New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-25
A STRUGGLE OVER SILVER.
EXCITING SCENES IN CONGRESS
NO ACTION BY The HOUSE AND THE BILL
GOES TO THE CALENDAR
THE REPUBLICAN MINORITY TAKES COMMAND
A MOTION TO LAY ON THE TABLE
LOST ONLY BY TIE VOTE.
ro..pr 70 -,,r -,,n,-x-s


in the EXTREMIST degree to the Democratic major
ity which is supposed to control the House Of
Representatives. The vote OF Speaker Crisp
alone stood between the Democratic party and
defeat on Mr. Burrowss motion to lay the BlppI
bill the table Never were men more sud-
denly taken aback than were the members Of the
dominant Democratic faction in the House never
were men more agreeably and thoroughly surprised
than the anti-svcr Democrats when Mr..
Is 'rrows offered his motion and insisted that it
should take precedence OF BANDS demand for the
previous question, and when the Republicans al
most unanimously rallied to the support of the
notion
There is no doubt that Speaker Crisp himself
was surprised when the motion was offered by a
Republican who is so COOL able and experienced
a paramcntarian as Mr.. Burrows The free sill
leaders seem 10 have taken it for granted that
the small Republican minority in the House was
not in it when it came to n struggle between
the Democratic Titans. and they astounded
when that minority suddenly took command and
led assault upon the key Of their position
The motion TO lay on the table was fair test
rs could be had, and the men behind il had the
advantage which is always enjoyed by a foe which
takes the enemy by surprise.
As the roll call on BurrowS's motion proceeded
a score Of busy members kept tally on either side
Of the House as did the correspondents in
the press gallery. and before the first
call was Completed dismay spread through
the ranks OF the silver They
had expected long and vigorous tusslc,
but not such reverse at the very threshold.
They heard Democrats who are in favor of free
coinage record their votes after another, in
favor Of the motion to lay the bill on the table.
They knew that these votes cast simply
with the idea Of postponng the question until
after the Presidential election, and had not been
unwilling that it, should be- done, provided that
the bill was not cndangered they had even
winkcd al the absence of certain Democrats who
wanted 10 avoid the making OF a record: they now
suddenly discovered that between the trinmcr5 and
the skukcrs there imminent danger OF defeat,
and they panic-strickcn.
There was long delay over the announcement Of
the result and il not made until after Speaker
Crisp rid caused his name 20 be added to tine
negative side which made the vote stand Is TO
lfs: Mr. Burrowss motion had been defeated only
hy a tie vote. for the anli-slycr Democrats and
the Democratic trnmcrs had fallen in behind the
Rcpuhcan leader and were meebly following in
the wake Of to Republican column. which stood
for honest money.
The Republicans realized that this was their
opportunity. and they stood frm. Mr.. Johnstonc,
II Ohio. u Democrat, who had been in conference
with Senator Brice during the vote, seemed to
think that he had made mistake. and he de-
maudcd the ycas and nays on the clinchins motion.
Then followed such a performance A. one seldom
-res outside of Tammany political convention.
IT. was no wonder that Good-na,ured man as
SPEAKER Crisp lost his temper. part Of the
Democrats did TO him what he and all the other
Democrats tried to do TO Speaker Reed in the last
Congress The Democratic side OF the House
became simply mob such pcopl" became ac-
cu-,omcd to when Speaker Reed was enforcing
ihc rules Of the List Congress
Tracey Of NcN-N ork ONcil of Massachusetts,
and q dozen more Democrats accused the Speaker
" unfairncSs although II" had followed ordinary
usage. 1t is sad 10 think that a third a fourth
of the Democratic majority in tine House Of Rep
rc~cntativcs has no confidence in the Speaker
of its selection, and II must have been almost
numiliatng 10 Judge Crisp, 10 have Mr. Reed
come forward. and in handsome manner cNtrl-
cat" him from his dilemma. The remark of Mr..
Boutclc in the course of thi, tumult that he
hoped that the Democrats would not he guilty of
false counting among themselves disagree
able one but not altogether ill-timol. II seems
that Mr. Tracey and several other gentlemen on
the Democratic side Of the House were Suspi-
rious OF the integrity Of the official count that
they kept II private tally to check against it, II
hardly a disnicd performance when they
camc forward to challenge the accuracy Of the
last vote on the motion 10 table the
lll and declared that Mr. Donovan, of Ohio,
whose name was recorded in the negative, had
not been in tie House to vote. Volunteer wit
ncsSrs sprang up for and against Donoyan-all of
them Dcmocrals-somc of whom were ready To
he had vntcI Nvlilp fhers
that h" had not done The Speaker was IN
dilemma again. but he cut his way ont by de
clarng that the record must stand
At times the disorder in the House was - great
that business had TO bc suspended. and once the
Speaker called to the Deputy Sergeant at-Arms
and said
Take this eagle and see if YOU can't qucll
the riot"
The Scrgcant-at- Arms carried the mae, through
the hall and the tumult sGbsidcd. only 10 break
out again rs soon the eagle was seated ON it5
pcrch at the Speakers right hand
In the several vote, the name of Mr.. Rockwell
was recorded in favor OF free silver, and this
regarded as rather significant. in one respect,
IL cause Of his intimate relations with David Il.
Hill, his towrsman and chum. Mr.. Rockwell
was tine only Ncw-lork Representative who was
recorded in favor of the Bland bill today on any
vote that WAS tdktI. Two AfdIN ago lUP oHiN
Ncw-York Representative who voted for free coin
age was Amos Cummings. Mr.. Cummings cX-
plaircd that he did in order to put Harrison
in a hole: he voted to-day against free coinage
probably in order T. keep Amos Cummings out
of a hole.
The debate which preceded the demand for the
prcvious question to-day extremely interest
inc and held the attention Of the House ana oi
the crowds who throngcd the galleries and lobbieS
from beginning 10 end NcsSrs Cochran ana
Dinglry. in their vigorous speeches clearly
brought out the point lirst made by Mr. Stone
Yesterday. that the pending bill is not and docs
not deserve to be called frec-coinagc bill. IL
WAS unfortunate that neither Mr. Cochran nor Mr.
Dinclcv had time in which fully TO express his
views and elaborate his arguments. But
the speeches of both made an I'M
preston upon the House, and probably In
auenccd n number OF votes. 1t was apparent,
however, to-day as on every previous day since
shat m .r,,stn nItpin N IA