The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-03-17
ONE POINTFOR SILVER.
A DATE SET FOR TAKING UP
BLAND'S BILL.
After TeInpcstuous Session Of Many
Hours the House Of Rcpresen. .atives
Decides by a Vote of IS9 to S5 to Con-
slider 1t ON March 22.
Silver u Winner.


Silver had the House in turmoil for
more than four hours the other after
noon. The report Of the Committee on
Rules, setting apart three days, ending
with March 25, for consideration of the
Bland bill, was the bone OF contention.
1t was finally adopted by vote of 1s3
to 85, all the Republicans Tut thirteen
voting for it, in order, as they frankly
said, TO embarass the Democrats. 1t
was a very enjoyable day for the Repu5-
Leans, who for the most pant kept quiet,
while the Demo Gratis fought it out. The
afternoon was marked by several excit-
ing incidents, among which were &.
warmly discu ssed question of veracity
between Bland and Bolrke Cochran,
two arbitrary rulings by Speaker Crisp,
who, also on one accession lost his tenn
per, a warning by George Fred Williams
that the Democratic party was THROWN z
away the Presidency, and a shs rt speech
| in which, the Democrats say, Reed cx-
hibited more fec ling and elo iuence than
he has ever before displayed in the
House.
While the silver bill will he 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 S
voted against the resolution, and, with
| pairs and absentceS, the nuinlc- of anti
silver votes from the Dcmoc.a side is
swelled to IA certainty of eighty-seyt n.
OF the eighty-seven Republicans i'll the
House only ten will vote for the bill,
leaving seventy-scven opposed. These
added to the eighty-tivc Demo rats give
| a total of 1872, or within five Of a ma ,Or-
| ity of a full House. It is claimed 10y
anti-silver Democrats that before a voc
is taken on the passage Ct 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 hill
in the House, it would be strange if the
required number CT converts could not
be secured.
The battle of the day began the mo-
ment the blind Chaplain had concluded
his prayer, and it required three hours
and a half of hard wo,k 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
pcrsed, however, until at $3.50 the floo,
was cleared for the thirty minutes de.
bate, and then the most exciting aEd
important part Of the days scenes was
enacted. Seven orators were put for.
ward, four on the side of silver ant
three against it. Mr.. Reed vas giver
the privilege of dividing the time for The
Republican side and Mr.. Catchings fol
the Democrats.
Representative Tracey. of New York
had been selected by the group of ant!
free-silver Democrats to lead the opro
sitior, and he performed his task a
efficiently as one could, knowing that h
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 hour
may be slaughtered, thwaIt ID this move
ment at the very outset when Mr.. Catch
ings called up his resolution before thu
reading of the journal. This was TIL
first stage of the fight.
Mr.. Tracey protested that the journa
must be read before any business cou.'
be done. The Speaker ruled that th'
point was not we'll taken, and upon Mr.
Traeey's appeal from this decision ther
occurred the most exciting passage o
the battle. Mr.. Tracey made Il warn
speech in support of his appeal, but in
cautiously lost the floor by yielding it t
Mr.. Fitch Of New York. who also fayorc
the appeal. When Mr.. Tracey tri ID 4
resume his unfinished argument Speakc
Crisp decided that Tracey had spoke
once on his appeal, and that under tn
rules he could not speak again.
Il have the floor" said Mr.. Tracey.
You haven't the floor" rctorted III
Speaker.
If you mean to say that l want t
know it. shrieked Mr. Tracey.
You must address the Chair respect
fully
Il don't want to be looked at in tina
tone of voice. cried Mr.. Tracey.
The momentary excitement culmin IT
ed in a laugh, ard then there followed
oo!!Ouuy between Mr. Cochran and Nj
Bland as to whether there had been
private agreement between friends an
opponents of the frec-silver bill tina
there should be no filibust ering on tn
journal. Mr.. Bland claimed that III 1
had, but Mr.. Co ,kran's memory coul
not recall such an agreement.
After some further discussion, durin
which Mr.. Cieveland's former law paI I
ner, Daniel Lockwood, of Buffalo, dc
clared that the rules of this House ar
more arbitrary than the rules of th
Fifty-first Congress as applied b
Speaker Reed" Mr.. Tracey's anpc;
was tabled by a vote Of 1913 to 80. Trac
made second appeal from Spcake
Crisp's ccision and again the Spea AXE
was sustained.
During this skirmish the Speaker sus
!. tanned his position by quoting the ruie
The intention of the House, said HI
lis, as the Chair underst ands it. jus
what the rule itself proposes. Unds
the rules of the last Congress"
Mr.. Reed-Does the Chair indorse III
motion of procedure in the last Co:
gress? Laughter on the Repullica
side
The Chair-Part of it doubtless
worthy of Endorsement; the course +,
the Speaker of the last Congress Cos
no. meet with the Endorsement of ii
present occupant Of the chair. Lausl
ter on the Democratic side
MIR. Reed with much impressivencss
Il may say neither expected nor d.
sired the Endorsement.
.Quitc right" commented Speak,
Crisp, laconically. II was just goin
to say when interrupted Tint the gel
tleman from Maine, the Speaker of Il
last Congress, held that the question
consideration could not be raise
against the order of business"
> "Well. don't want to have anythir
,, to do with the rules Of the Fifty-fir
Congress" said Mr.. Tracey, empha
ically. [Great laughter "The rul,
, Of the Fifty-first Congress should nj
be alluded to in this House, excepting
possibly, by the gentleman from Maine
Renewed laughter.
. The Speaker-The Chair won't qua
rel with the gentleman about that.
Mr. Tracey's last move was to recon
init the resolution, with instructions
3 the Committee on Rules to postpone Il
? date for consideration Of the silver bi
! | to Dec. IL. As soon as this motion W,
defeated the anti-silver men gave up II
+ fight, and the question came directl
before the House uron the adoption
1 T. -