The morning news., 1892-03-29
BLAND IN A HOLE.
The Speaker Refuses to Report
a Closure Rule.
THE ACTION VIRTUALLY KILLS
THE SILVER BILL.

With the Speaker and Hints at
Bad Faith - Ths Speaker Defends
himself From the CharRe-He De-
mands a Petition From Majority
OF the Democrats Asking for Clos
ure Rule Before Consenting to Is
sue One.
WASHINGTON. March 2s.-The Bland
bill will not be received. More than that
no free coinage measure will pass at this
session. The only hope the free coinage
men had of getting free ooinagebill through
after the decisive vote of Thursday, lay In
the adoption by the House OF q closure rule
which would cut Off ilibustering. Up to
this morning they thought they would get
such rule from the committee on rules,
and, that with the aid of those republicans
who would not follow sx-Speaker Reed In
this matter. they would get 1t through the
House. They were the more
confident of this because
Speaker Crisp himself had
taken charge or their fight. when Repre-
sentatives Bland, Pierce and Bartine
became discouraged after Thursdays bat
tie. Their surprise was only equaled by
their rage when they discovered this morn
ing that the speaker. who had been leading
them, had sGccambed co the warning OF d
few democrats headed by Representative
Culberson Of Texas, who, hating closure
more than they loved free coinage, had
told him that they would oppose closure
-tYla an the AnOr t,r.1aaa a. k~I
a majority OF the democrats Of the House.
Representative Culberson reminded Speaker
Crisp OF the time when the rules
were being discussed in caucus and
Mr.. Crisp secured the adoption Of the
rule providing for closure by promising
that its powers should never be exercised
except In response to a request from ma.
jorlty OF the democrats of the House, and
assured him that majority Of the demo.
Gratis of the House did not want the matter
put under closure Mr.. Crisp saw at once
that nothing more could be done in the face
OF such opposition, and the fight really
ended right there In his room. Mr. Bland
recognized that IL was all over as soon as
MIR. Crisp told him this morning his deter.
mination, for he remembered that he had
only been able TO get 102 signatures
to his request for the consideration
rule and he did not even attempt to get up
a petition, knowing, as others found out by
trying, that it would be useless.
BLAND's ANGER.
Mr.. Bland's disappointment was not az
great as on Thursday night, nut his anger
was much more intense, as was shown in
the interview be gave out tonight. Mr..
Bland Is a sincere, one-idead man, and real
izing that his beloved idea has been sheIved
for this session and probably for this con-
gress, he is In the depths. There are others
more or leSs like him, who feel just as he
side of the House are rejoicing
over the result privately, IL
not publicly, believing. as they do, that it
makes it easier for the democrats In the
presidential campaign. Tho republicans
are, as rule. sorry that ths direct vote on
the Bland bill was not brought about,
although they say Thursday nights votes
gives them record enough for campaign
purposes. Those OF them who are repre-
sentatives OF the silver mine interest are
regretful for a more personal reason, think
ing that the bill might have passed if ID
had come to q vote and some Of them still
entertain the hope that a free coinage bill
may come over from the Senate, but they
have to admit that the chances
are all against it being voted upon 10 the
House. For all practical purposes the sill
yer question has been answered for this
session. Many democrats and republicans
alike agree IN saying that the answer which
has been given indicates plainly that Cleve-
land and tariff reform will be presented to
the country as candidate and issue by the
Chicago convention.
THE STORY BY PRESS.
By the 1ssocfdted Press
WASHINGTON. March 2S.-The silver bill
is dead ia the House of Representatives.
The free coinage men to-n might acknowledged
this. Speaker Crisp, they learned to-day,
had decided not to report closure rule
from the committee on rules unless a ma
jority Of the members of the Democratic
party In the House should 30 request. The
intelligence dumfounded them. as they had
confidently expected the rule to be
reported to-day or tomorrow. They
were exceedingly angry, and at
first were disiuclined TO make any
effort TO get the petition signed. Later Ia
the day Mr.. Pierce Of Tennessee circulated
the petition and got number Of signatures
to 1t. but he found that many silver demo-
Gratis would not sign, and late this afternoon
he announced that the petition was with
drawn and that the free coinage men had
given up the fight in the House. Mr.. Pierce
said: I'VE will make no further effort and
nave decided 10 l6b tue committee on rules
assume the responsibility. have seen Mr.,
Bland and speak for him also"
BLAND INTERVIEWED.
Mr.. Bland this afternoon made the fol-
lowing authorized statement to an Assooia-
ted Press reporter, with reference to the
silver bill: "When the rule was first re-
ported setting apart three days for consid-
GRAFTON of the silver bill, insisted that the
rule should be a continuing order to be
considered from day to day until disposed
Of. knowing that three days could be
filibustered out and no action had upon
the bill When made this suggestion 10
Speaker Crisp he rather tartly replied that
ought to trust the committee on rules Ia
that matter, that IL tnree days were fili-
bustered out without disposing of the bin
the committee on rules would report q rule
preventing all flibustering motions and
compelling vote upon tho bill. The debate
on the bill ran until 8 o'clock OF the third
day, when moved tbs previous question.
Several votes were taken upon the bill aud
motions pertaining 10 IL, when the opponents
Of tho bill commenced fllibustering By
moving 70 take a recess, moving adi0uru-
msnts and -calling the roll. ID Is ven
understood that motions OF this kind can DO
mado without limit aad no bill can possibly
kaNA AgnW ~ H4aaa kass4