Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-31

many members, especially those who were
personally the followers of Mr.. Crisp. are
now refusing to sign any petition. While
petitions are being circulated it Is very
uncertain whether, under the circum-
stances, majority can be got for that
purpose.
"'fhe fact that the Speaker has changed
his attitude towards the measure and has
deceived the friends of the bill by his
action has caused great many free COIN
age people to weaken in their position,
and | sec at this time but very little hope
of getting majority of the members on q
petition asking that the rule be reported.
Of course, the Speaker has great weight
and power, and since he has shown dis
position to let the bill lie on the table,
members who have confidence in him will
go with him, and this leaves us with the
bill having not only the anti-free coinage
men its opponents, but also the Speaker
opposed to ii, and those who personally
follow him.
What may be the outcome of it / can
not say. We can count n sufficient num-
Der of members who have been voting
against consideration of the bill who state
emphatically that they will vote for the
bill II II ever comes up on its passage 70
give it from 10 to 20 majority"
WHAT SPEAKER CRISP SAYS.
Speaker Crisp was shown Mr.. BANDS
statement this evening and said he was
surprised that Mr. Bland should have so
far forgotten himself and the true situa-
ton rs to endeavor TO nislead the public
by such statement; In iustifying his posi-
tiOn Mr.. Crisp said that when the rules
were being considered he had in caucus
pledged to his party that no rule should
be reported prohibiting iilibustering or
cutting off dilatory motions except at the
request and desire of a majority of the
Democratic members OF the House. A
majority of Che Democrats requested that
n time be fixed for the consideration of the
Free Coinage bill, but making no reference
therein to any change of the rule. In
response to this request the committee per-
mltted three days. The Speaker said that
rs well as he recollected, Mr. Bland did
want to incorporate some limitation of the
right of the House to filibuster, Of wanted
continuing order, but the committee de-
tcrmlned that until the necessity for such
2 rule was demonstrated the bill should
be debated in the House for three days
and Il was finally saved from the table
by the casting vote of the Sneaker
Mr.. Crisp said this tie vote was great sur
prise to all parties. because, when the
original order was made, it was generally
understood that the majority in favor Of
free coinage was 80 to 49, A majority of
the Democrats voted against tabling the
bill, and thereby demonstrated that they
favored its passage. Speaker Crisp said
that he assumed that these gentlemen SO
voting were III favor of a rule which
would bring the House to direct vote on
the bill and prevent filibustering and, so
believing, he said to Mr.. Bland that he had
no doubt the committee would report
rile. lie also said to MIR. Bland that, in
his Judgment there had been sufficient
iillbustering to demonstrate the impossi-
hllity OF the passage Of the bill without
rule to bring the House to direct vote.
The Speaker also drew the resolution in
troduced by Mr.. Bland, still believing that
those gentlemen who voted against
tabling the bill were in favor of forcing a
direct vote upon the measure. But after
that time friends of the Silver bill as de
cidcd friends as MIR. Bland, said the
Speaker, had come to him and said they
did not desire their vote against tabling the
bill to be construed into request that a
rule prohibiting filibustering should be re-
ported; that while they favored the free
coinage of silver, and wanted to vote for it,
| they opposed any rule in Democratic
House which would cut off the right to
| tllibuster. The Speaker said that, upon
| TINS statement, he made some inquiry
among other friends Of the BILL and found
| quite q number who did not desire the
committee to report any rule to bring the
| House to direct vote, whereupon he
| the caucus and III pursuance of the idea
| upon which he has acted, that he was the
seryantof and not the master of the House,
| that il was his duty to consult the wishes
of majority of his party in the House.
The Speaker then said to Mr.. Bland and
other friends that he did not feel that, in
| justice to himself or to the party, he could
:avor rule or report a rule which would
force a vote upon the SILVER bill unless
majority of the Democrats in the House
| expressed desire that he should so do To
| this the Speaker said Mr.. Bland replied
that he would not get mp any petition,
seeming 10 think that whether a ma
| Jority wanted it or not, the committee on
riiles should reportsuch rule.
Mr.. Pierce and Others. the Speaker said
had expressed approval of the course of
the Speaker, and had said they would get
up petition showing the wishes of the
Democrats i'll the premises, The Speaker
has not seen Mr.. Bland since, and does not
know what tho status of the petition is.
but he thinks that il no decisive vote is
had upon the Silver bill II will be because
! the vote on the motion to table indicates
| TO the majority Of the Democrats that the
bill cannot pass, and therefore they will
not request the committee on rules to
bring IN report choking Off fihbustering.
| Speaker Crisp defined the situation to be
simply this: "lf n majority of the Demo.
Gratis in the House desire the committee
on rules 70 make report which will en-
able the House to come to direct vote on
the silver bill, and il they signify that
desire, the committee will make a report.
II they DO not SO signify, the committee
will understand that the majority do NOT
desire it, and the responsibility will rest
with the majority of the Democrats of the
House and not the committee on rules.
As to Mr.. BANDS references to the
| Speakers opposition to silver or his du
plicity, the Speaker said he had nothing to
say except to recall that by his casting vote
he had himself prevented the bill from
being tabled, and To state that, as a repre.
sentative from Georgia. he favored al
will vote for the free coinage Of silver. III
show that lie was in favor OF the free coin
age OF silver the Speaker recalled the fact
that he had appointed Committee which
favored this measure, and had appointed
Mr.. Bland as the head of that committee
Notwithstanding Mr., Bland had been /.
very active opponent of Mr.. Crisp in the
1peakership contest. Although in favor
OF free coinage the Speaker stated that. rs
Speaker of the House, he would endeavoi
TO execute the will of the majority Of tho
Democrats therein respecting reports from
the committee on rules and no criticism
by Mr. Bland or effort by Mr.. Bland IL
SHIFT the responsibility, would deter him
from pursuing this course.
------lI----
THE Elder AFLO1T.
Although Much Damaged She win he Re
haired and PM a Sprpfca tr,,tu