The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-13


inridge) denounced as tyrannical and
corrupt as brave a man (Mr Reed as
ever lived in the times. They accused
him OF revolution, yet the highest court
in the land sustaine him: OF usurpa-
ton, yet he has upheld every right of
every member of the house. They have
assailed his personal character, yet he
stands today with his party like
stone wall behind him. i congratulate
him on the victory that he Is winning
over old prejudices and the house on
the triumph for liberty of faction"
MIR. Catchings Replies.
ct am not surprised at the outburst
Of the gentleman from Iowa." said Gen.
Catchings. again taking the floor. He
has witnessed on this side something
that could never have occurred on the
other. He has had evidence that the
speaker does not desire TO force his in
dividual will by riding roughshod over
the opinions OF his colleagues. Uaugh-
teri When differences of opinion occur
on this side of the house we are ready TO
yield to the manifest will Of the MAORI
ty. You addressing the republicans are
fond Of claiming that the committee on
rules. in the changes II has suggested in
the rules. has followed in the wake Of
republican leadership. AS a matter or
fact. from your rules We have selected
but two things as worthy of retention,
the method of introducing bills and the
reduction of the size OF the quorum in
committee of the whole. Everywhere
else we have expressly repudiated the
dominant idea of the rules Of the Fifty
first congress investing the speaker with
supreme power We would not coun-
tenance a rule making members theoret-
ically present when they were physically
absent. and we have everywhere been
careful to limit the power Of the speaker
so that he could do nothing not dictated
by the majority of the house." (Ap-
Dlause)
Mr.. SprInger's Onslaught.
Mr.. Springer followed with a general
assault on what he termed the two fund
amental usurpations of the rules Of the
F1fty-first congress, the power Of the
speaker to count a quorum and his
power to determine dilatory motions.
The power 10 determine what was a
dilatory motion. he said. placed every
member OF the house in the power of the
speaker. 1t enabled him to pass on the
motions of members and was revolu-
tionary in character. The change made
by the present rules committee in the
interest OF suppresslng flIbustering
to the majority of the house. 1t gave
the republicans as well as the democrats
an opportunity to sustain or oppose by
a vote.
do under stand you to say" arose
the shrill voice of Mr. Wilson of Wash
ington, that the republicans can voter"
Oaughter)
las long as the democrats are In
power" replied Mr.. Springer. solemnly.
the republicans have a right to vote"
(Applause)
vote and have their votes counted? ?"
continued Mr.. Wilson.
Yes, and counted"
''When?" shouted the excited Wash
ingtonian.
AIT the proper time." responded Mr..
Springer, dryly.
The house laughed and Mr.. Springer
proceeded to discuss the question OF
counting quorum. When he concluded
Mr.. Reed walked down the aisle. The
hubbub in the house was stilled.
Reed Makes n Defense.
'T would hardly know what to do"
began Mr.. Reed, slowly and deliberately,
when 1 find the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Springer and the supreme court
in opposition were it not that / have
convictions OF my own. I am exceed
ingly sorry the democratic party cannot
understand the fundamental principles
Of this question. The average demo-
cratic mind seems incapable of grasping
them. The high minds of the rules COM
mittee understand something of the es-
sentials, but even they are unable to
reach the topmost nights. But the
truth will finally prevail. I should not
reply TO these structures again." con-
tinued Mr.. Reed, ''but for the fact that
l do not want what has been said TO
go into the record unchanged Filibus-
tering is modern invention. There was
no cholera medicine until cholera broke
out, and so there was no remedy for
parliamentary filibustering until filibus-
tering became a chronic disease. The
power of the chair is the power of the
house. Gentlemen speak as If the
speaker was an irresponsible Individual
It is impossible for the speaker to do
what the house does not want him 20 do
As soon as the contrary proposition is
stated its absurdity is seen. Therefore,
whatever charges have been made
against me as speaker Of the Fifty-first
house should properly have lodged
against that house which uniformly sus-
tanned me. Gentlemen speak of the sup
preston OF dilatory motions 1t is the
plain duty of the speaker, under parlia-
mentary law, to suppress dilatory mo-
tons. In 1881, in the house Of commons
thirty-three members banded themselves
together TO filibuster by speech-making
Up to that time debate had been unlim-
tied, cloture had never been resorted to-
Yet at the end of forty hours the speaker
announced that no more gentlemen
would be permitted to speak and no more
motions would be entertained. The ques-
ton was put and carried, and therefore
for the first time, by the sole action Of
the presiding officer, cloture obtained IN
the house of commons. / declare now
and here, defy contradiction, that the
power to rule out dilatory motions was
never exercised until the speaker and
every man in the house believed and
knew that the motions were used to de-
lay business. In time this whole mat
ter viii become perfectly plain. 1 notice
that less and less foolishness is being
talked on the floor. Even the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Springer) seems to
show Improvement with age. daughter
Gentlemen" he concluded, throwing
his arms out wildly in the direction Of
the democratic side, II bid you Cod
speed. know that bourbonism and con-
servativeism hold you firmly in its grasp
But the right will be triumphant. Your
bonds will be broken. You will progress
as all things do in time, for after all
does not the world mover" daughter
and applause.)
The Kyle amendment was then agreed
to.
burrows Heard From.
All the rules having been passed, Mr..
Catchings then called for the previous
question on the report and Mr.. Burrows
offered as a substitute the code of rules
Of the Fifty-first congress, with an
amendment providing that when a call
Of nn ia had no or