The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-04
DEMOCRATS IN A QUANDARY
AS to Amending Rules Many
Would Follow Reed.
MR.. CRISP is VERY DECIDED.
Adjournment of Congress May Be
Delayed by the Hardness
in the Senate.

WASHINGTON. March 3.-Now that a
caucus of the Democratic party has been
arranged and will be held on Monday or
Tuesday, Congressman are asking them
selves whether they have anything 10 do
at the meeting after all the necessities
which called for the caucus have now
passed-the need of the rules TO prevent
flibus ering on the part of members who
declined to vote TO make a quorum. 1t
was felt badly enough during the tariff
| fight in the House of Representatives, but
it was still worse when Mr.. BANDS seign-
forage bill was brought up. There is no
denying the fact that all the PROPOSITIONS
| for amendment To the rules are but mere
| notifications of Mr.. Reeds tactics of
counting quorum outright when men,
bers were in the House. At least half of
the Democrats in Congress are heartily III
favor of the Reed ruling. and good many
of them are outspoken in declaring their
opinion. MIST of the others ieel that
something must be done to prevent the
humiliating spectacle of party with
majority of ninety being unable TO pass
any legislation for want Of a quorum, but
they cannot adopt even a modification of
Reedism without being laughed at. Many
Democrats are to-day saying that the
caucus will meet and adjourn only after
some harmless talk.
Those Democrats who still cling to the
idea that they want a rule TO secure a
quorum favor the plan of having the names
of members recorded upon an announce
ment from any other members that the for
mer are present In the House and not vot-
ing. The trouble with this plan Is that
members may retreat before those who
would "tell on" them have chance to do
so. They might be kept in the House by
another rule, put then all sor S of objec.
tions loom up. That the time will come
when the Democratic party will cnunt
qurrums there is no doubt, but the time
has hardly come yet, according TO the
belief of a large number of mem bers.
Mr. Crisp is not in sympathy with any of
the lans to be put forward at the caucus
for counting quorum. He will argue that
/ the efficacy of a rule fixing the order of
! business has been shown in an unusually
severe case-tnat of the Bland bill. He
| will show that in spite OF the well-orgau-
iz-d opposition 10 the measure The fact
that that measure had to be disposed of
made even the opposition conclude that
it would be useless to continue to hold out.
Accordingly they voted ia the negative
and permitted the measure to 60 To an
issue. II that had not been the ase the
bill could never have been disposed of, for
there were in The affirmative eleven votes
less than a quorum. Mr.. Crisp will tell
the caucus that experience is the best
teacher, and that he has no fear that the
House will get in such condition that
he cannot handle it.
Among the things that will be talked of
will be the question of adjournment, but
even on that point nothing can be done.
So far as the House alone is concerned II
might adjourn by the first of June. There
is NO prolonged fight in view over any
legislation emanating from that body. The
approp priation bills have been framed with
a view to The greatest economy and every
thing has been cut down as much as pos
sible. With one exception this policy
meets the views of the entire party and,
after giving time for the Republicans to
get in their campaign speeches, these bills
will be voted on and passed promptly.
Private claims will not have any chance OF
passage. nor will any bill taking money
out of the treasury when it may be kepi
in the vaults. If the House is kept In ses-
sion during the heated portion of the year
it Will be on account of delay in the Senate
and this delay is quite likely 10 occur.
The tariff and the seigniorage bills alone
will keep the Senators in hot water for O
long time. For these reasons it is not
possible for the caucus to do anything al
this time looking toward fixing time for
adjournment. which some of the members
will be ready to advocate.