Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-03-31
NO CLOTURE.
And the Result the Outlook For the
Free Silver Bill Bad.
Mr.. BLAND MAKES A STATEMENT
In which Speaker Crisp Ia Blamed For the
Failure, which Charge the speaker
Denies and Declares lie Is In
Favor of Free Coinage.

lures of the majority OF the democrats
Of the house to a petition asking the
committee on rules 10 report cloture
resolution the Bland bill will be laid on
the shelf lie will not be able TO secure
the required number Of signatures.
The silver men have understood that
a special order bringing in cloturc
rule would he reported 10 the house to-
morrow and telegraphed TO all their
men TO be in the house tomorrow.
This morning Speaker Crisp informed
them that no special order would be
brought in unless majority OF the
democratic members Of the house signed
petition that a cloture rule be
brought in.
Mr.. Bland was very downcast over
the news that he might not be able TO
force 20 n vote the measure he has
worked for 40 long. lie admitted that
the report that the silver bill had met
with another set back and one which
practically meant its death without
firal vote was well founded, but said
hat the matter was not absolutely set
tied
Mr., Pierce was n little more confident,
but he and Mr., Bland said they would
have nothing 10 do with the circulation
Of any more petitions. Ono Of the olher
silver men, however, attempted 10 get
signers TO a petition of the nature sug-
gested by the speaker, but met with
poor success, for. rs already stated,
thirty-fve Of the men who have here
tofore voted for the silver bill refused
90 sign H. Among the number were
Mr.. Compton, Of Maryland, who not
only declined To sign the petition, but
gave notice that II any cloture resoiu'
ton is brought In he will vote against
IL. The anti-silver men are exultant
over the change in the situation, but
the pronounced silver advocates are eX-
ceedingly irritated and angry and do
not hesitate TO Indignantly protest
against the treatment they have re-
ceivcd.
They were 40 much discouraged by
the declared intention of the thirty-five
silver men not TO sign any petition, that
the effort To procure signatures To such
u paper was abandoned and no actual
petition is now in circulation.
In the last democratic caucus in which
the silver question was discussed Speak
er Crisp announced that he, as one of
the members of the committee ON rules,
would vote for no cloture resolution UNI
less requested 20 do 80 by a ajority of
the democratic members. To-day pc
tition asking for the report Of such n
resolution has been in circulation, but
already thirty-five well known silver
men have declined to afiix their sigma
lures 10 Il and the anti-silvcr men ure
jubilant.
BLAND's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Bland made the following au-
thorizcd statement to the Associated
Press with reference To the silver bill:
when the rule was first reported, setting
apart three days for the consideration OF the
silver bill, | insisted that the rule should he o
continuing order to he considered from day to
day until disposed Of knowing that three days
could he tlibusiered out and no action had up
on the bill When | made this suggestion 10
Speaker Crisp, he tartly replied that ought 10
trust the committee rules In tibet matter;
that II the three days were flibustered out
without disposing OF the bill, the committee on
rules would report a rule preventing all hlibus-
torng motions and compelling a vote upon tho
bill The debate on the bill ran until o'clock
on the third day. / moved the previous ques-
iion and several votes were taken on the hill
and motions pertaining to H. when the opp0.
nents Of the bill commenced hlihustering by
moving to take recess, moving adiournments,
and calling the Toll II Is well understood that
motions Of this kind can be made without limit,
and no bill can possibly pass as long as these
motions are kept up
These motions or nlibusterng tactics wera
kept up until after ~ o'clock on the last day
for the consideration Of the bill. The friends OF
the hill were determined to continue In session
40 as TO prevent lapse OF the legislative day
Myself, Mr., Pierce Of Tennessee aTa other
nj hp to ha hos
Mr. Crisp, andnsked his advice about the mat.
ter, whether he thought that filibusiering had
proceeded long enough To satisfy the house
md the country that the committee on
rules would be warranted In reporting rule by
which all hlihusterng motions would be pre-
vented and bring the house 10 q direct vote up.
on the bill He assured myself Mr.. Pierce OF
Tennessee; Mr.. Stone, OF Kentucky, and mum.
Der Of others, that he thought hlibu5terng had
gone far enough to demonstrate the fact that
the committee on rules would report q rule to
bring the bill TO vote
NAV add that moved the house adjourn on
Thursday night at the instance OF the speaker
and with his emphatic statement that he would
report n rule cutting on hlbustering motions
and bring the bill to vote.
The next day, being Friday, l went into the
speakers room and met Judge Crisp. He then
advised the introduction Of rule to be voted
on to-day Monday, preventing all nlibustering
methods and compelling a vote upon the bill
himself introduced It at his request and sug
RostiOn and had IL referred TO his committee
with the distinct understanding that the rule
would be reported today | never heard any.
thing about his wanting petition Of the ma.
jOrlty Of the democrats until this morning
when we ought TO have been voting upon the
order itself
Then the speaker said he would not report
the rule unless a majority of the democrats pc.
utioned for H. He said nothing about petit
ton Thursday night before the house nd.
journcd. Had he intimated that he wanted a
petition we would have gone to work and got
the members Of the party voting for the bill,
majority TO have signed the petition. But no
intimation Of that sort was given by the
speaker We consider that the roll call OF the
house showing, as II did, large majority Of the
democratic party In favor OF the bill sufficient
warrant for him to act according to the wishes
Of the democratic party. AS shown upon tho
record. About the time OF the meeting Of the
house this morning went into his committee
room and for the first time learned that he had
changed his mind.
A telegram appeared In the New York World
yesterday morning stating that the correspon.
dent OF that paper had Information from the
highest authority that Speaker Crisp would
exact petition before acting upon this rule.
This was the first ntimnton that had Of any.
thing Of that character. The speaker had
given number OF the free coinage members
Of 'he democratic party TO understand
that he proposed TO have a vote either
y stcrday or today upon this
rule, We had telegraphed for absen.
tees. We had made every exertion TO have ouf
men In the house and 10 have them present
When we found the attitude OF the speaker had
changed Il created confusion and CONSERVATION
among the free coinage advocates. They felt
they had been deceived and disappointed by
the action OF the speaker He had given them
no chance TO get petition. OF course they
regarded that he had made pledgea and prom