The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-01
BLAND RALLIES QUORUM.
Tracey Subsequently Questions the
Correctness Of the Count.

of the Ofaciel Figures-Later on Reed
and Burrows Attack the Clerks Man
ner of Calling the Roll,
Washington, Feb. 2s.-In the House to-
day, after the call of the committees for
reports, Mr.. Kilgore offered a resolution
which, he said ought to be a matter of
privilege, if it were not. 1t was read for
information. 1t recited the law requir-
ing the sergeant-at-arms to withhold the
salary of a representative who was alb
sent, except on account of sickness of
himself or a member of his family; that
at this session of congress many members
had been absent; and he called upon the
sergeant-at-arms to report whether or not
the law in this respect had been obeyed
by him, and, if he had been derelict
therein, to report why, He was also
asked if in his opinion the law could not
be enforced, and to inform the House the
reasons therefor,
Mr., Reed made the point that the reso-
luton did not present matter of privi-
lege in the way in which it was drawn
1t was simply a resolution asking an Off
Ger of the House his opinion upon ques-
tion Of law.
NOT A PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION
Speaker Crisp called the attention of
Mr.. Kilgore to the fact that the resolutions
contained no allegation that an o 1cer of
the House had failed to discharge his duty
under the rules, or under the law. which
was necessary to make it privileged
matter IT was simply a resolution of in
quiry directed TO an officer of the House.
Mr. Kilgore thereupon withdrew the
resolution.
Mr.. Bland moved that the House go
into committee of the whole upon his
seigniorage bill, and that the general de-
bate be closed at 3 clock Thursday. On
this motion the vote by division was
l27 TO 2.
Mr.. Tracey made the point of no quor-
um and the yeas and nays were called.
Before the result of the vote .as an
nounced, Mr.. Livingston, dem, of Geor-
gia, said he desired to submit a motion.
Rule 8, he said, required mem bers present.
unless excused, to vote upon every pro-
position presented to the House. The
gentleman from New York, Mr.. Tracey,
had refused to vote. and he demanded
that he be brought before the bar of the
House and explain his refusal to vote.
Mr.. johnson, dem, of Ohio, said he had
a list of twenty-five members who had
violated the rule, which he offered to
send to the desk.
UNABLE TO ENFORCE IT.
The chair stated that the point was
we'll taken. The chair could not enforce
the rule otherwise than by appealing to
members to observe it. The chair was
but the organ Of the House and would
never make a rule unless authorized and
directed so to do by the House. Ap-
plause.
Mr.. Boatner, dem, of Louisiana, argued
in support OF Mr. Livington's motion. 1t
was he said, an effort to bring member
to answer to willful contempt and viola
tion of the rules. The House ought to
determine here and now whether or not
a member can defy its rules.
The chair stated that, under the rules,
it was his duty to announce the result of
the vote. The result was, yeas 1853, nays
5-fve short of a quorum. 1t was said
that FIVE supporters of Mr.. Bland failed
to get their votes in because they were
not in the hall of the House when called
These, in addition to those recorded,
would have made a quorum. Messrs.
Clancy and Magner, of the New York
delegation, who had heretofore refrained
from voting, voted in favor of the propo-
sition
WATCHED WITH INTEREST.
These proceedings had been watched
with the keenest interest by the mem
bers. especially the republicans, as hav-
ing within them the possibility of his
tory-making. When the chair announced
the vote, however, and the incident was
over, the humdrum of routine was re-
sumed, and the members who had been
eagerly crowding into the pit in front of
the clerks desk faded rapidly away.
Mr.. Bland moved call of the House.
On this motion there were first viva
YOce vote; then vote by division, third
a vote by tellers-Messrs. Bland and
Reed oificiAting, and finally vote by
yeas and nays. The latter resulted
yeas 1S9, nays 4. So the call was order
ed. 1t showed 265 members present
and responding to their names.
On the motion to dispense with further
proceedings under the call, the same pro-
cedure was followed-four separate votes
being taken ending with the yeas and
nays. The call resulted: yeas 1888, nays
8, thus dispensing with further proceed
ings.
QUORUM AT LAST.
Mr.. Bland renewed his motion and the
yeas and nays were called. AS the roll
proceeded, it became apparent TO many
that a quorum would be obtained, and
members keeping tally crowded about
the clerks desk. Mr.. Tracey, dem of
New York, occupied the seat at which
for two weeks past, he has kept tally
with the clerk on roll calls, closely fol-
lowing the response to the call. When it
was determined that quorum had been
obtained on the second call of the roll,
Mr. Tracey voted yea, amid slight ap-
pause from the democratic side, his pur-
pose. as afterward appeared, being to
move a reconsideration.
The announcement Of the vote by the
speaker-lT yeas to z nays-ev0ked a
round of applause from the democrats and
populists.
Mr. Cultivate. dem, of Ohio, and Mr..
Tracey, dem of New York. were on their
feet demanding recognition-the former
to present an order from the committee
on rules limiting the debate on the pend
ing bill and amendments to two hours,
and the later to move a reconsidera tion
of the vote just taken. Mr.. Outhwaite
was given the foor, and the speaker
stated, after putting the question, that
Mr.. Tracey had interposed motion to re-
consider.
Mr.. Cultivate demanded the previous
question on his motion, but the yeas and
nays were ordered without division.
THE COUNT ATTACKED.
After a name or two had been called,
Mr.. Reed precipitated an angry discus
sion, which, for intensity, equaled the
famous scenes in the Fifty-rirst congress.
when Speaker Reed was counting quo
runs.
THE gentleman from Maine su,-