Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-20
A LIVELY DAY.
The Worlds Fair Measures in the
House.
A WRANCLE OVER THE QUORUM.
The House Oklahoma Bill Reintroduced-
Also a Bill For Pension Examiners
Indian Relief Bill
Passed.

ing OF the journal In the house yester-
day Mr.. Carlisle said that since January
90 his side of the House had been pro-
testing every morning against the ap
prevail of the journal on the ground that
it contained an entry made by the di-
rectiUn of the Speaker showing names
Of certain members present and not vot-
ing. Last Friday the House had adopt
ed a code of rules providing for such
practice. Against this the Democrats
had protested and would protest as an
unconstitutional practice, but it was
question that could not be decided in
this House, and whenever proper occa-
sion arose it would 60 to some other
forum. 1t was the purpose of this side
of the House to see that the occasion
should be made in such shape as would
permit it to be finally and decisively
passed upon. Therefore he saw no rea-
son why the journal, the form of which
the House had the right to prescribe,
should not be approved. This was done.
Upon motion of Mr.. Morrill,, of Kan
sas, committee of conference was or
dered upon the Senate bill to increase
the pension of soldiers and sailors to-
tally helpless from injuries or disease
received or incurred in the service; and
the Speaker named Messrs. Morrow,
Sawyer and Voder as conferees.
The Speaker then announced that this
was suspension day and the committees
were called in order
Mr.. Struble reported a resolution
making the bill to provide temporary
form of government for the Territory of
Oklahoma a special order for considera-
ton to-day, not to interfere with the
Worlds Fair bills. A second was Or
dered, and Mr.. Struble said the bill
had passed the Senate last week,
but the House Committee on Ter
ritories had that morning directed the
substitution for it of the bill already
favorably reported by the committee to
the House. There were now one hundred
thousand law abiding citizens in Okla
homa who earnestly desired the estab-
lishment of some form of government
for the country TO prevent the develop
ment of friction that had already begun
to manifest itself. The resolution was
passed without objection.
When the Worlds Fair Committee was
called Mr.. Gambler, of Massachusetts,
offered the resolution of the committee
adopted yesterday asking the House
that Thursday and Friday of this week
be set apart for general debate upon the
Worlds Fair bills and that next Monday
after the reading of the journal be set
apart for voting on the question Of sit,
unless the House should havs deter
mined that no World rair should be
held. This Resolution was in the nature
OF ceo. -.-ipromise and received the unan-
imous vote of the committee, though
there was division on several PROPOSE
tons with the result that Chicago was
defeated by the combined opposition OF
the other contesting cities.
MIR. Mills demanded a second. Tellers
were appointed and the result was an
nounced as yeas ia, nays s, when Mr..
Kilgore made the point of no quorum.
The Speaker ran his eye rapidly over
the House and in few moments said:
There are 1T2 members present-more
than a quorum"
Mr.. McMillin, of Tennessee, immedi'
ately protested that the rules prescribed
tellers as a means of ascertaining the
presence or absence of a quorum, and II
was not proper for the chair to count.
The Speaker inquired what rule re-
CURED the presence of the tellers to de-
termine the presence of a quorum, ano
Mr.. McMillin quoted from the rule
touching motions to suspend the rules
which required that the motion should
be submitted to the House to be second
ed by the majority by tellers If de
manded.
The Speaker inquired if there was an.
other suggestion the gentleman desired
10 make, and Mr.. NIcNIillin replied tina
q majority by tellers had not seconded
the motion and that it was not compe
tent for the Speaker to make quorum
by his gavel or his pencil.
The Speaker responded that major
ity had seconded the motion-114 to 3
and debate on the motion was now Il
order. But the Democrats made al
earnest resistance to proceeding further
Mr.. McMillin contended that there wa
no rule that permitted the Speaker +
count = quorum except during the pre-
gress of an aye and nay call.
The Speaker said that if the gentle
man desired to vote the tellers woul
take their places.
M. Peters, of Kansas, said that h
had refused to vote because he had
reason-he had some doubt whethe
there should be Worlds Fair at al
GApplause on the Democratic side. Blu
he was perfectly satisfied to remain l
his seat and allow persons interested
settle the matter. If the theory OF tn
other side was right, he should haV
thus accomplished more than II he ma
voted an unnatural result The troubl
was that this House had been wrappe
round and round by the cords OF leg:
fiction until it was as ifeless as nun
my. [Applause.]
The Speaker said that in tn
House the question was settled tia
7 If a majority was present to
business, their presence was all tn;
t was required to make quorum If the
declined 10 vote, their inaction coul
not be in the pathway of those who d
their duty. To this case the chair r
l peatedly counted the House during Il
: vote and after it closed and being sati
2 fed that the constitutional quorum W;
= present to do business, therefore: q:
nounced that the yeas are ia and ma.
= 8 and that the motion had been seconde
The Speaker then resfirmed his q
casion that majority had seconded Il
= demand for the consideration of Il
Worlds Fair Committees resoluts