The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-12
A BAD DEFEAT FOR REED.
how THE EFFORT TO CHOKE OFF
DEBATE WAS BEATEN,

Bold Ben Butterworth Led the Bolt.
Cannon and the Speaker White
With Rage-The Incident Significant
as a Public Notice to the Speaker
Not to Go Too Fast
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-Speaker Reeds
vaulting ambition overleaped itself to-day.
He undertook to cnt off debate on the rules.
would not back down, and was finally
backed down forcibly by the House. The
result was significant as showing the restive-
ness of many republicans, including some
Of the most intelligent men under Mr..
Reeds deplorable sway. Because these men
have felt coerced by party necessity not to
express their dissent in public, thoughtless
partisan organs have sait that they existed
only in the imagination Of Washington cor
respondents. The public revolt of to-day,
although no more important than the pri-
vate revolt in caucus, is more impressive,
because it was in public. and cannot be ex-
planned away by any partisan theory.
A PUBLIC NOTICE TO THE SPEAKER.
1t was, too, a public notice to Speaker
Reed that he must not go too fast, and
although he was angry, and although
may propose to punish individuals
among the rebels, he will probably
heed the warning. Mr.. Reed had framed
the resolution which, in the absence of Mr..
Mckinley, Mr.. Cannon had to bring for
ward in the House to-day, closing general
debate at l o'clock, and the FIVE
minute debate and amendment at 4
o'clock tomorrow. Both sides saw at
once that this was an unreasonable propo-
sitiOn. Mr.. Reed, in his impatience of de-
liberation, had gone too far. 1t was easy
for the democrats. temporarily, led in the
absence of Mr.. Carlisle by Mr.. Springer,
to show this
BURROWS OFFERS TO BOLT.
Mr.. Burrows, the best parliamentarian
on the republican side, who has never ap-
proved of Mr. Reeds high handed course,
walked over on the democratic side and
said to the leaders, "make a reasonable
proposition for time and We'll support you. u
Thereupon the democrats offered several
alternative reasonable propositions, but Mr..
Cannon, under Mr.. Reeds instruction, in
solently rejected all of them and demanded
the previous question on a UiUi UOce vote
He lost He demanded a division. To his
surprise and chagrin, over a third of the
republicans stood up with the democrats
against him and he was beaten 6S to 149.
THE BoLTERs.
Messrs. Burrows and Cutchen of Michi-
gan, Milliken, Payson, and Adams of Illi-
nos, Cogswell, Greenhalge, Randall,
Walker, and Gambler of Massachusetts,;
and Perkins and Anderson of Kansas, were
among the republicans who thus severely
rebuked the speaker.
Mr.. Cannon was sngry and showed it
plainly, striding up and down the aisles
with white face, and set teeth, and clenched
fists trying to overawe the republicans.
Speaker Reed was angry and even he
showed 1t plainly, and frowned on the
House as he noted the names Of the rebels
laughed and so did the rebellious republi-
cans, like truant school boys.
ONLY ONE SHOT LEFT.
Mr.. Cannon had only one motion left. ''I
demand the ayes and nays" he shouted in
his excitement, but he could only get 81
republicans to stand up with him, and
Speaker Reed had to announce that as this
was not sufficient number the yeas and
nays were not ordered. Then Mr.. Cannon,
burning with rage, turned to the demo-
cratic side, and with mock humility sur
rendered his resolution, and with it the
temporary leadership of the House
to Mr.. Springer, who gravely accepted
both amid the laughter of the House. Then
Mr.. Springer and the other democrats
renewed their proposition to let the general
debate run all tomorrow. and the five
minute debate and amendment Thursday
and Friday, and the republicans, relieved
of Mr.. Cannon, agreed to it. The rep Ib-
licans who dared to disregard Mr.. Reeds
instructions cannot be too highly praised
for their manliness in standing up for fair
play.