The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-09-15
IN THE HOUSE.
A Lively Preliminary slsirmish Over the
Tucker Bill.

Tucker Bill.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14.-Open war
was begun in the House today.
Partisan hostilities were inaugu-
rated over the Tucker bill TO repeal the
existing federal election laws. 1t became
apparent at the outset that the Republic
can members would fight the proposition
to repeal the existing election laws to the
bitter end. Burrows OF Michigan led in
the filibustering movement. He declared
in justification of his course that meas
ure SO sweeping as the Tucker Dill, driv-
ing the national government out of the
states and leaving no one on guard at the
polls to prevent fraud and corruption in
congressional and presidential elections,
should have no status in the House until
the Democrats produced their own quo
rum. Furthermore the leaders declare
that once 1t gets into the arena of debate,
they will resist its passage with every ex-
pedient known to parliamentary law.
In the filiDustering fight today they
demonstrated their ability to block mat
tiers and deadlock the House until
quorum of Democratic members is pro-
duced. By their actions and words to-
day, it is understood they are in desper-
ate earnest and the present election laws
exciting and bitterly contested struggle.
They won the first blood today by forcing
a resolution revoking all leaves of alb
sence and summoning the absentees by
telegraph to Washington.
Some of the administration Democrats,
led by General Tracy of New York, know
ing while the House was in opposition to
the present consideration of this bill or
any other bill in the House which may
NIL ootf ol in IA Kan ta for
conditional repeal, acted with the Re-
publicans today.
This angered the silver Democrats in
the House, especially the southern men,
who are particularly interested in the
passage OF the Tucker bill beyond meas
ure. 1t is claimed tonight that the presi-
dent did not countenance this course on
the part of some of his recognized lieu
tenants in the House. If this be true,
they will probably be promptly called off
and their position in the future rejecting
that of the administration will show a
change OF sentiment at the other end of
the avenue.
At TIE conclusion OF the chaplain's
prayer, Burrows, of Michigan, one of the
Republican leaders, surprised the House
by beginning a speech covert with fill
bill to the House. He asked unanimous
consent that the call of committees for re-
ports be dispensed with.
Tucker objected.
Burrows then moved the call be dis
pensed with, without asking unanimous
consent.
Tucker called for the yeas and nays,
and it was apparent as the roll call pro-
ceeded that the Repu blicans were grimlv
resolute. They remained in their seats,
refusing to vote, in order to break
quorum.
A number of the administration Demo-
Gratis, rejecting the White House opposi-
ton to the present consideration of the
bill, also refused to vote. The result was
announced, yeas, 4; nays, 1O6. There
was no quorum.
A call of the House was ordered which
showed the presence of 100 members.
The doors were ordered closed, and
messengers were dispatched in all direc-
tions to bring in the absentees.
The House then settled down to long,
hand-to-hand contest.
The second call again showed the lack
of quorum.
Tucker moved a resolution instructing
the scrgeant-at-arms to bring the abb
sentees before the bar of the House.
Reed fianked the movement by motion
to adjourn and the roll was again called.
The expressed determination of the
Republicans to force the Democrats to
produce quorum of their own before the
Tucker bill can be reported deadlocks
the House.
Reeds motion was lost.
Then fuckers resolution provoked a
bitter debate OF half an hour.
Gen. Grosvenor, OF Ohio. controlled the
time and led the debate for the Republi-
cans. "When the president called Con-
gress in extraordinary session III mid
SUMNER said be, ''the Democratic
leaders, recognizing the divisionsIn their
party, appealed to us to stand by and sus-
tain the administration from an over
wheiming defeat. The Republicans al
most TO man, recognizing the condition
Of the country, demanded that PARTISAN
ship be laid aside, and resolved to sup
port the administration and force into
law measure designed to affect party sue
cess; measure more partisan than any
that had been introduced in twenty years
was to be forced upon US. desire to
sound only single note of warning. The