The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-03
AFTER THE LONG BATTLE.
How the Democrats Brought About
Their Own Defeat.
ILLEGALIHY OF THEIR ACTION
Practically Confessed by Their ResoIu-
tioa Asking Opinion of Supreme
Court-Democrats Anxious to Get
Their Mileage Fees.
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS.

NEWPORI, June 3.-lne Closing scenes
In the house yesterday afternoon were
characteristic OF the Democratic party.
Mr.. Honey and Speaker Owen had played
their last trump card and failed. They
had appealed to the Rep ublican senate to
help them out of the hole aud their APP
peal had been denied. Public Union
was beginning to make itself felt aud the
opposition of some of the better members
OF the party to Mr.. Honey's course forced
from him and the steering COMMITTEES the
resolution asking the governor to quest
the supreme court to decide upon the
alleged matters Of difference.
Forced to the wall Mr.. Honey trie to
entrap the Republicans by asking them
to join In the request for "A court dec-
sion. Had the governor done so he
would have confessed that he and the
Republicans were not sure or their
ground and wished to have the court adj
Judicate the matter. The governor re-
q procedure. The Republicans wers con-
iident OF their position In regard TO the
illegality oft the organization of the house.
A Democratic Confession.
BY that resolution, however, asking for
a decision of the court. the Democrats
confessed that they were not sure OF
their ground. Thev acknowledge that
their acts might be revolutionary, aad In
so doing conceded more than half the
claims of the Republicans.
How fully they realizs the weakness of
the requt SIS in the first resolution re-
larding points already decided by the
supreme court how ii tie faith they had
In their professed Claims, and how
shrewd they tried To bs in their attempts
TO C tch the Republicans is shown by. the
different Character of the resolution
passed a ter the governor had adjourned
the gcner assembly.
The first resolutions asked the courts
opinion rs to the Legality of its own
action. The last resolution asks the
courts opinion as to the legality Of the
action OF the senate and of the gov
ernor.
Has Not and VIII Not Read It.
After the Democratic episode in the
house when the speaker ordered Clerk
Comfy to throw the governors proclama-
tion in the waste ba 'ket. there was con-
siderable confusion. but IL soon sub
sided aud the speaker's better judgment
came to hi The proclamation was
taken up and is now in possession of tn
c.erk.
Speaker Owen declares that ne has not
read IL and will not read it until he cts
ready. Until he rea Is it and co nmuni-
Gates it to the house the Democrats claim
that the house Is not prOrogued.
II was rumored tnat the Democ rats
had neat plan laid for the Republican,
Ia case the governor should appear in
person on the floor Of the house TO read
the proclamation of adjournment. The
Democratic ssnators, with two excep.
tions, had gone into the house. When
the governor appeared 1t was said To
have been the plan TO call attention to
the fact OF his pies ;nce and that of a
number OF the senator's, and also TO the
fact that a quorum Of the grand COM
mittee was present, and might proceed
with business.
This WI s, however, denied by the DEM
ocrats, who say they had no such inten-
ton. The governor knew that his read
ing Of the proclamation or his order that
it be read fully satisfied all legal require
menks. "It was not even necessary
said a leading Democrat this afternoon,
that he sh )uld notify the house OF the
issue Of such a proclamation. His sigma
ture makes the proclamation a law, and
the house can find it out just the same
AS IL dnds out any other laS."
House Proceedings.
Colonel Honey rose at once on the re-
uSSeUDltuk VI tuc uOuS5 the
following resolu ion asking the supreme
court for decision on the three ques-
tions:
First. Has the senate the constitutional
power to pass a resolution Of adjourn
ment at the May session for longer pc
riod thin two days, request having
been made by the house OF representa-
tives that the senate joiu il In grand
committee for the purpose of couating
and declaring the btllo cast for gen.
eral officers at the last April election'
Second, In case resolution OF ijourn-
meut to the city of Providence ON the
fourth Tuesday IN January, should have
been adopted by the senate before join
ing the house In grand committee for
the purpose of counting the ballots, etc,
aud should not have been acted upon by
the house OF representatives, does such
a state of things constitute lsagree-
mcnt on the subject of adjournment,
which confers upon the governor the
power to adjourn the general assembly
under section @, article z OF the constitu-
ton.
Third, can the general assembly at its
May session be adjourned Dy the gov
ernor under power conferred upon him
by sections 6 aud z of the constitution un-
til after both houses have Joined IN grand
committee for the purpose OF counting
and declaring ballots, eIc3
The resolution was passed and signed
by the speaker and c ERIK.
Mr.. Honey moved 10 adjC urn until IL
O'clock on Monday morning and the mo-
tion prevailed.
MIR. Cottrell Explains.
Mr.. Cottrell and DR.. Gavin explained
to the members that this adjournment
was taken In accordance with the law
providing that neither house of the
4 eneral assembly. without the consent
OF the other, eau adjourn for more than
two days. IL WAS not intended that all
the me ~ bers shouli be present either on
Monday or Tu, sday. The Newport
members will take care that adjourn
ments are hal from time to time as pre-
scribcd by law until the supreme court
has had time to decide upon the questions
put To IL by the house.
The resolution requesting the opinio n
OF the court will be pres ,nte at once.
Some members of the Democratic party
will then ASK for n hearing on 10 amt will
doubtless be represented by counsel. At
that hearing will be. brought mp ques-
tions decisions on which will virtually
settle the whole case.
In the first place bsfore the court ren-
dets fts decision as to the questions i'm