The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-03
REED LEADS A FILIBUSTER.
FoRhTIs7E OF THE COMING Tariff
FIGHT Nv THE HOUSE

Authorizing the Committee on WAY. and
Means 10 SIT During Adjournment 20
Prepare n TariT Bni-Mr. Reed oh,ectea
and Prevented IA Vote, ms There Was Not
n Quorum OF Democrats Prescnt-Ths
SerEeant-nt.Arms Sent Out TO Bring IN
Absent Members. but Did Not Succeed II
Getting y ouorum-New York City ana
brooklyn Members Among Those VINE
Deserted Their Po.t.-FinnIiy Mr.. Reed
Offered n Compromises, Which Wa. AZ,
csptcd. and Then the Republicans Voted
to Make "a Quorum-A Resolution TO Aa.
Journ tho Extra Session To-day Passed
In tho House-Rererred by tho SENATE
to tho Committee on Appropriations.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 2.-Tom Reed hold up the
House OF Representatives for more than FIVE
hours to-day Tor the purpose OF demon stratinG
how necessary 1t is for party to have Q
quorum OF its own members present In order
to transact business OF a political nature.
After making this point clear. and after calling
Speaker Crisps attention to the convenience
OF the Reed system OF quorum counting Of
which. however. the Speaker did not avail
himself. the Republican leader propos cd com.
promise. This not being subject to the Pres.
idential approval. was accepted by the Dem.
ocrnt!c leaders and the House adjourned for
the day. The deadlock occurred over the req.
olution OF Chairman Wilson. authorizing the
Ways and Means Committee to sit during tho
approaching recess for the purpose OF putting
tho finishing touches on the tariff bill Mr..
Roed thought this an extraordinary and I'M
wise thing to do. as 1t prevented the House
from keeping its watchful eye on the commits
teeand controlling its actions. AS is we'll un-
derstood. the preparation OF Tariff bill Is re.
RI Qi n 4 n fnr md thav nrif,
members of tho committee are not consulted
In any way. When tho bill Is prepared 1t Ii
submitted to them. They formally disapprovo
OF its provisions. and it is then reported to the
House. Mr. Reeds opposition to recess sit
tings eventually grew into a contention as to
the time to be allotted to the Republican NIL
nority utter the bill shall be filed for the prep
aration OF Its dissenting report. The agree.
ment arrived ut after the five hours OF fllibus.
tering and deadlock is that. after the new
tariff bill shall have been reported to the
House. the Republican members OF the Ways
and Means Committee shall be allowed ten
days in which to prepare their report. that Of
the majority to be withheld m eanwhile and the
two filed in the House simultaneously. This
compromise having been arranged satisfao-
torily. MIR. Reed ceased llibuBtering. and the
deadlock that threatened to interfere with the
programme for final adjournment OF the extra
session to m orrow was broken
This incipient deadlock Is not regretted By
the Democratic leaders In tho House. as 1t will
serve to illustrate the danger OF mem bers leav-
ing the House without a Democratic quorum.
practice that is getting to be altogether too
common. 1t is conceded by the leaders
In the House that Chairman Wilson made
a mistake in Withholding his important
resolution until the last hours Of tho
session. when there was apt to be
largo number OF absentees. but his fault does
excuse those members who. without leave or
license. went away from the Capitol and the
city. leaving the Dem ocrats at the mercy OF
Republican minority. Had Mr.. Feed and his
handful OF Republican followers been SO dis
posed to-day they could have held the House
in deadlock until q sufficient number OF abb
sentees to make quorum could be brought
back to town. Tho cause OF tho Republicans
to-day was too trivial for such party warfare.
but some other time Mr.. Reed may have a
more important point to make. and may insist
on the presence Of Democratic quorum.
which might possibly not be forthcoming.
1t is particularly noticeable to members and
outsiders that the most frequent vioators Of
the rule against absenteeism are the members
OF tho New York delegation. They fly from
the city at the first opportunity. and often
when they are In town they are away from the
HOUSE WHou tHtlT NOleb arc hObL ueeueu. IL
was SO to-day. Their offence was the more
inexcusable and the Indignation OF their COLI
leagues from other States moro justified.
because. had those who left the House
soon after tho hour Of meeting remained.
their votes would have afforded the
necessary quorum. there would have been
no deadlock. and the New Workers would still
have been able to take the afternoon train for
New York. There was much indignation
among the Democratic members generally
over the action OF a majority Of the New York
delegation. majority OF them were present
when the fight began. Nine Of them disap-
peared after call Of the House was ordered.
On tho second vote. had these nine members
been In their seats. q Democratic quorum
would have been developed.
Those who were absent were Representa-
tlves Cochran. Hendrix. Fitch. Dunphy. Fell
lows. MaRner Clancy. Bartlett. Campbell.
Graham lwho is sick. and Lockwood. Messrs.
Bartlett Hendricks. and Cochran left on an
early afternoon train for New York. Messrs.
Fitch. Dunphy. Fellows Magner. and Clancy
took the o'clock train. Messrs. Campbell
and Lockwood may have been In Washington.
but failed on each roll call to answer to their
names Those who left on the o'clock train
were met at the depot by the Assistant Ser
who detailed the situation In
the House and asked them to return. They
refused to do go and left for New York
They had hardly crossed the eastern branch
Of the Potomac when tho House passed a reso-
luton revoking all leaves OF absence and order
ing the arrest OF absent members. Thereupon
tho Sergeant-at-Arms teiegraphed to VIII
mngton. Del. to the New York members. who
we're on the Congressional limited. telling
hem OF the action o! the House. and asking
heir immediate return to Washington. hut
hey did not return. Their colleagues remain
ng In the House were overwhelmed with IN
lignant questions concerning the absenteeS.
Tho New York Democrats who were present
we're Representatives Warner. Cummings.
'ickles, Ryan. CoOmbs JIaines. Covert. Scher-
ncrhorn. and Tracey. Mr.. Cummings came
rom a sick bed in response to request from
ir. Wilson and remained throughout the fight.
For an hour or two this afternoon 1t looked
cry much as II protracted deadlock had
cen inaugurated and that the exciting scenes
ecen,ly witnessed In the Senate chamber
;ere to be repeated. Early In tho fight there
'as little indication OF = compromise. and