Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-09
TARIFF DEBATE.
Wilson Opens the Bali on Floor
of the House.
Reed and BouteIIe Have Their Usual
Tits with Crisp.
Changes in Rules for Cehste on Death to
American intust irs."

American intust irs."
WAsnINGrOS, Jan. Sit has been a
lively day in Congress. When the Speaker
took bis .eat this morning there was an cir
of bustling activity in the House. The gal
leries were unusually full, there being
scarcely standing room in the public gal
lery, condition rarely seen except on very
intere sting occasions.
The usual controversy between Boutelle
and the Speaker came up Immediately after
the reading of the journal and gave ri e to
more excite ement than on any previous day.
Reed and Boutella spoke in favor of consid-
ering the latter's Hawsjisn resolution, and
the latter agsin made the point that it was q
question of privilege, while the special or
der from the committee on rules, relative to
the tariff bill was merely q privileged re-
port, and that the former took precedence
over the latter. The Speaker repeated his
ruling made in the SD Congress, holding
that question of consideration could not
be raised sgainst a resolution emansting
from the committee on rules, and that it
took precedence over all qlesti0ns. He
held that when the committee on rules
brought in a special order changing a GER
tain rule no member could attack the reso-
luton and entrench himself behind the rule
to be changed.
When the Speaker finished he requested
that Boutelle should take bis seat.
"Yes, yes," said Boutelle, sarcastically.
The gentleman said the Speaker, still
more emphsticsily. "will take his seat"
I -, toll toE, oy
a step to the rear. He had been standing
in the area fronting the Speakers table.
The gentleman" said the Speaker with
come asperity in his tone, will be seated
now
"Oh, yes" responded Boutelle deiantly,
Il shall do it under duress.'
The Speaker again repeated Lis request,
empharizing his words by pounding his
desk vigorously with his gavel, whereupon
Mr.. Boutelle quietly dropped into the near
st seat amid vigorous applause from the
Democratic side of the chamber.
The yeas and nays wexe ordered on
Caiching's motion for the previous ques-
,ion. on the resolution reported by him last
Friday, fixing The time for considering the
tariff bill. and resulted as follows: Yeas,
1S9; nays, none. This being 10 more than
quorum, the previous uestion was or
dered.
Before the vote was announced Reed OF
Maine asked whether any members who
were under arrest had voted. He stated
that he had been informed by the sergeant
alarms that about 80 members had
been arrested. He asked whether these
men had a right to vote. He thought it
would be rather anomalous to allow men,
bers under arrest to vote.
The Speaker replied that he had no off,
cial notice that any arrested members had
voted. Reed thought the House should first
act on the cases of the members who were
in contempt of the House and then deter
mine the q lestion of whether they should
be allowed to vote. The Speaker ruled
that the House could not deprive a member
of his vote, except by expelling him or
ruttirg him in prison. As long as he was in
the House he was entitled to vote.
Catchipgs of Mississippi, member Of
the committee on rules, explained that when
the Mckinley bill was before the House,
general debate was limited to four days.
and discussion under fve-minute rule to
eight days. The pending resolution
coniemplates FIVE days for general dis
rnssion and IL under the five-minute rule.
CstchiDgs disclaimed any intention on the
part of the majority to curtail debate. In
his opinion, however, the country demanded
speedy action. and not discussion.
Reed of Maine, replying to Catchings,
stated that the McKinl,y bill had been pre-
sented to the country for 80 days before it
was taken up for discussion; that it had
been prepared openly and not secretly that
everybody who desired had been given
hearings, that the majority in the House
was small, and thst speedy action on the
part Of the msjority was necessary. He
criticised the suggestion of rushing q bill
through the House, arguing that the limited
time given for debate in the House would
have to be made up 10 the Senate, q body
in which revenue measures did not origi-
nate.
Wilson, Dem of West Virginia chair
man of the ways and means committee,
spoke briefly on the resolution submitted by
Catchings, fixing time for the conti3era-
ton of the tariff bill. He expressed him
self as willing to allow the whole of this
week for general debate and two weeks
from next Nc nday for dc bate under the
five minute rule, aud moved an amend
ment that the vote be taken on the 29th in
stead of the 25th.
Reed (Rep.) of Maine submitted a mo-
ton to amend the resolution reported by
Catchings, from the committee on rules, as
follows: ITO recommit With instructions
to report order of consideration. which will
give more days for debate and sive the
right to amend each paragraph ~ 1t is
reached in reading" On this motion the
yeas and nsys we're ordered and the motion
diss greed to, lS4 to 6.
The resolution from the committee on
rules was amended to extend general debate
to six days and debate under the hve-minute
rule from Mondsy next to the 10Th inst,
was then submitted and the yeas and nayi
ordered. Mr.. Wilson's amendment to the
special order vas reported by Catchinss,
extending the time for considering the tarid
bill and was agreed to, 1s5 to 1.
Some executive communications were
then laid before the House: also the joint
resolution correcting the verbiage OF the
New York aud New Jersey bridge bill,
which was agreed to without objection.
The committee we're called on for reports.
Some business on the Speakers table val
disposei Of ard the decks were generally
cleared for the Inauguration Of the tarin
debate.
Ats.l5 Wilson DEM Of ". Virginia,