The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-29
BLAND VERY ANGRY.
He Accuses Crisp Of Treachery
to Free Silver.
FOR REFUSING a GAG RULE.
Crisp Replies That II Majority Arc
Can Gag Their Opponents

WASHINGTON CRY, March 2s.-The silver
question is an issue of the past. as lar as
the House is concerned. The Developments
today clearly indicate that cioture
will not be invoked by the COM
mittee on rules to assist the
free coinage people in forcing
final vote on the passage OF
bill. and without such a decree all re-
sources of parliamentary law would De
powerless to resurrect it. 1t was not I'M
til the House had met and passed to the
consideration of uninteresting routine bus
mess today, that Speaker Crisp finally
announced that the committee on rules
would not deem it proper to report rules
for preventing flibustering and forcing
vote unless majority of the Democratic
members should sign a petition demand
ing such an arbitrary procedure.
Bland was quite indignant and insisted
upon the rule, but the speaker was OBJ
durate. Pierce and others at once
began the CIRCULATION of petitions, but
thus far have not secured more than
forty to fifty Democratic signatures, al
though the work is to be continued tomor-
row. Bland this afternoon made state
ment to the Associated Press. He said:
When the rule was first reported setting apart
three days for the consideration OF the silver
bill he insisted that the rule should be con-
tnuing order. to be considered from day to
day until disposed of. knowing that the
three days could be flibustered
out Speaker Crisp replied that we
ought to trust the committee on rules In that
matter; that if three days were filibustered,
without disposing OF the bill, the
committee on rules would report RUE
preventing flibustering motions and
compellinea vote On tho night OF the last
days debate, the friends OF the bill determined
to continue in session to prevent lapse OF the
legislative day. Myself, Pierce and others
went to Speaker Crisp and asked whether
he thought flibustering had proceeded long
enough to satisfy the House and the country,
so that the committee on rules would be war
ranted in reporting rule by which all
iilibustcring motions would be prevented,
and thus bring the House to a direct vote
upon the bill. He assured us that he thought
the filibustering had gone long enough to dem
onstrate that fact, aud that the committee on
rules would report to bring the bill TO vote
On Friday / went to the speakers room and
Crisp advised the Introduction OF the rule
10 DO voted on today (Monday), preventing all
fllibustering motions and compelling vote
upon the bill. He sat down and wrote the rule
himself. introduced it at his request, and had
il referred to his committee, with the distinct
understanding that the rule would be reported
today.
never heard anything about his wanting the
petition OF majority OF the Democrats until
this morning, when we ought to have been
voting upon the order itself. A tele-
gram in the New York Herald of this morn
ing stating that the correspondent had 1t on the
highest authority that Speaker Crisp would
exact the petition before acting upon the rule,
was the first intimation had of anything of that
character. When we found the attitude
OF the speaker changed, it created confusion
and CONSERVATION among the free coinage advo-
ceived and disappointed by the action
of the speaker and the fact that
he deceived his friends caused great many
free-coinage people to weaken and see at this
time little hope OF getting a majority of the
members on the petition asking that the rule
be reported.
Speaker Crisp, when shown Bland s
statement this evening, said he was sur
prised that Bland should have so far for
gotten himself and the true situation as
to endeavor to mislead the public by such
statements. In justifying his position,
Crisp said:
When the rules were being considered he,
in caucus, pledged the party that no
rule would be reported prohibiting fill
clustering or cutting off dilatory motions
except at the request and desire OF a
majority of the Democratic members of con-
gress. A majority of the Democrats requested
that time be fixed for the consideration of the
free coinage bill, but making no reference
therein to any change of rule. In response
the committee permitted three days.
As well as be recollected. Bland
did not want to incorporate a limit of action OF
hp oh of thta tn 4,
continuing order, but the committee deter
mined that until tho necessity for such a rule
was demonstrated, they would not support it.
The bill was taken up and debated for three
days, and finally saved from the table by the
casting vote of the speaker
Crisp said this tie vote was great surprise to
all the parties, because when the original order
was made it was generally understood that the
majority in favor OF free coinage was thirty
10 forty. majority of the Democrat.
voted against tabIing the bill, and thereby
demonstrated that they favored its passage, He
assumed that these gentlemen so voting
were in favor OF rule which
would bring the House TO direcr
vote on the bill, and prevent
flibusteriug, and. SO believing, he said to Blanc
he had no doubt that the committee would sc
report In his Judgment there had beer
sufficient tilibustering to demonstrate this
impossibility OF the passage oil IN,
bull without rule to brins
the House TO a direct vote. The speaker also
drew resolution, introduced by Bland still be
lieviue that these gentlemen who voted agains
tablinG the bill were in favor OF forcing direc
vote on the measure. But after that tim,
the friends OF the silver bill at last decided, al
the friends OF Mr.. Bland had come TO him
(Crispl aud said they did not desire TO vot,
against sabling the till, that the action was I,
be construed into request that the ruiz
prohibiting filibusteging should not b,
reported; that while they favored free coinag,
OF silver and wanted 70 vote for 1t. they were on
posed TO any rule in a Democratic House which
would cut OF the right to nj buster.
Speaker Crisp defined the situation to b,
simply this. Ii majority Of the Democrats il
the House desire the committee on rules t,
make a report which viii enable tn,
House TO come 10 direct vote on th,
silver bill, and /; they signify tina
desire, the committee will mako such 3 renort
/! they do not signify This, the committee will
understand that the majority do not desire /,
and the responsibility viii rest with the mn
jor,y Of the Democrats OF the House and no
with the committee.
With reference 10 the speakers ALLEGED on,o
sition to the silver bill aud of his duplicitv' III
speaker said he had nothing TO say, excent I.
recall casting the vote by himself which ba.
prevented the bill from being tabled. md /,
state thst as a representative from Georgia n,
favors and will vote for the free coinage of siI
yer.