Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-13
THE FIGHT is ON!
The Tariff Order Reported in the
House This Afternoon.
G!W ~
Mr.. REED MAKES A POINT OF ORDER
That the Tariff Bill is Not in the
Houses Possession.
MATTERS IN THE SENATE

When the House met five minutes after
the democratic caucus adjourned there were
more members on the floor than at any time
since the tariff bill was passed.
The anxious public, who thronged the cor
ridors before the doors were thrown open,
crowded into the galleries in anticipation of
the final scene in the long tariff battle. Inn
mediately after the reading of the journal
Mr.. Sayers. chairman of the appropriation
committee. offered a resolution providing
for the continuation of the expenses of the
government until August "a, 1894. After a
brief explanation the resolution was adopted
without division
The greatest confusion existed the
floor. Members were standing about in ex-
cited groups discussing the situation, the
general understanding being that resolu-
tions to agree to the Senate amendments
coal, iron, sugar and barbed wire would be
brought in this afternoon.
Claiming District Day.
Under the rules Mr. Heard chairman of
he committee on the District of Columbia
pending action by the committee on rules
Claimed the day for the consideration Of
business reported from the committee on
the District of Columbia.
...... Free Library Bill.
No opposition was made the House on
Mr.. 'Heards motion went into committee
of the whole and the bill providing for a
free public library in the District of Co.
fumbia was considered.
For almost two hours the committee on
rules awaited the coming of Mr.. Outhwaite
the missing democrat of the committee on
rules. His appearance al o'clock caused
furry on the floor At 2:20 the meeting
OF the committee on rules ended. and Mr..
Catchings (Miss.) Immediately entered the
q Snarial han nd
AIR. Heard yielded to him, and Mr. Catch
inss presented the rule.
The Special Tariff Order.
The special order provides. first. that
Immediately after the adoption of the order
1t would be in order to consider a resoiu-
ton discharging the House conferees on the
tariff bill from the further consideration Of
that measure. and that the House recede
from its disagreement in gross to the Sen
ate amendments to that bill and agree to
the same, AMI second, that IL shall be in
order at any time thereafter to consid =
bills for free coal, free iron, free sugar anu
Tree haAbed wire. The Resolution gave
two hours debate on the tariff resolution.
The full text of the special rule Is as fol-
lows,
Resolved. That after the adoption of this
resolution II shall be in order In the House
to move that the order heretofore made re-
Quesiing a confer renee with the Senate on
the disa ~ eeing votes of the two houses on
II. r. 1864 be rescinded. that the conferees
heretofore appointed on the part of the
House be discharged from further dufy In
that behalf. and that the House recede
from its disagreement to the Senate amend
ments to said bill in gross. and We agree to
the same; that after two hours debate on
said motion (Which shall DO indivisibe) the
vote shall be taken without delay or other
motion. General leave to print Is hereby
granted for ten days.
Resolved, second. That at any time after
the adoption of this resolution 1t shall be IN
order to present for consideration. without
reference to committee, separate bills
placing upon the free list sugar In all its
forms, coal, iron ore and barbed wire Each
of said bills when presented shall be con-
s;dered In the House. Thirty minutes de-
bate shall be allowed on each bill. and at
the end of such debate the previous ques-
ton shall be considered as ordered thereon.
and without delay or other motion the vote
shall be taken.
Mr.. Reeds Point of Order.
During the reading of the resolution there
were jeers on the republican side. Mr.. Bur-
rows calling out, silly. silly" when that
portion of the rule relative to free coal. etc,
was reached. Mr.. Catchings demanded the
previous question, but Mr.. Reed arose to a
point Of order, and the battle was on
Mr.. Reeds point of order that the
tariff bill was not in possession of the
House. and therefore the action proposed
in the tariff bill could not be taken.
He maintained that in case of an agree
ment of conferees on a bill either House
could act on a report, but in case of a dis
agreement the bill went back to the body
first requesting the conference. The bill
could not be in possession of both houses at
the same time, neither could either house
act except on papers before II. They could
not be in possession of both houses at the
same time. 1t was parliamentary, as well
as a physical fact that the papers could
only be in one place at one time.
MIR. Reed OverruIed.
Speaker Crisp held that the resolution
was in order and before the House. The
previous question was ordered without di-
vision.
Otherwise both the Senate and House
could recede at the same time. What bill
would then be law? 1t would certainly
cutting Gordian knots. Mr.. Reed quoted
decision of Speaker Colfax in support of
in detail gave the history of the bill since it
first went to conference, July 2 At the
present time he said, getting down to the
existing situation, the Senate was propoS-
ing action and the House was proposing
action at the same time.
The House had now repented of the BILL
Mr. Reed said, and the Senate had repent ed
of Its bill. Both were ashamed of their off
spring. Republican applause) Yet the
House was now proposing to grab the SEN
ate bill before it could be repudiated by that
body and swallow Its nauseous meal. Such
a spectacle, he declared. had never before
been witnessed. Mr.. Reed sarcasticaiiy re-
ferred to Mr.. Dunn On. j., who attempted
to interrupt him, as a man who had been
late in getting on the roll of honor" but
was now in hurry t91get on the roll of
dishonor." ID f.,
81 do not expect my Argument to have
any effect" said Mr.. Reed, in conclusion.
ADDRESSING the democrati9l side. but you
are like. the heather, who. have listened to
the Christian missionsTief. You have no
change Of redemption s.
.....,...., -, THE sESA4lE.
J. The counter attraction in the House in
shape of tariff skirmish resulted in a
much smaller attendance " visitors in the