People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-10-20
AFTER A FORTY-EIGHT HOURS
FIGHT THEY QUIT.
COULDN'T STAND TEE STRAIN.
Unable to Muster Quorum the senate
Adjourns Silver Men Draw First
BlOod-The Utter Helplessness
of the senate to Do Business
Under the Rules Clearly
Demons trated.

m the senate adjourned on Mr.. Voor-
hees' motion.
Shortly before ! o'clock Mr.. Gal
linger of New Hampshire asked the
senator from Indiana Mr. Voorhees,
whether he expected the senate to re-
main in session much longer without
rest He confessed that he himself
would be glad to hear a motion to
adjourn.
Mr.. Voorhees, rose and every senator
N the chamber gave earnest attention
to his remarks.
He said that be had not embarked
upon this voyage without full knowl-
edge of the difficulties that would en-
counter him. His previous experience
in such matters had perhaps prepared
him for what had happened, more so,
perhaps, than others of less expert
ence.
During the past forty two hours he
had only slept one hour. He believed
aquorum would ultimately reach the
chamber. There were, he said, forty
members here now, not counting seven
or eight luxurianL kindly souls itting
about the chamber, too indolent even
to answer to their names.
Mr.. Stewart was speaking but if
teen minutes when Mr.. Wolcott, fear
ing, perhaps, that senators who disap-
peared as soon as they answered the
previous call would go to sleep, once
more suggested the absence of the
quorum
Thirty-six senators answered to
their names, and on motion of Mr..
Voorhees, the following list of abb
sentees was compiled: Messrs. Aid
rich, Allen, Blackburn, Brlce, Butler,
Caffrey, Call, Cameron, Chandler,
Cockrell, Coke, Colquitt, Daniel
Dolph, Dubois, George, Gibson, Cor
man, Hansbrough, Harris, Irby,
Jones, of Arkansas; Jones, of Nevada;
Kyle, Martin, Mills, Mitchell. of
Oregon; Mitchell, of Wisconsin; Nor
gan, Morrill,, Murphy, PETER, Perkins,
Pettigrew, Power, Pugh, Ransom,
Roach, Sherman, Shoup, Stockbridge,
Teller, Turpie, Vance, Vest Waltham,
White, of California; Wilson and VOL
cot
At lao o'clock the sergeant-at-arms
submitted his report in writing, which
showed that there were two senators
absent from the city, twelve excused
by the senate, four unable to attend
on account of illness, and sixteen re-
ported at their residences as absent
from home and could not be found.
Immediately following this report
Mr.. Voorhees, said that in view of the
report of the sergeant-at-arms it was
evident that no further business could
be transacted tonight and he there
fore moved that the senate adjourn.
There was no opposition, and the SEN
ate, at las, adjourned until II o'clock
Friday.
No more perfect demonstration of
the helpless of the senate under the
present system of rules has been given
than by the event that followed an
inquiry by Voorhees, as to whether
there is any limit or restraint on the
rule permitting senators to make the
point of no quorum.
"In the terms of the rule" said MIR.
Frye, who was presiding, there is no
limitation, and the chair knows of no
power in the presiding officer to put a
limita ton"
Mr.. Voorhees, sank back in his seat
angry. but with no further word of
protest The roll cal brought forty
four more unwilling victims into the
chamber. AS soon as the announce
ment was made Mr.. Quay of Penn
sylvania got to his feet and suggested
the absence of quorum. He said the
decision of the chair put it absolutely
in the power of any one senator to
block legislation, for as rapidly as a
computation was made a senator
could suggest the absence of a quo
rum, and the roll would have to be
called.
"The senate OF the United State g.
said Mr. Frye slowly and with a
gravity that ;aused the galleries to
litter, lis the most dignifed legisla-
tive body in the world here he
paused, and" he proceeded, "the
trainers OF its rules did not suppose
that any senator would violate the
proprieties or the decencies of the
senate. Therefore, the rule is made
without any limitation upon a senator
except his own sense of right"
THE theory of constitution, said
Mr.. Quay, disgustedly, may be stated
by the chair, but our recent expert
ence has shown that the senate is very
differently constituted
He then withdrew his suggestion o.
the fact of quorum not being pres
ent. when, to the establishment of all
Mr.. Carey, who evidently wanted t
show the country exactly how power.
less the senate was, repeated it. The
chair had the rule read. 1t provide,
that if at any time any senator raise:
question as to the presence of q
quorum, the presiding officer shall
forthwith direct the roll to be called