Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-09-20

SENATE WAR is NOW ON


tuli. At l-a0 the uitt 70 report the sill
yer purchase act was taken up. and Mr..
Voorhees, proceeded 10 make a state
ment 10 the senate. lie thought ID
would not be misspent time 90 instruct
the public mind somewhat in references
10 the organization of tho sonate, the
laws Of which governed 1t aud what
could and coald not be done. On
the ith Of March. 1850. the senate Of
the United States had convened. but
there was 90 quorum pntil April IL.
Shortly afterward 4 SYSTEM OF rules bad
been. reported by committee. and
adopted by the senate Tho eighth rule.
adopted April 10. reads: when a ques-
ton Is before the senate no motion shall
be received except for an amendment of
the previous question. for pcstponiDg the
main question or 10 adjourn Tho
ninth was: "Ihe previous question hay.
ing been moved and seconded. the Qucs
ton from the chair shall be. ''Shall tho
main question be put. etc. etc" These
two provisions had governed the senate
for seventeen years; 50 that there had
been n previous question IN the senate
Tor seyentcen years. as there was now
in the honsoof representatives. Ii had
been borrowed from the English system
for closing debstc. Ii had been tried
fully and in 1906 il had been deliber-
atoiy abandoned and never used 10 the
senate To close debate from that hour to
the present.
Why Debate Continued.
lie had been arraigned by public
opinion for not terminating the debate
on the repeal bill. AS well might he be
arralgned Tor not terminating the tides
of the ocean or the blowing OF the north
west winds. lie wished to emphasize
the fact that clOture rule had ance pre-
vailed In the senate and bad been DELHI
erately abandoned. and that IN abandon
ing IL. the senate had placed its govern
ment ON the sense of propriety. the
patriotism aud the regard OF the public
interest of every senator aud the senate
itself. with the certainty that no senator
would be found 10 abuse the patience of
the senate Or Ia outrage the public bust
ness or the public duty.
for eighty years that condition
OF things had existed. PROM ls00 to the
present tune the senate had proceeded
under rules. freedom of liberty of dis
cussion without the abusc of freedom of
debate or ~ liberty Of discussion. so
far as personal criticism of himself WIS
coneernesl he treated with scorn and
miserable contempt discussions coming
from New York bankers or anywhere
else as To the motives which governed
him. That kind OF criticism came he
added with much bitterness OF tonel
from class of which the Savior OF
the world never spoke with respect.
land neither do 1.
Appealed for Vote.
Mr.. Voorhees, then alludng to the re-
sistance which democrat eenatoIs under
the leadership of sir. Gormsnl had met
the force hsll and asked whether II was
claimed that that lill had been debated
10 death. IL had not been talked to
death. IL had been voted 10 death.
That Was all he asked for the pending
measure. II there was power in the
present opposition 20 vote down the re-
peal bill. he asked that that power
should be exercised. But he appealed
To senatots 10 come 10 a vote. Action,
he said. had 10 come. and senators might
as we'll when it would come. The law
OF the majority could not be ignored.
lie vas the last man 20 use majority
for the purpose of trampling en- ihe
minority. \ minority had its rights
guaranteed and inbcdded an the consii
tuition. tie was tenacious If those
rights habitually ~. constitutionaily
80. FOR he had been in minority good
deal III his l.fo and rcsEectcd tie MINOR
iiys rights and privileges
Majority 9ulr-.
But" he added impreesiveIy. what
governs in these Unifcd States. What
governs an thls boiyi A majority
The foundations % liberty eyerywhere
in this country. ia this land aud other
laBdn are laid by majorltIss, Can tho
rruaiors Who afo opposing this measure.
IA the bitter aud IA extremes. justify
themselves IN defying the great Law
urderiyiEg the principles of American
htssly assd underlying the proper gov
efeueent q The wofidy"
After continuing ~ sJme further
length. Mr.. Noofhees said: "A vote.
repeat. has 90 come. The force bill
itself. which has bcen so often spoken
ot. - an evidence that the vote must
come. and nov pause o. hear whether
there is any response 10 the suggestions
which 1 have made ss 81 the agreeing 10
the time when the vote on this bill may
be taken"
Dubois Makes Hepiy.
Instantly Mr.. Dubois was on his feet.
He said that the senator from Indiana
bad been trying toerpiain 10 s1metsosiy
out II the chamber vhy he hal not oeen
attempting 60 do something contrary b.
the dignity Il the senate.
This wss the third time that the sena
tor frum Indiana bad asked unanimous
consent - nx time fss sotleE on tho
repeal ball Speaking Dor thn=e opfsoee,i
g. tae rspcal hiil. Mf ilulayss stated
that many senator's bad aifeatly given
nottce = their ihtenfion - SPEAK ADD
that it Was sell known that many others
sishe1 90 ~ heard
Iha fnenla e silver. Mr. rntz.is said.
knew sod nu.f knoe that whatever beg
islallop they at favorable D. SILVER nsosi
- srrurrsl nos II must lse goi ihf4exh
q substitute - the pending lsil There
f1se be orpoeed unsief thssse esnslitisna
~ asins - snT tin,s fot ct~sna tho
aefste
s~sssher=' s~~ Msse.
NJ to~Fhees aaais sspsk The fsssf Ne
sor RaFe . prtier fhnt firm sAsl sftss
tlaanffas. sad b~sanetH4 eiih sonss
~ as sis.1eil So ttat fte s~ssisss 4
a. sshsff - tsteH.issi ke s,s.,iil ss,l
80 fnfnssseatif. lsnt that tAe ssuafs
si..5ala 81 losFs4 e. fksI al se lett hst.
: rhsesss a. delssts slsa iih Esd a. tilsl
sisas+ aiseht - ~ sehsfisFs Is ,.tgs,s, u -
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