The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-14
A QUORUM TO BE COUNTED.
The Democrats to Overcome FilibuSteT-
ing and AbSGnteeiSm.

Gus of the Democratic Members OF
House-One of Them Provides for
Enforcing the Law Forfeiting a
Members Pay When Absent Except
in Case of Sickness.
Washington, April 13.-It required
session of nearly four hours to day be-
fore the caucus of House democrats
reached a conclusion looking to change
in the rules which will secure the
presence of quorum. Two resolutions
were adopted. The first was offered by
Mr.. Bland, of Missouri 1t provides for
enforcing the law passed in 1856 which
forfeits a members pay for every day he
NAV be absent without leave, except in
cases of sickness.
The second resolution was offered by
Mr. De Almond, of Missouri. This reads
as follows;
Resolved, AS the sense Of this caucus, that
the committee on rules should report to the
House a rule or an amendment to the rules,
by means Of which members present ana not
Voting may be taken into account in deter
mining the existence or non-e1lstence OF
quorum or compel the attendance OF aosent
members.
The resolution, in other words, is an
instruction to the democratic members of
the committee on rules TO report rule
providing for the counting of quorum.
1t was adopted by vote Of oo to A.
SPRINGER SUGGESTS AN ADDITION.
In addition to the foregoing resolutions,
MIR. Springer, of Illinois, offered resolu-
ton which provided that on the second
roll call. members who do not vote shall
have the pending business stated to them,
and if they still decline to vote they shall
be counted to make quorum. The prln-
cipal debate of the afternoon centered
about this resolution.
Later in the day Mr.. McCreary, of
Kentucky, offered resolution relega-
ting the entire matter to the com
mittee on rules The vote on this resolu-
ton was taken by tellers and resulted in
a tie-64 to 64-whereupon Mr. Holman,
the chairman of the caucus, cast the de-
Gliding vote in favor of the resolution. A
yea and nay vote was then taken and the
resolution was defeated SO to IS. "A mo-
tion to adjourn was then made on
the part OF some of the members
who opposed any change in the rules,
but this was voted down by o large
majority.
Prior to the vote on the DeArmond reso-
luton, Mr.. Springer withdrew his resolu-
tion and announced that he would sup
port that of the gentleman from Missouri.
WANTED IT MADE PARTY MATTER.
During the discussion Mr.. Williams
of Illinois, contended that the democrats
of the House ought to adopt some rule by
which they would require the presence of
members of their party. The majority Of
the democrats was large, and
necessity for adopting rules as
was the case in the Fifty
first congress. Forfeiting the pay
Of members would not only have
the tendency of accelerating busi-
ness (ad1ournment) so that members
might return home on business matters,
which now caused them to leave Wash
ingtOn.
Mr. Warner, of New York, speaking to
the motion that had been made to refer
the whole matter to the democratic mem
Oers OF the committee ou rules, inquired
whether this would not carry with it the
inference that the caucus would supporl
whatever rule the democratic members of
the committee might determine on. He
added that no matter what the caucus
might do he would refuse, in any case, to
vote for rule for counting quorum.
TRIO OF OPPONENTS.
Mr.. McMillin, of Tennessee, was op-
posed to counting a quorum, and Messrs.
Dunn, OF New Jersey, and McCreary, Of
kentucky, were adverse to pursuing such
method for obtaining quorum.
Mr.. Allen, of Mississippi, made char
hcteristically humorous speech, but
showed conclusivcly by his remarks that
ne would vote for any proposition looking
70 the securing of quorum.
BRYAN AGAINST THE SCHEME.
Mr.. Bryan, of Nebraska, opposed any
drastic measures. The democrats had
denounced the rules of the Reed congress
ana he did not want to defend similar
rules IN August and by democratic con-
RreSs The democrats, he added, already
nave enough to answer for in not passing
Ine tarln bill and giving the people the
SILVER legislation they demand
IN the course of the proceedings Speaker
CrlSp, who was present at the caucus,
LOOK the floor against the Springer reso-
luton He objected to it on the ground
mat 1t might be found to be Intellectual
ana cumbersome, and that il needed care
Iul and critical examination, such as
could not be given by the caucus.
CRISP WILL BOW TO HIS PARTY's WILL.
When Mr. DeArmond presented his res
oIutlon he turned to the speaker. and. ad-
pressing that gentleman, he asked if this
Nnole matter were referred to the COM
mlttee on rules if he (the speaker) would
cooperate with the committee and carry
out the spirit of any resolution that
might be adopted by the caucus.
anna burst of applause Speaker Crisp
replied that he was democaat; that he
would yield any conviction which he had
W me voice of democratic caucus
me members of the caucus, it is under
5000 We're enjoined to secrecy, and at
40 o'clock the meeting adjourned.