Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-29

0 rule or report q rule which would force =
yoto upon the silver bill unless u majority Of
that he should do So To this the Speaker
said Mr.. Bland replied that he would not get
up any petition. seeming to think that whether
q majority wanted il or not the committee on
rules should report such q rule
Mr.. Pierce and others, the Speaker said, had
expressed approval Of the course Of the Speaker
and had said they would get up petition
showing the wishes of the democrats in the
premises. The Speaker has not seen Mr. Bland
since and does not know what the status Of the
petition is. but he thinks that il no direct vote
Is had upon the silver bill il will be because the
vote on the motion to table indicates to the ma
Jorlty OF the democrats that the bill pass.
and, therefore, they will not request the COM
mittee on rules to bring in report cutting OF
hiibustering. Speaker Crisp defined the situa-
ton to be simply this: If a majority OF the
democrats in the House desire the committee
on rules to make a report which will enable the
uouse to come to q direct vote on the silver
Dill. and II they signify that desire. the COM
mittee Will make report If they do not so
signify, the committee will understand that the
majority do not desire il. and the responsibility
VIII rest with the majority Of the democrats Of
the House and not the committee on rules
HIS own POSITION.
As to Mr.. BANDS reference to the Speaker
as opposed to silver the Speaker said he had
nothing to say except to recall that by his cast
ing vote he had himself prevented the bill
from being tabled, and to state that as Repre-
sentative from Georgia he favored and will
vote FOR the free coinage Of silver. To show
that he was in favor OF the free coinage of
SILVER the Speaker recalled the fact that he
nad appointed committee which favored this
measure and had appointed Mr.. Bland he
mead OF that committee. notwithstanding M.
bland had been very active opponent Of Mr..
crisp In the speakership contest Although
cnJ sha M asar t.al
that as Speaker Of the House he would endeavor
10 execute the will oil the majority OF the demo-
Gratis therein respecting reports from the COM
mlttce on rules. and no criticism by Mr. Bland
or effort by Mr.. Bland to shift the response
blltty would deter him from pursuing this
course.
REVIEW OF THE SPEAKERS COURSE.
The position taken by Speaker Crisp with re-
lation to the proposed cioture rule settled the
fate OF the silver bill. His course in this matter
Is more effective by reason of the position he
occupies as a silver man. From the very first
he has resisted all efforts made by the anti-sil-
yer people TO Undue him to kill silver legislation
by an arbitrary course. Mr.. Crisps friends III
s!st that he has been entirely consistent in all
that lie has done respecting the silver bill. A
review OF the Speakers course in this matter.
obtained from friendly sources. is as follows:
during the speakership fight he could have
secured very substantial assistance by agreeing
exercise the power OF his position 20 prevent
silver legislation. He took the ground then
that this WAS matter 10 be settled bv a majority
of the party in the House: and that he WAS Il candi
date for Speaker. and that as Speaker he would
be u creature OF the House and not it's master
He doubtless felt as great many other silver
democrats feel-that it woJll be T. tie interest
OF the party could the danger OF il discussion
ana division on this question be avoided: but
he dld not feel that he was warranted in eXer-
cising the power which the House had placed
in his hands 10 overthrow the Will of those who
had selected him. He believed that as Speaker
it was his duty to be just and impartial. and
that only acting as member OF the House.
as TN individual among many, could he follow
a course entirely independent of the opinion
of others.
.'In his capacity as Representative from the
third Georgia district he Was silver man and
in former Congresses he had voted for Tree
coinage. When II came to be his duty to APP
point II committee on coinage, weights and
measures lie made the selection according TO
what then appeared to be the disposition OF lie
House, and placed at the heal Of the commit
tee the strongest pro-silver man in the body.
giving him his associates u majority who
We're favorable TO silver. He nigh. have con-
structed the committee otherwise. anu nc might
have 50 constituted II as to make it impossible
to get rrport from the committee. but this
would have been arbitrary and in conflict with
the sentiment Of the House, and, moreover
would not have been effective in preventing
silver legislation, 1t would only have Irri-
tated and excited the silver men and +. sGI ed
first in vide breach in the party, destruction
CT the organization in the House, and, tna..y,
in the overthrow OF all authority by a then
very decided silver majority.
when the time came that there was general
demand for the hearing on The silver question,
when both sides had been discussing it with
more or less earnestness and violence, a de-
lnand WAS made Tor an assignment OF tire
when the question might be brought squarrly
before the iiouse and the strength OF ;hc re-
siectiye factions tested. As Speaker he threw
no obstacles in the way of thus, and mem
Der of the committee rules he voted with
ether members to report q resolution giving
tie tine. This WIS in response to IA petition
signed by large number of democrats. askln :
that the time be set for the consideration OF the
Bland silver bill. The resolution being re-
ported, was adopted by very large ma jol It,
in the House-fully two-tiirds. Daring the
contest growing out of the consideration of thu
measure he was certainly not uu;air to the
silver inen. Those wEo are familiar with til.
usage of the House and with the present ruics
fully understanding whereia they Iiifer IRON
former rules of The House and who are not I'M.
friendly 10 the Speaker. believe that his rulings
were lair and impartial. The only criticisms
that they were sui jected TO came from the
most radical anti-silyec men, some of whom
charged that lis rulings were arbitrary ana in
nueuced by his devotion TO the cause of free
coinage. There can be no ,;lsputing the tao,
| that he gave the free coinage men every ad
vantage which was permissible under the rules
When 1t came to a vote and the free coinage
men were beaten by one he east his vote with
them, thus making a tie, which prevented Ihs
tabiing oil the bill. Thus he not only gave tn.
free coinage nell a perfectly fair show i'll tn.
exercise Of his duty as Speaker, but as an in
div.dual member of the House he gave then
the benefit of his vote and personal support
| The question which has now arisen presents
the case in Il very different aspect from that il
which it has been heretofore. 10 save a bill
| which has failed to secure a majority i'm til,
! House ne WIS called upon as chairman of tue
committee on rules to report a resolution In
] volving the exercise of an extraorlinar,
power placed in the hands of the committee OF
rules by the democrats of the House with ,
| thorough understanding that it should not bt
exercised except in case of the most pressin.
1 necessity to save the democratic majority iron
a defeat in any policy by a small band OF hli
busters. 1t was power placed with the com
| mittee with the expectation that it should re
/ main dormant unless some great party ext
| Sency required its use. 1t was never intende,
| as a weapon with which to compel obedience
on the part of members of the majority
| When the rules were reported to the House ther
was considerable objection to this revision upoI
the grounds that the power might be used I,
force measures through which the party wer,