The Portland daily press., 1892-07-14
A DEATH in THE HOUSE.
Free Coinage the Victim, Silver Men
the MOurners.
REPUBLICANS VIGOROUSLY LED
BY MR.. REED.

The Friends of the Bill Forced the Fight
on a Resolution for Its Immediate
Consideration-They Hoped To Get 1t
Before the House With Chance for
Amendment-Instead They We're Beat
en-Characteristic Remarks by Mr..
Reed.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-The free coin
age bill was killed in short order in the
House this morning, the fight against it
being vigorously waged by the Republi-
cans under the leadership of Mr.. Reed,
and the anti-free-coinage Democrats.
The friends of the bill changed their tao
tics this morning. They resolved to
force the fighting and make the engage
ment short, sharp and finally decisive of
the silver question. So they resolved to
adopt the usual course of voting against
the previous question on the adoption of
the special rule. If they were defeated
that would be regarded as test vote. If
they succeeded in defeating the previous
question, Mr.. Bland would offer an
amendment to the rule permitting an
amendment of the bill to cure the objec-
tions made in caucus, and also imposing
cloture.
The prospect of the battle secured
large attendance of members, the silver
men discouraged but determined, their
opponents confident of victory. The
Chaplain did not secure much attention
when he prayed, and the journal was un-
heard so far as the members were con-
cerned, for they were talking among
themselves. Nobody paid any attention
to the routine morning business, which
began with the call of committees for
reports. This was followed by consider
alton of a number of private pension
bills which came over from last nights
session with the previous question
pending on their passage. There was
little interest manifested in this pro-
ceeding, but it was allowed to go on, as
it was understood that the silver rule
was not to come in before noon.
The clock pointed a minute past 12
when Mr.. Catchings of Mississippi,
Crisp's lieutenant on the floor reported
from the committee on rules the resolu-
ton which all were expecting, to make
the silver bill special order for today
and the next legislative day.
The Republicans had determined on
their programme, and
Ex-speaker Reed,
as the representative of his party, was on
his feet the instant the reading of the
resolution had been concluded by the
clerk. Before Mr.. Catchings could say a
word after the reading of the resolution,
Mr.. Reed interjected motion to lay the
resolution on the table, but the Speaker
would not recognize the gentleman from
Name, ruling that Mr.. Catchings had the
floor and could not be taken from it.
When the gentleman from Maine got the
floor he could make his motion. Mr..
Reed insisted on his right to make mo-
ton in advance of one from Mr.. Catch
ings, who was in control of the resolu-
ton. The House, Mr.. Reed said, should
control it's own affairs. There were two
motions which could be made for the
purpose of cutting off debate. One was
his motion to lay on the table, which
had precedence and would cut off all de-
bate and bring the resolution to an inn
mediate vote, and the other was a mo-
ton for the previous question, under
which, an hours debate was permissible.
The House might not care to have debate
and should be permitted to vote that way
| if it desired.
Speaker Crisp ruled against Mr.. Reed.
He did not combat Mr.. Reeds general
proposition in his ruling, but based his
decision on the ground that Mr. Reed
could not make any motion when he did
| not have the floor, and he could not OBJ
| tain the floor when the gentleman from
Mississippi had recognition. No author
| ity by which gentleman could be taken
| off the floor could be produced
Mr.. Catchings was accordingly recog-
nized and yielded the floor to Chairman
Bland of the coinage committee for fif-
teen minutes.
Mr.. Bland Offered an Amendment
to the resolution having for its object the
opening of a pathway for the amendment
| of the Stewart bill, to meet alleged de-
fects in it, and also to apply the cloture
rule to the bill. He paid his respects to
| to oppose his programme on the ground
| of antagonism on principle to a cloturc
rule, and declared that cloture lin the
form of the previous question: was fifty
wears old This remark was received
with applause by the Republicans.
Mr.. Bland in closing said that he would
vote against the previous question, and
that whatever gentlemen might say, the
vote on the previous question would
align squarely the friends and enemies of
free coinage.
Mr.. Bartine (Rep) of Nevada spoke in
the same strain as Mr.. Bland. Mr..
Clark of Alabama recognized the in
expediency of trying to pass bill now
which could not by any possibility be-
come law. He was followed by Mr..
Foreman of Illinois, who said that he
should stand by the national platform
and vote against the resolution.
Mr.. Patterson Oem.) of Tennessee
placed his objection to the Stewart bill
and to the resolution on the ground that
the Democratic party was squarely op-
posed to the Republican party on the
tariff and the force bill and he would
cast no vote that would bring forward
another issue, he would march under the
banner that "Public Office is public
| trust