The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-08-17
The House Ratifies the Action of the
Caucus and Reccdes From
Its Position.
DEMOCRATS HAD A QUORUM,
Which Somewhat DiScOmfitted the
Republican Side..-Reed Raised
a Point of Order.

the day. The committee on rules will
prepare special order to carry out the
Of the caucus. The intention
is to pass the tariff bill and then will
follow the other bills named i'll the eau
Gus resolution. These bills have all
been prepared, and though not reported
from the ways and means committee or |
in regular order, these prelininaries can |
be dispensed with under a special order |
from the committee OH rules.
Republicans Refused to Accept.
The committee on rules had only a
short session. The Republicans listened
to the terms proposed by the Democratic
members and refused to accept them.
The Democrats proposed allowing an
hour to debate upon accepting the SEN
ate amendments, and 10 minutes on each
Of the other bills, which it is proposed
to bring i'll as two separate measures,
and to allow 40 amendments to be Of
fered to the bills.
The rules committee has prepared and
will make at once report for the im-
mediate consideration of the the senate
tariff bill, to be followed by the separate
bills for sugar, coal, iron ore and barbed
wire.
Catchings Presented the Report.
At 2:25 Mr.. Catchings was recognized
and presented the report providing for
the passage of the tariff bill.
The special order provided first, that
Immediately after the adoption of the
order it would be in order to consider
resolution discharging the house confer
ees on the tariff bill from the further
duty of considering that measure, and
that the house recede from its disagree
ment in gross to the senate amendments
to the bill, and agree to the same, and
second, that it shall be in order at any
time thereafter, to consider bills for free
coal, free iron, free sugar and free
barbed wire. The resolution allowed
two hours debate Oh the taaif resolu-
ton.
During the reading of the resolutions,
there were jeers from the Republican
side, Burrows calling out "silly, silly, u
when that portion of the rule relating to
free coal, etc, was read. Mr.. Catchings
demanded the previous question, but
Mr.. Reed
Arose to Point of Order,
and the battle was on. Mr.. Reed''
point was that the tariff bill was not il
, possession of the house, and that, there
J fore, the action proposed i'll the repor
could not be taken. He maintained tina
in case of an agreement of conferees oi
a bill, either house could act OH a re
port, but in case of a disagreement, tn
bill went back to the body first request
ing the conference. The bill could no
be in possession of both houses at tn
, same time; neither could either hous
, act except on papers before it. Tn
papers could not be in possession Of bot
. houses at the same time. 1t was a par
liamentary as well Us a physica
, fact that the papers could onl
= be be i'll one place at one time
Otherwise both the senate and hous
;, could recede at the same time. Wha
" bill would then be law? 1t would Gel
:, tainly puzzle those who We're not i'll til
habit of cutting Gordian knots. AT til
:, present time, he said getting down
!, the present situation, the senate wa
proposing action. The house was prt
posing action at the same time. Bot
q were ashamed of their offspring Repul
y lican applause. Yet the house was no.
:, proposing to grab the senate bill befol
II it could be repudiated by that body an
!. swallow its nauseous meal. Such
~ spectacle, he declared, had never befol
r been witnessed.
70 81 do not expect my argument to hay
Il any effect said Mr.. Reed in concl
sion, addressing the Democratic sid
"but you are like the heather who ha'
listened to the Christian missionar
you have no chance of redemption.
The Speakers Ruling.
IN The speaker announced that he VI
a ready to rule.
H. After careful statement of the stu
" ton, and the declaration that by sp
ie cial order changing or suspending II
le rules of the house temporarily, the a
Il. cepted doctrines of Jefferson s manu-
" were carried out, and after citing
e. precedent in one of Speaker Carlisle
10 rulings, the speaker overruled the poi
of order. The previous question th'
was ordered without division. I'll
gave 10 minutes Oh a side for discr
Us sion of the special order. Mr.. Cate
a, ings Dem, Miss. did not desire to d
III bate the rule, and Mr.. Reed took d
CT boor and made uery sarcastic speec
W Representative Turner Of Georgia !
"A Piled to Mr.. Reed and was greeted wi
applause by the Democrats.
Mr.. Turner proceeded to show tn
1t. the present action Of the house W
mt strictly regular.
et, Democrats Had u Quorum.
ne The question then being put on agr'
at ing to q resolution, Mr.. Reed demand
.r- a division. The entire Democratic 81
rose en- masse. When the negative W
was called for, the Republicans {
hs calmly in their seats, hoping to breal
'Iv quorum. When the speaker announc
~ the vote-lSS to 3, ~ more than
m quorum, the Republicans We're son
nd what Disconnected.
Tor The resolution was adopted-l78 to
II answering present.