The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-20
CAUCUS DECREE INVOKED.
But the Goldbugs Say That They
Will Not Be Governed
by It.
Motions TO Count a Qaorum and
Fine Non Voters Voted
Down.
sense Of the Majority That the seiEnIor-
age DiiI should Be Disposed of
at Onos.

wAsmNoroS. Feb. 10. The success Of the
flibuster against the Bland silver ssiQnior-
age bill, which has blocked proceedings in
the house fivs days. to-day forced the dem
ooratio advooatss Of the measure TO invoke
the decree OF the caucus, and Immediately
after adiouTnment a democratic caucus was
held in the hall Of the house 10 consider tho
situation. There we're present l30 demo
Gratis, but not a democratic member Of the
New York delegation. all Of whom have
joined in the obstructive movement. was
present, nor. in fact. any others who Joined
hands with them. The presenoe. however.
of Pence. Of Colorado. populist. was siRnif-
ieanL Sentiment in the caucus. therefore.
! was all favorable 10 the bill, and two reso-
lutions were adopted. one 10 keep the ssign-
forage bill before the house 10 the exclusion
OF everything until disposed OF. and the
other expressing the sense Of the caucus
that IL was the duty OF every democratic
member 10 vote either for OF against the
bill. The only difference Of opinion was as
20 the advisAbility Of going even further
than this and compelling members TO vote
or be counted ~ they refused.
Boatner presided and advocated resolu-
bring In n rule 10 compel members 20 vote
or be fined, and the Patterson resolution
instruetinR the speaker 10 oouut quorum.
Patterson declared he believed, after re-
viewing the spectacle Of the past few days.
that Reed was right and non-votinR mem
bsrs should be counted to make q quorum.
The Patterson resolution was voted down by
about twenty msjoTity. the speaker voting
against the proposition. The caucus ad-
| iourned pending a vote on the Boatner res
olutiOn.
Bryan, Bland. Bynum. Springer, Will
liams. OF Mississippi and Hatch. adVo-
Gated the passage of two resolutions, both
offered by Bland. and in the course Of the
speeches some very eAustie reflections upon
the action Of eastern hlibusteTing demo
Gratis we're INDUCED in. The resolutions,
which wers ss follows, were unanimously
adopted:
Resolved, That ID Ia the sense Of this
| onuoua that the pending bill (aelgniorAge
bid shall be the special business of ths
house to this exclusion of all other business
until disposed Of. The second resolution
/ Is as follows:
! Whereas, Thirtv-two democratic mem
bera are now absent from she city. and
| twenty siRht democratic members Of the
house were present and Intentionally failed
TO vote on the rendine silver bill. thus
i breaking quorum.
| Resolved, % That II is the duty OF every
democratic member OF this house nov alb
sent, unless his absence be for sickness Of
| himself or family, 10 Immediately return
TO diachErce the duties of his office.
! Resolved, (2) That 10 is the duty of every
| democratic member Of the house 10 attend
the daily sessions thereof.
! Resolved, 80 That IL Is the duty OF every
democratic member of the house TO record
his vote for or against the pending silver
bill, Aud to the end that quorum be OBJ
tained in order that said bill may be
speedily disposed OF, and the house pro-
ceed with the consideration of other press
ina business.
Democrats who were in the city. but re
fused 20 attend the cauous will, IL the dec
laration Of TrsoY u an indication, refuse 10
be bound by the sotion. Tracy. however.
Asasfts now that even II the bill is brought
| 10 q vote 10 will be beaten. His opioion is
not shared by the democratic house leaders.
who still positively affirm that the passage
OF the bill is only a question of time.
They OK ect twenty-five republican ana
nine populist votes. and with full demo-
cratic attendance, l60 democrats. which
would leave them a margin Of twelve over a
quorum.