Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-29
Bland and Crisp.

WASHINGTON, March 2S,-The silver
question is an issue of the past as far as
the house of representatives is con-
cerned. Developments to-day clearly indi-
cate that the all powerful decree of cloture
will not be invoked by the committee on
rules to assist the free coinage peo-
pie in enforcing a final vote on the passage
of the bill, and without such decree all
resources of parliamentary law will
be powerless to resurrect the bill
from the cemetery of unfinished business,
to which 1t has now been consigned. Mr..
Crisp announced to-day that the committee
on rules did not deem 1t proper to report
rule preventing tilibustering and forcing
a vote unless the majority of the members
of the Democratic house should sign petit
ton demanding such an arbitrary
procedure Bland was quite in
dignant and insisted upon the rule,
but the speaker was obdurate and seemed
to be supported by most of his prominent
Democratic colleagues. Mr.. Pierce
and several other gentlemen at
once began the circulation
of petitions, but thus far have not secured
more than forty or. fifty Democratic sigma
lures, although the work will be continued
tomorrow.
Mr. Bland made long statement this
which he says Mr.. Crisp assured
himself and other Democratic members
on fhe last day for the consideration
of the bill that he thought there had
been enough filibustering to demonstrate
that the committee on rules would be iusti-
fed to report rule to bring the measure
to vote.
81 saw the speaker on Friday and he
advised and himself wrote out
rule to be introduced by
me to-day, preventing all fllibustering mo-
tons with the understanding the committee
would report it to-day. The speaker said
to-day he would not report the rule unless
a majority of the Democrats petitioned for
it. l only learned this morning
when I went into the committee
room that he had changed his mind. We
had made an exertion to have all our men
present. The friends of the meas
ure feel they have been deceived
and disappointed, and the consequence is
the advocates of the bill are confused and
many mem ers Will refuse to sign the Pc
tition. What viii be the outcome, cannot
say'' .-'.t
Speaker Crisp was shown BANDS state
ment this evening and iustifying his posi-
ton said when the rules were be-
ing considered he in caucus pledged
tillibustering or cutting OF dilatory mo-
tons, except at the request and desire Of
majority of Democratic members.
He did say to Mr.. Bland in his Judgment
there had been sufficient fllibustering to
demonstrate the inpossibiIity of the pas
sage of the bill without a rule to
bring the house to direct vote
The speaker also drew the resolution in
troduced by Mr.. Bland. After that
time friends of the silver bill had
come to him aud said they
did cnot desire their vote against
tabling the motion to be construed into
request that rule prohibiting fllibustering
should be reported. They opposed any
rule in Democratic house which would
cut of the right to hllibuster
The speaker then said to Mr. Bland he
did not feel that in justice to himself or the
party, that he could report rule which
would force vote upon the silver bill I'M
less majority OF the Democrats expressed
a desire that he should do so.
The speaker defined the situation to be
simply this: If a majority Of the Demo
Gratis in the house desire the committee on
rules to mako a report which viii
enable the house 10 come TO
direct yoteon the silver bill, AMI
if they signify that desire the committee
viii make such report. If they do not so
signify the committee VIII understand
majority do not desire it. and the response
hility will rest with the majority of the
Democrats of the house and not with the
committee on rules.