New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-01
BLAND GETS HIS QUOkO NJ.
Rr-T IT DISAPPEARS AGAIN on TIE
NEXT VOTE.
MIR. TRACY CHALLENGES THE coCNI-'iiN
CovuI7~rEr on RULES DDIDES TO
rAl1T HAND AND ~BEtAN
tiny rulrGRAru TO TIE TRInuSn.'

time, without a moments hotc'' d P'opoS'"'H
| 10 suspend the rules Of the House Oh hei'eSe"'-
atives which proposition may De auoP'eu p' q
p,,ioritv vote has awakened to the necessity of
doing something to rescue the majority Of That
bodv from the slough in which 1t has been
eornaering 50 long. Probably Mr.. Bland would
have been more grateful for this interference in
his behalf IL 1t had come sooner and not just
after he had succeeded. for the first time, in
mastering a quorum on his demand for the pre-
vlous question on the motion to limit general
! debate on his Silver Initiation bill
sneaker Crisp and his fellow Triumv!rs were
nrohably spurred into action suddenly and rather
unexpectedly to-day by the visible almos. vio-
| lent manifestations Of discomfort among mem
| hers on the Democratic side Of ,he House. Ny.
/ Culberson IF Texas. who is probably the aoles,
and strongest, and. when aroused. one OF the
most Influential men on that side. had declared
his intention to offer and press for consideration
| AID adoption a rule which would provide for the
| recording Of the names Of members present who
| should refuse to vote. lie was in conference
with the Democratic Triumvirs before the sitting
! began to-day. and 1t is understood that he in
| sisted most strongly upon the adoption and use
| of some means 10 break the deadlock and restore
! to the House the power to do business.
VISIBLE QUORUM FAVORED.
Several incidents that happened after The sit
ting began confirmed and deepened the impress
! sion that Colonel Cuberson had already made
! upon the minds OF the Trumvirs. l. the effect
that the sentiment in favor Of recognizing the
presence Of a visible and constitutional quorum,
rather than a voting quorum. had become 81
strong that unless speedily checked or diverted
! il might prevail and thus cur;an the power now
| lodged in their hands.
The first incident occurred before Bland made
his first motion. Mr. Kilgore wanted II offer
and have considered resolution which he r.
gardcd as privileged one. The preamble re-
cited that thr law provides that i shall be
the duty II the Serge2H. -ai-Arms t. deduct from
The monthly salaries Of members who are absent
except on account Of sickness Of themselves
or their families the amount that they would
| otherwise be entitled to and that many mem
bers mad been absent since, the beginning Of this
| session "for causes other than those mentioned
| in the statutes" The resolution read fol-
lows:
That the Sergoant-at-Arms be required to
port t. this House without delay the names Of
such abeen,ees and whether or not the law in
such cases made ana provided has been by him
compiled with ana that II It has not been So
! compiled with t. report his reasons why he has
been derect in his duty in that regard. ana II
in his judgment the Law cannot b. complied with
!
cannot be enforced"
The law which Mr. Kilgore desired Z, invoke
has been on the statute book for many years
but no effort has ever been made t, enforce II.
Mr. k.lgore withdrew his resolution after the
Speaker had sustained NJ. Reeds point 81 order
that it was not privileged. being merely r@so-
luton Of inquiry General Sickes suggested that
It might be referred - a select Committee On
Grievances" and Mr. Reed sarcastically OBJ
served
1T is not a question Of privilege TO ask the
Sergeant-at-Arms his opinion as - law Of
Congress. ! admit that the temptation to take
advice from anybody in the present emergency
is great. but / don't think We should publicly
acknowledge that We are driven 70 such straits"
CRISP WILL NOT FOLLOW. REED
The next incident happened during the roll
call on Mir BANDS motion. when tom" John
son. Of Ohio who no longer needs 4 physicians
certificate 10 protect him from arrest by a
deputy sergeant-at-arnls, called attention 10 the
rule which requires all members present to
vote on all motions and said that General Bing-
ham, Of Pennsylvania. had not voted when his
name was<calleG. The Speaker decided that the
rollcaH could not be- interrupted by n point ~
order. As soon as the rollcan was finished Mr.
Livingston, of Georgia. read The rule 10 which
Mr. Johnson had called attention, and demanded
that Mr. Tracey, who had refused To- vote
should be called 10 the bar Of the House and
tried for contempt Mr. johnson was also on
ms feet Offering list Of the names OF twenty
five members who had refused to vote, ana
demanding that their names be called again
ana recorded In the journal. Both Nh Living
sion and Mr. Johnson loudly demanded that the
HI~dkcr snpili enforce the rules in accordance
with the decision Of the supreme Court in the
quorum case. 70 do this would be in effect to
count quorum, which the Speaker Of course
| lett bound not - Do. lio therefore said.
The Chair has no power TO enforce the rule
! The rules require that gentlemen shaH not
smoke on the floor The Chair has only the
power TO request members 10 abide by the rule
in this particular. The Chair is the organ Of
the House not its master and as lone as the
present occupant is in the chair he will never
| make rule"
These observations elected considerable APP
plduse from Democratic members
Mr. Boatner declared that II must be IN order
% make motion under the rule cited to place
Mt. Tracey in contempt Whenever member
| wilfully violated the rules he was in contempt
ana II was natural to suppose that the House.
| which has the power 70 make rules. had the
| power TO enforce those rules.
| BLAND POPS Up AGAIN.
The Speaker then remarked that the discus
sion was proceeding by unanimous consent and
| Mr. Bland promptly demanded the regular order.
| The incident however had served TO show that
the pressure in favor Of recognizing quorum
instead Of quorum voting the quorum Of
the constitution rapidly gaining strength
| and force. and might soon become irresistible.
| When the vote was announced 1t showed that lGy
members were recorded in the affirmative and
in the negative making total Of 14-hVc less
than quorum. Mr. Bland Immediately moved
| a call Of the House. and the yeas and nays were
! ordered This gave the members Of the Demo-
+, cratic triumvrate time to get their breath ana
consult as 10 the steps 10 be taken 10 avert the
| peril which seemed to threaten them from their
! own party. 1T decided TO call ~ meeting OF
i the Committee Rules Immediately. and ~
bring In u special order providing that the Com
mittee OF the Whole should be discharged from
| further consideration Of the pending bill; that
after two hours of debate in the House, with
the privilege Of Offering amendments. the pre-
| vious question should be considered as ordered
! on the pending amendments and on the bill TO
It's cngrOssment and third reading. and TINT nfter