The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-24
AN upRoAR IN CONGRESS.
The Liveliest Session the House Has
Had in Years.

House was in riotous disorder. Nothing like
it has been witnessed in the House for years.
Ever since the Senate took hold of the Force
bill with renewed vigor the feeling in the
House between the two parties has been
bitter. The political debates of the last week,
in which epithets have been banded across
the centre aisle with unusual freedom, have
only increased the tension, and the moment
the spark was struck today it communicated
TO every man on the floor. The result was a
few moments of fierce excitement, during
which infuriated men shook their fists in each
others faces, called each other traitors and
worse, and were only quelled by the mace by
the Sergeant at Arms.
In keeping with the policy of delay which
the Democrats have inaugurated, Mr.. Bland,
of Missouri, demanded the reading of the en-
tire journal of the previous day proceedings.
When it was supposed that the clerk had
finished his task Mr.. Mckinley moved the
previous question on the approval of the
journal.
Mr.. Bland called attention to the omission,
during the reading, of the bills, resolutions,
and petitions, which are always incorporated
in the journal, but which are never read.
After some delay, and against the evident
desire of the Speaker, Mr. Bland compelled
the reading of these usually omitted details.
1.-The question is on the approval OF the
journal. Those in favor will say aye; those
opposed nay. The ayes appear to have it.
The Speaker had ratified these words off
without a moments pause and at a GREATNESS
pace Before he had concluded Mr.. Mills had
arisen. His seat is on one Of the side aisles,
some distance from the front. In an excited
tone he asserted that the question should have
been on the demand for the previous question.
''The gentleman is mistaken replied the
Speaker, with bland iirmness, and Mr.. Nc
Kiuley fastened into the breach with a few
remarks corroboratiug Mr.. Reed. The
Speaker held that as the demand for the pre-
vious question had been made before the
reading Of the journal had been concluded,
il was made without effect, and not having
been renewed, could not be considered. The
effect of this decision was Of course to cut off
the forty minutes debate, which the demand
for the previous question allows.
The moment Mr.. Mills saw that he had been
caught g lost his temper. Shaking his fist
at the Speaker he strobe furiOusly down the
aisle. shouting for recognition. The Speaker
paid no attention to him.
You must not perpetrate Il fraud on the
House, he shouted. | demand the right to
debate this proposition. You are penetrating
a fraud on the House, and you know it.
A hundred men sprang at once to their
feet. On the Democratic side there was tu-
mutuous handclapping, stamping and cheer,
ing. A few Republicans began to hiss and call
for the regular order.
The confusion increased with every mo.
ment, but the imperturtable Speaker went on
counting the House as quietly as if he were
watching the ripples on a mill pond. He
announced the motion carried by vote of I'D
yeas to nays, and then in response to a
Republcan demand, ordered the calling of
the yeas and nays.
During ali this time Mr.. Mills had been
growing more frantic. He poured volume
Of denunciation on the Speakers head, and
continued to shake his fist at the Republican
side.
That was sharp practice on your part, sir, =
he exclaimed to the Speaker, and then shouted
to Mr.. Mckinley: ''Wedid not expect you to
lend yourself to such proceeding. All knew
Won were an honorable man, and we knew
that he turning around and glaring at the
Speaker was not.
The hammering of the Speakers gavel the
loud voice of the clerk as he proceeded with
the roll call, and shouts and cries were now
added to the tumult. Above the hurry burly
could be heard Mr.. Kerr, of Iowa, frantcally
crying that the proceedings were revolutionary
and that the Sergeant at Arms should be
summoned.
How came you on your leet?'' said the
excited Mr.. Mills
II have as much right here as you have,
was the loud retort. ''These are reasonable
proceedings and headed by men who have
been guilty of treason before. "
You are traitor YOURSELF exclaimed
Mr. Mills as he advanced threateningly down
the aisle, white with rage.
you were traitor once and are trying to
be one again !" cried Mr.. Kerr. "a traitor
Do you hear me? A traitor!'
You are traitor to the Constitution and
the laws Of your country" retorted Mr.. Mills,
now in almost uncomfortable fury. You are
trying to surround the ballot box with bayo-
nets, and deprive the people of the right O
representation.
Renewed cheers on the Democratic side TOLD
how the Texans colleagues were standing by
him. While the epithets were being banded
across the House the scene was one of in.
describable excitement. The long haired
Martin of Texas, who once said that while
he could not speak he would be leader Of thu
House when it came to fighting, left his sea
in the rear and planted himself across the
aisle in which Mr.. Mills was raging up anC
down, as if to protect his friend from the
Republicans, who were hurrying down into
the space in front of the Speakers desk.
Gibson of Maryland was vigorously pound
ing his desk with both fists and shouting
encouragement to Mills. Martin of Indiana
an excitable man az any time, ran into the
House from the lobby and jumped into the
heart of the fight just aS Perkins Of Kansas
was shouting ''Put him out Put him out J.
Put HIM out if you can" said Martin
shaking his fist under Perkins, nose.
milestone of Missouri, a tall, spare mai
with big voice, rushed threateningly down
the aisle. Mr.. Cutcheon of Michigan, the
usually digni6ed and quiet Chairman OF the
Military Affairs Committee. had also lost his
head, and vas shouting, boa Boa! Boa =
at the Democratic side with an earnestnes'
that made his goat ike ezcamalioAS richly
comical.
Meanwhile page had been sent into the
lobby for Deputy Sergeant-at- Arms Cava
naugh, and when he arrived the Speaker di.
rected him to take the mace from its pedestal
and restore order.
Naturally the first thing he did was TO walk
TO the aisle in which Mr.. Mills was exctedly
pacing up and down. Martin, of Texas, who
was now using his feet with such vigor that he
had broken the bottom of desk, exclaimed:
$50 on the other side; don't come here
believing luht lhc optdhCi ihtcuueu "
have Mills arrested, the Democrats crowded
around their leader. Springer, of Illinois,
who had taken 10 part in the scrimmage
tapped Cavauaugh on the shouldes.
Don't come here, Tom" he said In 4
whisper, 'you viii only make trouble. We
will quiet down.
At that moment little Clifton Breckenridge
of Arkansas ran up behind Mr.. Mills aud
pushed him into his seat, stumbling ovei
Bynum, of Jndiaga, who had come up tl
prevent what he believed you'd result in 4
hand to hand encounter.
Cavanaugh, turning away, collided witt
Roswell P. Flower, and the New York mil
lionaire dropped into seat Then the mace
was carried down the centre aisle and was
halted in trout Of Mr.. Kerr, who was as white
as a sheet of paper.
''Sit down, Mr.. Kerr, and at enee," said
the macebearer in a commanding tone, and
Kerr dropped all trembling into his seat.
Then the mace was paraded up and down
until one by one the Congressman had been
quoted. Barnes, of Georgia, the heaviest
man in the House, happened to cross the
arena in front of the Speaker, and ten fee
away saw Billy Mason, Of Chicago, his riva