St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-06

at Least Twenty Democrats
Absenting Themselves or Re-
fusing to Answer When Called
The Populists Held the Ball
ance ofPower.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-The power Of
the committee on rules was invoked to-
day to break down the obstruction in
the path of the tariff debate. An IRON
clad order was brought in setting out
the programme for the tariff debate,
and fixing Jan. 25 as the day for taking
the final vote. This resulted only in
side-tracking Mr.. Boutelle and his Ha-
waiian resolution, as when the vote
came to be taken on the adoption of the
order the Democrats lacked nine
votes of quorum. At least
twenty Democrats at the capitol
either absented themselves from
the hall or refused to answer their
names when called. For four hours
the Democratic leaders tried with roll
call after roll call to bring their men
into line, but instead of gaining they
lost votes on each successive roll call.
The Populists, with the exception of
Mr.. Bell. of Colorado, also declined to
aid the Democrats to get the tariff bill
before the house, giving as the reason
for their action the short limit it was
proposed to set Oh the debate. Their
votes would have made up a quorum.
Today's proceedings are, therefore, of
additional Importance, as marking the
first time in the history of either branch
of congress since the organization of
the third party. that its members have
held
TIE BALANCE OF POWER.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal the row began. Mr.. Boutelle,
of Maine. was on his feet clamoring for
recognition to call up his Hawaiian res
Olution, but the speaker recognized Mr..
Catchings. from the committee OH rules,
to present tie special order adopted
just before the house convened. Mr..
Mr.. Boutelle loudly insisted upon know
Ing what had become of his privileged
resolution, which had been called up
yesterday. The speaker replied rather
sharply that yesterdays proceedings
had fallen with the adjournment, and
that the report called up from the COM
mittee on rules was matter of the
highest privilege.
Mr.. Burrows, amid great confusion,
reserved all points of order, and when
MIR. CatchingS demanded the previous
question on the report from the rules
committee Mr.. .Boutelle raised the ques-
ton of consideration. The speaker de-
cided that Mr.. Boutelle was out of
order. The latter appealed from the
decision of the chair, and the speaker,
amid some evidences of satisfaction OH
the Democsatic side, promptly refused
to entertain the appeal. The speaker
was about to state the question ON Mr..
Catchings' demand for the previous
question, when Mr.. Burrows made
THE POINT OF ORDER
that the special order presented by Mr..
Catchings had originated in the COM
mittee instead of the house. and, as it
carried with 1t change Of existing
rules Giving leave to print to all men,
berS who so desired), it should, accord
ing to existing rules, have had its incep-
tlOll III tIiC HOuSC lllStCdu vi Iut
tee. After some debate and discussion
of precedents the speaker overruled the
point of order.
The vote was then taken on the de-
mand for the previous question on the
adoption of the report of the committee
OH rules. The Republicans declined to
vote, and several Democrats who were
in the hall, and who are known to be
opposed to the tariff bill, also remained
mute. Among them were Messrs.
Sperry, Of Connecticut; Haines, of New
York; Robertson, Of Louisiana, and
Ryan, of New York.
Tbs vote resulted 169 to /, nine less
than quorum. AS soon as the an
nouncement that no quorum had voted
had been announced by the speaker. on
motion of Mr.. Catchings a call of the
house was ordered. The call developed
the presence of 273 members. The mo-
tion then recurred on the demand for
the previous question OH the adoption
of the special order.
The Republicans sat silent in their
seats, and tile small coterie of Demo-
Gratis, led by MIR. Sperry, declined to aid
their Democratic brethren in the effort
TO SECURE A QUORUM.
Mr.. Sperry, in fact, actively busted
himself in raising the standard of re-
volt, going so far as to ask Democratic
members to refrain from voting.
Mr.. Cadmus, of New Jersey, was an
additional Democrat who declined to
vote on this roll call. The vote resulted
1863 to 0. Instead Of gaining. the Demo-
Gratis lost ON this roll call, lacking eleven
of quorum. Mr.. Outhwaite moved to
call the house. Mr.. Reed demanded
division, and the call was ordered, 1O4
to 81. The call developed the presence
of 259 members. Further proceedings
under the call were dispensed with, and
the vote was again taken on the demand
for the previous question.
On this roll call Messrs. Coombs and
Sickles, of New York, declined to
answer to their names, and, although
Messrs. Breckenridge and Berry, of
Kentucky, who had just arrived, voted,
only 16S votes were cast, loss of one
since the last vote. The Democratic
leaders decided to continue, however, if
for no other purpose than to Impress
upon absentees the necessity of attend
ance as a measure of party discipline.
Accordingly, on motion of Mr.. Catch
ings, another call of the house was had.
1t developed the presence of 271 mem
bers, and again the roll was called on
the motion to order the previous ques-
ton. MessrS. English, of New Jersey,
and Sibley, of Pennsylvania, refused to
answer to their names on this vote,
which resulted 166 to Ga loss of two
compared with the last vote.
1t having become manifest that
Democratic quorum could not be Sc
cured today, Gen. Catchings movad an
adjournment at $3.50.