Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-13


axxp-NxxsxRs HxrLAIN Their POSITION
Mr.. REEDS IRoSIcAL AND SARCASTIC re-
MARKS.
There was more show Of activity and livslier
interest in proceedings In the House this morn
ing than there has been for three or four
months. Both sides were ready for the battle
OF the dollars, but both were anxious. The
silver men entered the fight without much
hope, while the others were full Of hope
and fear. The poll made BY Mr..
Rayner and other anti-silver men Just
before the fight began showed the follow
ing result: Number Of members, asa; number
paired or dead, 81; leaving 3ol. Number Of
anti-silver democrats. %; number Of anti-silver
republicans, ST. making total snti-silver votes
l6l, with possibility Of but 40 silver votes.
according to this calculation. In spite OF this
ehowing the anti-silver men were afraid some
thing might happen to upset their calculations.
LARGE ATTENDANCE IN THE HOUSE
The attendance in the House Was larger than
it has been at any time since the early part Of
the session. Nearly all the abeentees had been
brought in by urgent dispatches and up 10 the
last minute the committees appointed on each
side were rustling through the House. bracing
up members they feared might be weak and
looking about to see that none whose votes were
counted on were absent
REPUBLICANS TAKING THE LEAD.
The attitude Of the republicans in taking the
lead OF the opposition to the measure was not
without its disadvantages from the standpoint
Of the eastern democrats, who did not like the
idea OF having some of the greatest honors Of
the tight ehnred in or perhaps appropriated by
Mr.. Reed and Mr.. Burrows in behalf Of the
republican party. This could not be helped,
k<>wur
to dictate the terms under which they would
come to the front from the first and fight
against the majority Of the democrats.
All during the morning Mr.. Tracey, Mr.. Ray
ner, Mr.. O'Neil Mass. }, Mr.. Williams (Mass.)
and Mr.. Herbert were flying here and there
through the House. looking busy and excited
even after their work was about done.
Mr.. Reed and Mr.. Burrows kept their eyes on
things, and now and then gave the anti-siiver
democrats points to work out. Mr.. Tracey, as
in the silver fight earlier in the session, kept
close to Mr.. Reed, comforting with him earn
estly every few minutes.
SILVER MEN AT WORK.
Mr.. Bland, Mr.. Pierce, Mr.. Culberson and
Mr.. Montgomery and the rest Of the silver men
beers throughout the House.
During the morning hour considerable routine
business was dispofed Of, and the deliberation
with which the crisis Was approached kept those
who are vitality interested in silver in state of
nervous excitement and deferred expectancy.
BY mutual consent the report from the COM
mittee was delayed until IL o'clock in order to
give ample time for members to reach the
House.
sPEAKxR AND kx-spxAKER.
At 1912 Mr.. Catchings was recognized by the
Speaker and presented the report from the
committee on rules making special order to-
day and tomorrow for the silver bill Mr. Reed
moved to lay on the table, but Mr.. Catchings
had the floor and Mr.. Reeds motion was made
without his having been recognized by the
chair.
The Speaker informed Mr.. Reed that Mr..
Catchings had the door. Mr.. Reed contested
this and the fight was thus begun with contro-
versy between the ex-Speaker and the Speaker.
The Speaker ruled the ex-Speaker to be out Of
order, declaring that he could show NO author
ity to sustain his (Rsed's) attitude.
MIR. Catchings being secured in his right to
the floor, yielded ten minutes to Mr.. Bland.
Mr. Bland had read from the desk an amendment
to the resolution from the committee ON rules,
which he said he would propose. This amend
ment was to put q clOture upon the'House.
This action on the part of Mr.. Bland takes
the question Of reporting cloture rule out of
the hands OF the committee on rules and places
1t in the power Of the House to adopt cloture
or not, as it may be disposed, without awaiting
action by the committee on rules.
MEMBERS EXPLAIN THEIR POSITION.
Mr.. Clark Of Alabama was given five minutes
by Mr.. Bland He used his time to lead
the vote Of free coinage men against the
bill. He professed earnest belief in the prin-
ciple and policy Of free coinage, but de-
clared that nothing could be accomplished
by the passage OF this bill at this
time. Mr.. Forman followed in the same line,
arguing In favor Of free coinage, but announc-
ing that the only course for the democrats to
HnlI nrx-
out the national platform, and that he would
vote against the bill.
Mr.. Patterson Was given time and took o DO
sitton similar to that taken by Mr. Clark and
Mr.. Forman, insisting that nothing but the
force bill issue should share the public attention
with the tariff during this campaign.
Time was given to those holding these views.
the purpose Of the managers being to give
those free silver democrats who were going to
vote against the resolution o chance to explain
their position.
NE. REEDS CHARACTERISTIC SPEECH.
Mr.. Reed made characteristic speech in op-
position to the resolution, deluging the demo-
Gratis With irony. He claimed credit for the
little band Of republicans in the House for taking
the brunt Of the fight in favor Of honest money
and assisting the democratic House in doing
better than the republican Senate had DONE
He presented this as an evidence of their un-
selfish devotion to the public interest.
Mr.. Pierce, Mr.. Culberson and Mr. Bland
made vigorous speeches in defense Of the silver
bill, after which Mr.. Catchines moved the pre-
vious question and the yeas and nays were taken
on that motion.
KNOCKED OUT
Mr.. Bland said he would propose his clotu
amendment II the motion for the previous qrs q
ton we're voted down. The vote on the pre-
vious question Is fairly good test vote, the Sill
yer men voting in the negative. The vote stood
16S TO 129 and the previous question was or
dered.
The vote was taken, resulting in 1s6 yeas 70
164 nays, and the resolution was defeated
This ends the silver bill. The Speaker
asked to be called and voted with the silver
men.
EFFECT OF THE VOTE.
The most common opinion among democrats
at the Capitol is that the vote on the silver bill
win have to elect Mr.. Cleveland, but will cost
the party quite q number Of seats In the
House. Mr.. Bland of Missouri re-
fused to make any predictions -
to the political consequence of the vote but nd
that the bill was now killed outright and that
there was nothing that could have been done by
the committee on rules or by any friends of the
measure to save il.
He said that a. long - this sectional question
was kept before the people il overshadowed
everything else and made southern mem
beers afraid to vote their convictions
on other propoaitiona Mr. pierrs