The morning news., 1892-02-03
RULES OF THE HOUSE.
a LIVELY DEBATE OF A POLIT-
ICAL COMPLEXION

AC1AA ~ II A-4-<AAC-Ha
The Burrows Am endment Giving the
speaker the Right to Count a Quo
rum Rejected - Ex-Speaker Reed
Offers an Amendment to Compel
Members to Vote When Roll Call is
Resorted To.
WASHINGTON, Feb. An the House TO-
day, after a short personal controversy
between Messrs. Morse aud Hoar Of Massa-
chusetts, consideration Of the rules was
resumed. The Burrows amendment giving
the speaker the right to count a quorum
was rejected, the demand for the yeas and
nays having been withdrawn.
Mr.. Reed offered an amendment provid-
ing that whenever a quorum fails 70 vote
On any question there shall be a call
Of the House and the yeas and
nays shall at the same time be ordered.
As each member answers to his name be
shall vote on the yeas and nays. Mr.. Reed
stated that the amendment was similar to
one offered some years ago by John RAN
dolph Tucker.
Mr. McMillin opposed the amendment
and inveighed against the action Of the last
congress in locking the doors during O call
of che House. He referred to the celebrated
feat OF Mr.. Kilgore in kicking open the
door, aud declared that he had done per.
fectly right. Laughter and applause The
free representatives Of free people should
never be called upon to legisate under lock
and key. [Applause.l
TRUE TO PRINCIPLE.
Mr.. Mills said that it showed the ad-
herence Of the Democratic party to freedom
that 50 great a man as Mr. Tucker could not
induce it to depart from the fundamental
principle Of representative government.
democratic applause. He was a democrat.
[Applause.l He vent back to the funda-
mental principles Of representative govern
ment. What was the fundamental truth
which underlay the whole system Of govern
ment, so that it was government not of
force but Of consenti LApplause.l
Its power came from the will of the peo>
pie. Were the people to be compelled TO
Vote' Congress had the same right TO do
that as they had to compel their representa-
tives to vote.
Messrs. Springer and Blackburn in favor of
the Tucker amendment when it was first
offered.
Mr.. Springer, in retort, quoted against
Mr.. Reed his utterauces upon that occasion
in opposition to tha amendment.
ALIENS QUAINT HUMoR.
Mr.. Allen Of Mississippi suggested as a
compromise that the gentleman from Maine
adopt the speech of the gentleman from
Illinois and the gentleman from Illinois
adopt the speech Of the gentleman from
Maine. That would save time and put an
end to the controversy.
The amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Bynum offered an amendment strik-
ing out from the list Of privileged motions
which may be made when any question is
under debate motions to fix a day to which
the House shall adjourn and to take re-
cess. After debate the amendment was
lost-yeas 81; nays l61.
Mr.. Burrows of Michigan offered an
amendment providing that no dilatory mo-
tion shall be entertained by the speaker.
This was rejected.
RIDERS ON APPROPRIATION BILLS.
Mr.. Boatner offered an amendment strik-
ing out all that part of the rules giving per-
mission to legislate on appropriation bills
when in the interest of retrenchnent in ex-
penditures. He said that be did this in
order to test the sense of the House.
Mr.. Holman sustained the provision and
was replied to by Mr.. Dingley, who pre-
dicted that If the proposition were incor-
porated iG the rules October would find tho
House still in session.
Mr.. Blount advocated the rule The
only way to retrench expenditures was to
retrench them, and the only way IN which
this could be accomplished was by legis-
lation on the appropriation bills.
TILLMAN FAvORs RIDERS.
Mr.. Tillman of South Carolina in sup
porting the rule advocated the dootriue OF
riders upon the appropriation bills. Those
riders constituted a bayonet inithe hands of
the majority of the House of Representa-
tives and they ought to be exercised. By
the adoption Of a similar rule in the Forty
fourth congress a saving Of over $50, ,000, 900
had been made and on that record Mr..
Tilden had been elected President. The
republicans had stolen the office, but il this
rule were again adopted, the next President
would be democrat.
Mr.. Pickler Of South Dakota, in oppos-
ing the rules, alluded TO the power which
would be given to the com rittee on rules.
Thres men now living in the southeastern
portion OF the country absolutely controlled
the legislation of the government under the
rules which it was proposed to adopt. He
was opposed to concentration of power in
the hands OF few favored committees.
Pending action the House adjourned.