vigorous protests against cutting the dis
cussion in such short order were made by
Messrs McMilliD, Hooker, Springer, Nc
Creary and Flower.
tion, but the House would not sustain this
demand and rejected it by a vote of IS to
no.
Mr.Springer Immediately claimed the floor,
but Mr. Cannon declined to yield it, He
proposed either to lose the previous question
this year the gentlemen on the other side
were willing to close the debate. He de-
manded the yeas aud nays on his demand for
the previous questions.
Not 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 floor recog-
nizng, as he said, that his colleague, Mr.
Springer, was in charge of the resolution.
Laughter.
The Democrats were jubilant over their
victory and as Mr.. Springer rose to make a
motion he was greeted by many of his col
leagues as being in charge of the proposed
new CODE MIR. Springer then offered res0-
luton providing atthe general debate shall
proceed until adjournment tomorrow, after
which the code shall be considered under the
tSs s pps9tss rqs t ssa
ordered.
This resolution was adopted Without OBJ.
lection and Mr.. Cannon good naturedly
crossed over to the Democratic side and con-
graduated his colleague upon his success.
MIR. GrosvenOr of Ohio, supporting the
new code of rules, defended that permitting
the Speaker to count quorum, and criti-
cized the action of the minority in breaking
quorum by refusal to vote. He contended
that the proposed rules, instead of vesting
power in the Speaker, would prevent one
mans power from ruling over the House, as
was the case in the 49th and 50th Congresses
when the Speaker declined to recognize mo-
| tions for the passage of the tobacco tax bill,
| the Blair educational bill or the general PEN
| sion bills. The whole purpose of the Demo-
| cratic party on this floor was to Obstruct and
| impede the representatives re of the people
from, going forward with the business of the
| people: The Republican party was on the
| side of progress; the Democratic party
| stood as an obstructionist. and nothing else.
The Republican party had inaugurated ev-
| cry political reform in the country since
1856. lt was vain to look for the Democratic
party to recognize the existence Of reform
until It had been forced upon it by the ac-
ton of the people. The proposition now
made was that the majority take possession
OF the responsibility placed upon it by the
votes OF the people of the country. He knew
OF no plan to rob the treasury. If such an
attempt was made, he would fight it, wheth-
er 1t came from the Republican side, which
he did not expect, or from the Democratic
| side, which was just possible. He knew of
no plan to turn men out because they were
Democrats and put men in because they
| were Republicans. Members were not sent
here to impede justice or gag the sentiment
| of the House.
Mr.. Holman of Indiana, characterized the
proposed code as being a complete revolu-
ton In parliamentary procedure and extra
ordinary in character. He especially antag-
onized the clause providing that 100 members
snail constitute quorum in committee of
the whole, declaring that this provision
would place the great appropriation bills at
the mercy OF handful of the majority. He
spoke OF the various occasions upon which
resort to hlibustering methods had been
OF beneht to the country and referred, with
| much emphasis, to the defeat of the force
Dill by the minority under the lead of Sam
uel j. Randall. He declared that Randall
course, at that time, would crown his mem.
Congress survive.
Mr; Payson of illinois, defended the pro-
posed code and argued the necessity of rules
which would give to the majority power to
5sRe 6a,S aematHe rnT yea action Any other course
economy and all the good ideas
connected with legislation were in the
hands OF the minority of this body. He re-
viewed, in some detail, instances where the
minority hau, Dy dilatory tactics. defeated
he continued. the minority were to, have
| were those Of fair, free and full discussion,
| and to offer amendments germane to pend
ing propositions. There, the rights Of the
| minority ended.
Mr.. Hatch of Missouri said he would not
attempt to argue in detail the radical and vi
/ olent changes in the rules He made war
upon the report as an entirety, as a change
in the system OF procedure of the House, be
cause he thougnt ne could see. through the
| to the report, in toto, because it was a parti-
| san question, because 1t came from the Re-
| publican side of the House, representing the
Republican party; because it came from a
majority OF kepuDitcan representatives
which had whipped into the traces minori-
| ty of their party, and compelled them. under
| pains and penalties of the party lash.
| to approve the rules as whole. He
| believed in parties and stood by his party.
| He was not complaining because the Repub
| induce some of its strongest men to support
| these rules. But, in that inducement Law
| danger to the country. lie deprecated any
| harsh language or epithets addressed To the
| Speaker OF the House tnat did not include in
| The Speaker of the House, bad as he was.
| was no worse than his party. The Republi
| can party had time and time again sustained
the Speaker in his revolutionary T aud uncon.
stitutlonal rulings; 1ae P Republicans acted
| Mr.. Reed represented more clearly and fair
| ly than any other man, the scheme nnrnose
| and determination Of his party. The gentle
men on the other side had said that the only
| rights OF the minority was concerned, one of
heir rights was to protect the public treas
| AIRY.
| sir. Funston of Kansas, suggested that the
| Democratic minority should have nrotected
| the treasury from the Democratic Sergeant
/ alarms.
Mr.. Hatch replied that he was one of the
| victims but, if the gentleman from Kansas
| did not know any better than to assert bv
indirection or insinuatlon. that any man on
the Democratic side OF the chamber was re-
sponsible for the Dad action on the part of a
subordinate in the sergeant.at-aIms's office
he had better go back to Kansas and stav
there the balance of his natural life,
Mr.. McAdoo of New Jersey antagonzed
the rules as giving the Speaker the right to
| pugn his personal honor, as well as to re.
strict his personal rights. Pending further
debate the House, in accordance with the
resolution offered BY Mr.. Springer, at
o'clock took recess until Il o'clock tomor-
4 row. The debate on the rules will nnntinrn