Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-29
A QUESTION OF vERACITY.
Statements by Mr.. Bland and the Speaker In
Regard to tho Cloture Rule

Regard to tho ClOture Mule
THE FORMER THINKS THE SILVER MEN HAVE BEEN
DECEIVED BY Mn. CRISP AND THE LATTER Ex-
PLAINS HIS ACTION AND yusrrFIEs MS COURSE
BIZ THE STATEMENT HE MADE IN Caucus.
The radical silver men are overwhelmed by
the announcement from Speaker Crisp that the
committee on rules will not report cloture
rule unless 1t is asked for by majority OF the
democrats. An attempt was made by Mr..
Pierce to get signatures to petition asking FOR
report from the committee but it soon be-
came apparent that n sufficient number of sig
natures could not be had and the attempt was
abandoned.
Mr.. BLANDs STATEMENT.
Mr.. Bland is very indignant over the matter.
In formal statement to the public he says:
When the rule was first reported setting apart
three days for the consideration Of the silver
bill insisted that the rule should be con-
tinuing order to be considered from day to day
until disposed OF. knowing that three days
could be flibustered out and no action had
upon the bill. When made this suggestion to
speaker crisp he rather turtly replied that
ought to trust the committee on rules in that
matter; that II the three days were flibustered
out without disposing of the bill the committee
on rules would report rule preventing all
nhbusterlng motions and compelling vote
upon the bill.
The debate on the bill ran until 5 o clock of
the third day. l moved the previous question.
SeNerM votes were taken upon the bill and mo-
ions pertaining to it, when the opponents OF
the OIL commenced hibustering by moving to
take recess. moving adiournments and call
ing the roll 1t is well understood that motions
OF TINS Kind can be made without limit, and no
plil can possibly pass long these motions
are hept up. these motions and fiiibustering
tactics were kept up until after II o'clock on
the last day 1or the consideration of the bill.
Inc friends OF the bill we're determined to
commune In session So as to prevent lapse OF
the legislative day. Mr.. Pierce of Tennessee
and other members Of the House myself in
ciuded) went to the Speaker, Mr. Crisp, and
ashen ms advice about the matter; whether he
thought that flibustering had proceeded long
enough to satisfy the House and the country
that the committee rules would he war
ranted In reporting rule by which all flibus-
terlng motions would be prevented and bring
the Rouse 10 ulrect vote upon the bill. He
assured myself. Mr.. Pierce of Tennessee. Mr..
Stone OF kentucky and number of others that
ne thought ffIbustering had gone on long
enough to demonstrate the fact, and that the
committee on rules would report a rule to bring
the bill TO vote.
WHY HE MOVED AN ADJOURNMENT.
may add that moved that the House ad-
journ on Thursday night at the instance of the
Speaker and with his emphatic statement that
he would report rule cutting off filibustering
motions anu bring the bill to :, vote.
The new day being Friday, went into the
Speaker room and met Judge Crisp. He then
advised the introduction of rule to be voted
on today Monday, preventing all flibusteriHg
motions and compelling vote on the bill He
s;t down ami wrote out the rnle himself IN
troduced 1t at his request and suggestion, and
mad 1t referred To his committee. with the dis
tinct understanding that the rule would be re-
ported today. l never heard anything about
his wanting petition of majOrity of the
d.moerats until hir morning. when We ought
to have them voting upoa the order itself
Then the Speaker SAID that he would not report
the rule Unless a majority OF the democrats pc
| ttloned for 1t. lie said nothing about a
petition on Thursday night before the
house adjourned. Had he minated then that
he wanted a petition VIC would have gone to
work and got the MT mbers of the party voting
FOR the bill. which was MA jority of them. to
have signed Il petition, no doubt, but no iutima-
ton OF that sort given by the Speaker
We considered that The roll call of the House.
showing, as IL did, a large majority OF the dein-
ocratic party In favor OF tie blil was a sufficient
warrant tor HIM 10 act according to the wishes
| OF the democratic party as shown upon the
record. ACout the time OF the meeting of the
House this morning 1 went into his committee
| room ami fo- the first time learned that lie had
changed his mind.
FELT THEY HAD BEEN DECEIVED.
The Speaker had given a number of the free
coinage members OF the democratic party 10
under ;ani that he proposed TO have vote
either today or tomorrow upon this rule We
had telegraph. d TOR abseuttes. We had made
every eXert.ou TO have our I.ien in the House
ana To have Incm present. When We found the
aLI.tuUe OF the ,pea.cr had changed it cree; I'd
confusion and conformation among the free
Coinage advocates. They ie.t they had been
deceived an,. disappointed by the action OF tlIe
| o!.eake.. dc h2d given them no cR..nce 20 get
a Petition.
vi coarse they regarded il tia: he had made
| plCG:16 and promises to our opponents
i-lledoes AID promises that he did not advise
| the friends OF lree coinage he had made The
consequence Is that al d crltlc,I moment TIC 8
| s&w hat thc Sycake. had deserted them. and
! many mcmLels. especially those .ho were per-
| soLai.y the followers o; Mr. Crisp, are now
| Refusing TO sign any petition. Willie petitions
| are beng Circulated il il very uncc. .aIIi
| "ncihc!, under the circ lmstancos, majority
| can bu goa for thu: purpose
| The luCt that the Speaker himself has
| changed his attitude toward the measure and
LAS deceived the ir ends o. the hill by his acton
| has caused a Sr.a, Iaah! irce coinage people 10
EeaEt Il III ;hclr position, and l See at this time
| luz very Ittie hope Cf getting majority OF
| the memUe.s oh petition ..sh.u5 that the rEie
| be reported. OF coarse the Speaker has great
| WEI ht ana power. and since he has shown a
dis; ositIoa to let tse bill lie Oh the table MEM
| De- VIII have Confidence III him viii so with
! him and TINS leaves us with the bii having not
| only the anii-lrec coinage men, its Dpponents.
! Dut also the speaker opposed 10 1t and those
| WHO personally follow hlIl.
v hat may be the Outcome OF it | cannot say.
| We can cuunt Il sufficient number OF members
| VINO have been vo.ing against consideration vi
| III. bal. VINO stale empiiaticaily that they Will
| vote Tor the bill, Al IL ever comes W., OH it.
passage to give 1t from ten to twenty majority.
| WHAT SPEAKER CRISP SAYS.
When Spt aher Crisp Was shown the above
statement be said he was surprised that Mr.
Bland should 20 far have forgotten him
| self and the true situation as TO endcavor tc
mislead the public by such statement IL
iustlfying his position My. Crisp said that when
the rules were being considered nc had il
| caucus pledged to his party that no rule should
be reportei prohibiting filbustering or cutting
off thlalory motions excep: at the request and
desire of IL majority OF the democratic mem
bers of the House majority of the demo
Gratis requested that time be fixed for the
| consideration OF the free coinage bill. but max
ing no reference therein to any change of the
rule. In response to this request the commit
tee permitted three Jays. The Speaker said
| thai. as we'll as he recollected, Mr. Bland die
want to incorporate some limitation OF the
right of the House to flibuater, Or wanted
continuing order, but the committee deter
mined that until the necessity for such rule
was demonstrated they would not report it