Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-31
NOW IN THE HOUSE.
Probable Course of Action on the
Voorhees, Repeal Bill.
Mr.. BLANDS DETERMINATION.
He Will Offer a Free Coinage
Amendment.
NO DELAY PECTED

The Voorhees, bill passed the Senate too
late to be sent to the House yesterday, it
cannot under the rules Of the House be laid
before that body until tomorrow The rules
provide that each morning after the reading
Of the journal the Speaker may lay before
the House various communications and
documents which were received the pre-
v:ous day, among them House bills with
Senate amendments There is considerable
eagerness not only on the part of the re-
peal men, but many of the opponents Of the
bill, to have it disposed Of now as quickly
as possible. but this rule precludes its be-
ing laid before the House this morning ex-
cept by unanimous consent.
To Take the Regular Course.
number of the silver men have express
ed willingness to give this consent, but Mr..
Bland and other silver men say that they
prefer to have the measure take the regu-
lar course, granting to 1t no special privilege.
though they get no advantage by this slight
delay. The first thing tomorrow morning
the bill will be taken from the Speakers
table. Mr.. Wilson will move to concur in
the Senate amendments and Mr.. Bland will
endeavor to have II sent to committee. He
disclaims any purpose of delay in his desire
to have the bill go to committee, but says
that he wants the regular order followed.
To BE Settled by IA Majority Vote.
This question is subject to settlement by
majority vote in the House, and there is
no question of there being a majority in
favor of immediate concurrence in the
Senate amendment. which would dispose of
the bill as far Congress is concerned.
There are some of the members Of the
House who wish to discuss the measure
briefly before action and it may be that an
agreement to permit this will be entered
into provided but a short time Is required
for discussion. Apparently there is moth
ing to delay an adjournment after this
measure has been disposed of and one will
be taken not later than twenty-four hours
after the bill has been acted on.
Mr.. Bland's Determination.
Mr.. Bland proposes to offer an amend
ment to the Voorhees, bill when 1t is laid
before the House providing for the re-en-
actment of the law of 81, which is for free
coinage. This amendment WILL of course,
be promptly voted down. MIR. Bland Is
also going to try to prevent an adjournment
of the special session.
He said this afternoon: II want to make
good the declaration that has come to us in
the Voorhees, bill by providing for the
free coinage of the standard silver dollar"
When do you think the bill will be dis
posed OFF" he was asked.
"Oh. probably by the end Of the week"
"Will that be sufficient time for the
friends of the proposed amendment in which
to discuss it?'
II don't know that they will want to dis
cuss 1t: but If they do there should be no
vote must be upon the naked question We
should have had free coinage Of silver by
this time had it not been for these alleged
compromises"
What Mr.. Tracey Says.
Mr.. Tracey IN. ", chairman Of the ex-
ecutive committee of repealers in the House.
said: "After the reading of the journal
tomorrow the Speaker will lay the bill be-
fore the House, and Mr.. Wilson will move
to concur in the Senate amendment, and
on that ask the previous question. That
will give half an hour for debate. The silver
men will also have an opportunity to move
to commit. which is nor debatable. and
to amend by inserting new section, if
they desire
is not half an hour rather a short time
for debate?' he was asked.
II don't see any necessity for more. The
silver men. however. were offered more time
today, but they declined to consent that
the bill should be taken up now."
What Speaker Crisp Expects.
Speaker Crisp expects the House to dis
sion, and that Congress will adjourn Thurs
day or Friday. Il see nothing to prevent
our getting away by that time" he said
Congress will adjourn, in my opinion; not
take d recess. The latter would necessitate
a return to Washington the week before
the beginning of the regular session in order
to adjourn, and don't believe Congressmen
want to do that"
The construction by Speaker Crisp that
the rule regarding the order of business
prevented the House from taking up a bill
the day it was received from the Senate
except by unanimous consent, was crit
icised by the parliamen tarians in the press
gallery and on the floor. They said that it
was merely directory to the Speaker for
his action at that particular time in the
day; that bill received from the Senate
could be taken up for action at once by the
adoption of an ordinary motion for that
purpose. and that such action had been
frequently taken in the House.
Defends His DecisiOn.
The matter was presented to Speaker
Crisp. who said, in comment thereon, that
he did not recall any particular bill that had
been taken up by the House on the day it
was received from the Senate. ''If a motion
to that effect was made and carried and the
bill considered in consequence thereof, 1t
must have been done under the assumption
that unanimous consent was given"
But. admitting that the rule has been
ignored and the question decided by a ma
jority vote upon motion, 1t Is not less
the duty of the chair to hold that unani-
nous consent is required to take up a bill
received from the Senate the same day
when his attention has been called to the
rule. OF course" continued Mr.. Crisp, ION
the last day of a session, many bills are
acted upon Immediately after coming over
from the Senate. otherwise they would fail
entirely. But this action is based wholly
upon the unanimous consent Of the House
thereto"