Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-10-19
REMARKABLE SESSION.
SENATE IN CONTINUOUS SESSION
FOR THIRTY-EIGHT HOURS.
Allen Breaks the Record,
Speaking Continuously for Four
teen Observation-Disclosures OF n
Compromise.

X4
NJ teen Observation-Disclosures OF u
Compromise.
n Washington. Oct. 13.--The usual meth
Gods by which controversies over leeis.
slIation are settled, by an agreement to
come to a vote, had failed TO carry,
land the decision of a great financial
%queStion resolved into a test of physical
.aendurance not unlike the games of the
Romans
e. This peculiar condition is a necessity
under the rules by which the senate
Xoperates. There Is no manner In which
n vote car be forced except by the
Wiring out Of those whose speech-making
obstructs d natural and parliamentary
settlement. The method Is not a new
lone, as IL has heretofore been resorted
60 on numerous occasions.
After some routine business. MI. Al
Ien Pop., Neb) took the floor to con
tinue his speech.
s. Continuous Session.
M Mr.. Allen was still speaking when,
fsEt eos o'clock. MIR. Dubois (Rep., Ida
4thol rose and Mr.. Allen yielded to him,
he observed that IL was 9 o'clock,
Esthe hour when the senate usually adj
R3ourned. He asked the senator from In
hdiana CVoorhees) whether he was going
ITO make the motion this evening.
81 Il feel IL 10 be my highest duty" said
Mr.. Voorhees,. mot TO make that mo-
sfion this evening. but on the contrary
kfo ask the senate TO stay together in
continuous session until the pending
measure is disposed Of"
n Mr.. Dubois said that the statement
OF the senator from Indiana meant
that the senate was to be held in con-
iStinuous session until the pending bill
Twas brought TO a vote or Until it was
demonstrated that it could not be
brought TO a vote.
Mr.. Voorhees, said ii had been suggest
ed to him frequently by letter and
the press to GO outside Of the rules
and appeal to the presiding officer of
1.-THE senate to sustain him in a motion
|1not provided for in the rules to pro-
Ilceed to Il vote. II would as soon"
said he. think of committing open
@Sligh treason or private murder as to
I commit such a crime
~ Mr. Allen then resumed his speech.
Y and from Z o'clock Until IL the debate
l continued without any unusual features.
tf Gradually the senators commenced
DO vanish, and as midnight approached
less than n dozen senators were in
eheir seats. But the thunderous voice
'gnf the big Populist from Nebraska
Esshowed no signs of weakening. OF
sthe twenty-nine books which he had
Sfstacked up on his desk only three had
been opened. The remaining twenty
<ix represented SO much stored up
ability TO talk against time. Occasional
iy he would relieve himself by having
the clerk read extracts, and at such
breathing spells mysterious whispered
consultation were held with Senator
Teller.
At L. o'clock Mr.. Dubois arose and
remarked as he looked about the cham
Der: mir. President, l believe that a
quorum Is not present"
The vice president directed the clerk
90 call the roll. From the cloak rooms
and entrances the senators crowded into
the chamber. When the roll call had
been completed Mr.. Stevenson an
nounced that fifty-five senators were
PRESENT. quorum-and directed Sem
ator Allen to proceed. The Nebraskan
b promptly took the floor again, and the
quorum as promptly disappeared
7shrough the cloak room doors.
Mr.. Allen began reading from Chad
slwick's political economy. Now and then
he would pause to make a comment on
Ia striking passage or take a sip from
Athe dilapidated. overworked lemon that
Nay on his desk.
IN At 12:45 a. m. Senator Dubois again
called the attention of the vice presi-
sRdent to the fact hat no quorum was
l gpresent, and In obedience TO the cleo
EBtric signal the occupants of the cloak
srrooms again filed hastily into the cham
Fber. The vice president announced that
sE3 senafors-a quorum-was present.
. Mr.. Allen resumed, and at 1 a. IN.
Mr.. Hoar YEARLY interrupted to ask
sAif he was not reading to show that
Athere was o an overproduction OF
agricultural products. He wanted to
'Iknow candidly whether the Nebraskan
did not thinL his speech was an over
REPRODUCTION.
ga Mr.. Allen holly a~ked Mr.. Hoar IL he
I wanted to insult him, %wnereupon the
\ senator from Massachusetts purged
himself, ~apologized humbly and equil
aibrium was restored.
breaks the Record.
IA All night long Senator Allen held the
MOOR, interrupted by an occasional i'll
tempered colloquy or a roll call, which
dragged the sleepy senators to their
ktposts.
s The gray dawn found Mr.. Allen hold
4.sYng the fort In the great struggle agains,
unconditional repeal as he had been
4twhen darkness fell from the wings
aof night twelve hours before. He had
Broken all previous records. For twelve
hours and forty-five minutes he had
sf6sheld the floor continuously. The long
|9est time a senator had previously occu
/ spied the floor vas IN the occasion
OF the force bill fight in 1891, when
X Senator Falkner remained on guard fol-
ftwelve hours. The West Virginian
ahowever. had a two hours breathing
1 sspen during the absence of a quorum.
So Mr.. Allen seemed almost us fresh
AS when he began. Ills voice was still
"a loud and strong, and the great strain
tseemed not to have affected his phys.
sgical or mental vigor. The floor about
him was strewn and Uttered with paper
IA few belated spectators In the galleries
s4dozed. Senator Voorhees, sat In his seat
n reading. Senator Mitchell was writing
if industriously at his desk. Senator Du'
III bois, alert and very much awake, occu,
~ pied the sentinel tower FOR the silver,
IL ties, while TO the right and left of him
I<aw- ~, c..- - n ~-s0i.n. x-I N~.. IIn-.