Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-10-14
THE SILVER FIGHT GOES ON.

speech.
At 4:30 Mr.. Power, republican, OF
Montana. suggested that there was not
quorum present. The Senator from
Connecticut (Mr. PlatO rose to remon-
strate against having another CALL as
there was evidently quorum present.
He was promptly called to order by
Mr.. Teller on the ground that the mere
suggestion of the absence of quorum
required the immediate calling OF the
roll At this point an excited and in-
teresting debate started with a renewal
of the discussion as to roll calls. Mr..
Teller wanted it understood that the
minority would insist on a quorum at
all times. even if the roll had to be
called every five minutes. 1t was the
majority, he said, which was supposed
to be transacting business, and it was
the business of the majority to be in the
Senate chamber all the time. He insist
ed that obstructive measures had been
put in the hands of the minority by the
Constitution and by the rules. 1t was
as much his duty to defeat measure
by obstructive measures as by his vote.
Mr.. Platt, republican, of Connecticut,
dissented from 1.-The very remarkable
position taken by Mr.. Teller. 1t was
a deliberate statement that that Sena-
tor would not observe the rules of the
Senate, because he was in the minority.
That was one of the things which was
fast bringing the Senate into disgrace.
The duty of Senator was TO take part
in legislation.
Senators Teller and Hoar then had
an excited discussion over the rights of
minorities. Mr. Hoar denied the right
of the minority to resort to obstructive
tactics to prevent the passage of a bill.
Mr.. VOORHEES,, of Indiana, said that
he expected great good to come out of
such discussions. They were demon
straling to the world the absolute
necessity of reforming the rules of the
Senate. He went on to say that what
ever other Senators might conceive to
be their duty, he conceived it to be his
duty to remain in the Senate chamber
in continuous session rs long as ma
jority would remain with him. He
made this statement now so that Sena-
tors might take notice and govern
themselves accordingly. The condi-
ton OF the bill was such that he would
feel guilty il he volunteered to stop its
consideration for single moment, so
long as the majority stood by him.
A resolution instructing the COM
mittee on Pacific railroads TO invcsti-
gate and report whether the Union Pa
cific Railroad Company has passed into
the hands Of receiver and if so, by
what action and under what circum-
stances and what steps, if any, are
necessary to protect the interest of the
United States and secure the indebt-
ness of the company to the government
is agreed to, with an amendment, d.
recting inquiry also into the authority
of Congress over the road.
Mr.. Stewart then then took up again
his talk upon the silver question, which
was broken every half-bour or oftener
by roll-calls. On one occasion the clerk
was reading, at his request, one of his
numerous articles from newspapers,
when objection was made by Mr.. Vilae
that that was against the rule. The
Vice-President quoted the rule, and de-
cided in support of the point of order.
Mr.. Stewart simply remarked that
Mr.. Vilas's objection was lust too
mean,n and Mr.. Kyle read the article
for him.
Mr.. Stewart reserving his speech. an
nounced his purpose not to vote for
any bill that would limit the life OF
silver. He was interrupted by half
hourly calls.
Mr.. PETER then took the floor and
spoke against the silver repeal bill.
He was interrupted by many roll calls.
In the course Of his speech, Mr.. PETER
sent to the clerks desk paper to be
read. This brought Mr.. Henderson to
his feet to object that Senators who I'M
dertook to kill time by talking should
be relieved by the clerk or any SEN
ator. This gave rise to considerable
debate, in which Senators Palmer, Tel
Ter. Frye, Kyle, Faulkner. Aldrich and
Harris took part. The right of Sena-
tor PETER to have the paper read was
submitted to vote of the Senate. Be-
fore the vote was announced, Mr.. Villas,
of Wisconsin, asked whether the Sena-
tor from Idaho (Alr. Dubois) had vot-
ed. The Vice President announced
that Mr.. Dubois had not voted. When
the Senator's name had been called,
Mr.. Dubois sat silent in his seat.
The Vice President asked Mr.. Du-
bois to give his reason for not voting
The Senator from Idaho rose slowly,
and complaisantly announced that he
was responsible to the people of Idaho,
and not to the Senator from Wisconsin,
for his action and that, if it was to the
interest of his constituents to withhold
his vote, he proposed to do so.
The Senate then got into a parlia-
mentary tangle over the question OF
compelling the Senator from Idaho to
vote or give legitimate reason for not
doing so. During the debate Mr..
White delivered an imprisoned speech
on the duty of every Senator to vote,
and he took the ground that if Sena-
tor persistently refused to answer to
his name, or give good reasons for not
doing so, the Senate could expel such
disobedient Senator.
a division was called for on the mo-
ton to excuse Mr.. Dubois, and the
vote stood-ayes "a, nays 5.
At 11:27 it was suggested that no
quorum was present. A roll call de-
yeloped the presence of forty Senators;
and. no quorum being present, Mr..
Eapll-Der movn6 that the serpaaDt-af-