St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-05
The Speaker Makes It Plain to
the EX-CZap That His Day
Is Over.
Exciting Tilt in the House on
the Question Of What Is a
Quorum.
Gentlemen Are Not Present
Under New Rules Unless
They Vote.
Senators Vest and Paddock
Open the Debate on the
Pure Food Bill.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-Greek met
Greek in the house today, and for the
brief space of five minutes a parlia-
mentary collOQuy was witnessed which,
in aptness of retort, has had no pre-
cedent in the present session. On the
one side was Speaker Crisp, who stands
as the sponsor OF the rules of the Fifty
second congress, and on the other was
eX-Speaker Reed, who stands as the de-
fender of the rules ard methods of the
Fifty-first congress. AS might naturally
be presumed, the yeXed question Of "a
quorum and the construction and legal
significance OF this term was the sub
ject Of the controversy. and each gen
tleman is tonight regarded by his par
ticular partisans as having been the
victor.
Almost without warning was the eX-
citing scene precipitated upon the
house. The entire day had been con-
sumed in the desultory consideration of
unimportant private bills, and Mr.. Kill
gore, of Texas, made motion that the
house take recess till 8 o'clock this
evening. On division the vote stood
IS to 81. Mr.. Enloe demanded tellers,
and, they being refused, raised the
point that no quorum had voted.
1.-The gentleman from Tennessee"
said the speaker, "makes the point Of
no quorum on the motion to take re-
cess. The chair Will have to appoint
tellers."
rVg,a EYnrUoffan Aufocrat
"The gentleman does not make the
point of no quorum" mterposed Mr..
Reed. "Be makes the point that no quo
rum has voted" "Under the rules of
the house and under the present admin
istration of the house." said the speak
er, "gentlemen are not present unless
they vote" Applause on the Demo-
cratic side.
THAT shows, Mr.. Speaker, that there
has been new system adopted since
the last congress-" was Mr.. Reeds re-
ply. "That shows that the present oe-
cupant of the chair will endeavor to en-
force the rules of the house as they now
exist" retOrted the speaker.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Speaker" quickly
replied the eX-speaker, ''the observation
| made is entirely correct, namely, that
the point that the gentleman from Ten
voted, while the speaker states that the
point he made was no quorum My
observation, Notwithstanding that re-
tort of The chair, was entirely correct"
"PerhapS it is" said the speaker with
dignity, "but it is entirely out of ORDER"
Democratic applausel.
sit is entirely correct" persisted MIR.
Reed. land therefore the chair has no
right to make such remarks" 1.-The
gentleman was correct, but at the saMe
time he is out of order" observed the
speaker" Demands for regular order.
81 was entirely in order when | called
the attention of the chair to the fact"
The chair thinks not"
ENTIRELY in order" persisted Mr..
Reed. The chair thinks the gentle
man is entirely out of ORDER" reiterated
the speaker. "There was no occasion
for any such reply The point was
made. not by the gentleman from Maine,
quorum. The chair entertained the
point. whereupon the gentleman from
Maine made the SuggestOn.'
Stating the Difference.
"And thereupon," interposed Mr..
Reed, Il said to the chair that the gen
tleman made the point that no quorum
IL,
to be the point Of no quorum, which is a
different proposition; and | had the
right to call the attention Of the chair to
that. The chair had no right to make
such a retort-even if he was supported
by disorderly applause from his side,
which he permitted"
The chair will state that there is
distinction under the present rules Of
the house between the point of no quo
rum and of no quorum voting. There
was a distinction between those two
points of no quorum and no quorum
present. as ii was made under the rules
of the last congress-"
II want to say" said Mr.. Enloe, of
Tennessee, that the speaker is abund-
antly sustained by authorities in max
ing retorts to the gentlemen on the
floor" Laughter. The chair does
not intend to recognize that" replied
Mr.. Crisp.
During the colloquy between the
speaker and Mr.. Reed, both gentlemen
appeared to lose some degree of their
customary, equanimity and their retorts,
though couched in polite language. were
characterized by earnestnesS and some
degree of warmth. After the Crisp
Reed collOQuy, the house took recess
until O'clock, the evening session to be
for the consideration of private pension
bills, bills removing political diSabill-
ties and bills removing charges of de-
sertion.
When the house reassembled at o.
m. there was less than quorum pres
ent. Mr. Kilgore, of Texas, raised the
point of no quorum, and after fruit
less attempt to secure one the house at
$50 p. m. adjourned until tomorrow
without transacting any business what
ever.
PURE FOOD BILL.