The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-04-01
A CLOSE CALL.
The Silver Bill Has a Narrow Es-
cape in the House.
Only the Casting Vote of the Speaker Saves
ItFrom Defeat-An Exciting Session
of the House of Repre-
sentatives.

WASHINGTON, March 25 The last leg
islative day Of the silver debate opened
with crowded galleries and full at
tendance of members of the house.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal, the period of general debate
was extended three hours by the an
nouncement of Mr.. Bland that he
would postpone the motion for the
previous question until o'clock, to
give opportunity for greater debate.
Representative Williams, of Illinois,
democratic member of the committee
on coinage, opened the debate in favor
of the bill.
Burke Cochran. of New York, next
spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mr.. Cummings, of New York, spoke
briefly, saying that his constituents
were opposed to the pending bill and
that he was not one of those who felt
at liberty to cross the desires of their
constituents He would, therefore, as
the representative of the people of his
district, cast his vote against the bill
Mr.. Dingley, of Maine, also spoke in
opposition to the bill,
Speeches were then made by Messrs
Dingley, Hatch, Bum, Lond and Bart
line.
At one minute after o'clock Mr..
Bland, the advocate of the free silver
coinage bill, was recognized by the
speaker, and in quiet tone of voice
demanded the previous question on
the pending bill
Mr.. Burrows, of Michigan, moved to
lay the pending bill on the table, and
said that motion took precedence of
the motion of the gentleman from Mis-
souri, (Mr. Bland), and demanded the
yeas and NAYS on his motion.
The chair decided in favor of Mr..
Burrows, and then, amid intense excite
ment the clerk began to call the roll
on Mr. Burrows motion, which brought
the question to square test vote. EX-
element became intense as the call
progressed, and the members plainly
showed it by the restless manner with
which they moved about and crowded
to the space in front of the speakers
desk.
excitement had risen to fever heat At
first a rumor spread that the motion
had been carried by three votes and
that the Bland bill was beaten. An
anti-silver man in the house started to
shout, but quickly checked himself.
Private information given out that the
vote stood yeas las. nays 147, excited
every member and the aisles were
thronged.
The recapitation being completed
the speaker arose to announce the re-
suit. But before doing so directed the
clerk to call his name. The clerk
called mr.. Crisp, of Georgia." and
Mr.. Crisp, of Georgia" availing him
self of his right as a representative,
cast his vote in the affirmative amid
the deafening applause of the friends
of the measure.
Mr.. Bland, not aware that the speak
er's vote saved his measure from i'm
humiliation, changed his vote
from the negative to the affirmative in
order that he might have an opportun-
ity to move n reconsideration. but
being advised in Il moment that the
motion was defeated by a tie vote,
again changed to the negative. In the
meantime the mem bers had clustered
in the space in front of the speakers
desk and many of them propounded
questions as to the side upon which
they were recorded. In each case the
reply was satisfactory one and no
change was made in the result At
this moment, Mr.. Euloe. of Tennessee,
with his hat on. hastily strobe into the
house and said he desired to have his /
vote recorded
The speaker asked; "Was the gentle
man in the house during the roll call !
and failed to hear his name called?"
Mr.. Enloe was compelled to respond !
in the negative, and the speaker said |
he could not vote.
The motion was lost by tie vote of |
yeas, las; nays, i4S
Mr.. Cultivate, of Ohio, at once |
moved TO adjourn. The motion tempo
rarily left the members at sea as to /
their course, and Mr.. Bland, rising to
a parliamentary inquiry, asked
the effect of an adjournment
NOulu OC W SDGCldl
necessary to call up the bill. The
speaker said it would.
The vote on adjournment was de-
clared lost-yeas. 90; nays, 1913.
Then Mr.. Johnson. of Ohio, took his
hand in the fight with a motion to re-
the vote by which the house
refused to table the bill, aud Mr.. Bland
parried the foil with a motion to lay
the motion on the table. The motion
TO table the motion to reconsider was
las; nays, 149. Then
t was the turn of the anti-silver men
% applaud and they did so with vim.
The speaker stated that the vote &C.
cured on the motion to reconsider and
Mr. Reed, OF Maine, sprang to his feet
md demanded yeas aud nays and the
oil was called
The speaker. without ordering a re-
,apitulation, announced that the mo.
ion TO reconsider was defeated by tie
-ote of 14S to 14S.
The silver bill now goes on the cal
,ndar, but it is probable that the com.
nittee will at an early day report a
esolution for its further consideration.
McEnery Wins in louisiana
NEW ORLEANS, March 25.-Returns
re in from the democratic prima-
les held throughout the state Tues