Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-03-17

THE BLAND BILL IS TO BE DIS
CUSSED.
Free-Coinage Advocates Gain Their First
Battle In the House by an Overwheim-
ing MsJofity-keed's Ruling Outdone-
How the Vote stood.


siiveritos Gain Point.
Silver had the House In q turmoil for
more than four hours the other after
noon. The report of the Committee on
Rules, setting apart three days, ending
with March 20, for consideration Of the
Bland bill, was the bone OF contention.
1t was finally adopted by vote of 189
to 65, all the Republicans but thirteen
voting for it, In order, as they frankly
said, to embarass the Democrats. 1t
was a very enjoyable day for the Repub-
licans, who for the most part kept quiet,
while the Democrats fought 1t out. The
afternoon was marked by several excit-
ing incidents, among which were a
warmly discussed question of veracity
between Bland and Bourke Cochran,
two arbitrary rulings by Speaker Crisp,
who, also on one accession lost his tenn
per, q warning by George Fred Williams
that the Democratic party was throwing
away the Presidency, and short speech
in which, the Democrats say, Reed ex-
hibited more feeling and eloquence than
he has ever before displayed in the
House.
While the silver bill will be taken up
for debate later In the month there is as
yet no certainty of it's passage. The
voting indicates that there are eighty
five Democrats ready to vote against
the Bland bill. Seventy-two Democrats
voted against the resolution, and, with
pairs and absentees, the number of anti
silver votes from the Democratic side is
swelled TO certainty of eighty-seven.
OF the eighty-seven Republicans in the
House only ten will vote for the bill,
leaving seventy seven opposed. These
added to the eighty-tlve Democrats give
a total of 1862, or within five of a major
ity of full House. It is claimed by
anti-silver Democrats that before a vote
Is taken on the passage of the bill they
will secure enough recruits to turn the
balance in their favor. An accession of
three or four men to the anti-silver
ranks will do the business, and, with
some of the most influential Democratic
Senators endeavoring to defeat the bill
in the House, 1t would be strange If tho
required number of converts could not
be secured
ment the blind Chaplain had concluded
his prayer, and it required three hours
and a half of hard work for the Speaker,
the Committee on Rules and the big
army of silver men behind him to drive
back Tracy and his handful OF soldiers.
Step by step they were beaten and dis
persed, however, until at $3.50 the floor
was cleared for the thirty minutes de-
bate, and then the most exciting aud
important part of the days scenes was
enacted. Seven orators were put for
ward, four on the side of silver and
three against it. Mr.. Reed was given
the privilege Of dividing the time for the
Republican side and MIR. Catchings for
the Democrats.
Representative Tracey, of New York,
had been selected by the group of anti
free-silver Democrats to lead the oppo-
sitiop, and he performed his task as
efficiently as one could, knowing that he
led forlorn hope. The free-silver men,
fearing filibustering by means of amend
ments to the journal, an ancient and ap-
proved method by which countless hours
may be slaughtered, thwaIted this move
ment at the very outset when Mr.. Catch
ings called up his resolution before the
reading of the journal. This was tho
first stage of the fight.
Mr.. Tracey protested that the journal
must be read before any business could
be done. The Speaker ruled that the
point was not well taken, and upon Mr..
Tracey's appeal from this decision there
occurred the most exciting passage of
the battle. Mr.. Tracey made a warm
speech in support of his appeal, but in
cautiously lost the floor by yielding it to
Mr.. Fitch of New York, who also favored
the appeal. When Mr.. Tracey tried to
resume his unfinished argument Speaker
Crisp decided that Tracey had spoken
once on his appeal and that under the
rules he could not speak again.
"I have the floor" said Mr.. Tracey.
"You haven't the floor, retorted the
Speaker.
IF you mean to say that 1 want. to
know it, shrieked Mr.. Tracey.
you must address the Chair respect
fully"
Il don't want to be looked at i'm that
tone of voice" cried Mr.. Tracey.
The momentary excitement culminat-
ed in laugh, and then there followed
colloquy between Mr. Cochran and Mr..
Bland as to whether there had been
private agreement between friends and
opponents Of the free-silver bill that
there should be no filibustering on the
journal. Mr.. Bland claimed that there
had, but Mr.. Coclsran's memory could
not recall such AN agreement.
After some further discussion, during
which Mr.. Cleveland's former law part
ner. Daniel Lockwood, of Buffalo, de-
clared that the rules of this House are
more arbitrary than the rules of the
Fifty-flrst Congress as applied by
Speaker Reed" Mr.. Traeey's appeal
was tabled by vote Of 1913 to 80. Tracy
made second appeal from Speaker
Crisp's decision and again the Speaker
was sustained.
Mr.. Tracey's last move was to rec om-
nit the resolution, with instructions to
the Committee on Rules to postpone the
date for consideration of the silver bill |
to Dec. IL. AS soon as this motion was
defeated the anti-silver men gave up the |
fight, and the question came directly |
before the House upon the adoption OF |
Mr.. Catchings' resolution.