The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-04-16
FRAMING A NEW RULE.
In Spite of All Opposition a Means
Will be Adopted For Securing
a Quorum.

Saturdays procedure in Con
gress is given as follows, in Wash
ington dispatches of that date;
No Quorum appeared in the
House this morning and therefore
the journal could not be approved,
As soon as this was demonstrated
Mr.. Cultivate of Ohio, one of the
committee on rules, moved an ad-
journment which was had, 1t was
evident that the reason no attempt
was made to get a quorum and an
adjournment was had was because
the nommittee on rules desired the
time necessary to consider the in
structions given at yesterdays
caucus-that is to provide some
method by which those members
who are present and refuse to vote
can be counted to help make a
quorum.
Reed came in smiling this morn.
ing as if he and his ruling had been
indicated, and his republican col
leagues congratulated him as if he
had won a great victory, but the
democrats joined in this in an ironi-
cal way. All day long the COM
mittee on rules has been consider
ing the orders given by the caucus
and the situation generally. 1t
would be more correct to say that
the democratic members of the
committee, consisting Of Crisp,
Catchings and Cultivate, were in
consultation, because the republi
can members, Reed and Burrows,
were not admitted, ofcourse. There
was no leak from the committee
room. The members of the house
we're anxious to ascertain the pro-
gress Of the work, as were the
newspaper men, but everybody had
a negative nod as to the inquiry as
to what would be done. Late in
the day it became circulated that
the policy of the committee was to
carry out the instructions Of the
caucus 1t was said that this
would not be done by many mem
bers, and on this idea the forty
four members, who voted against
the quorum counting or quorum
ascertaiuing the action of the eau
Gus were busy working up a senti-
ment to back up the committee in
the refusal
Their efforts were most ef'ectual
and it is evident that if the matter
we're left to a caucus again the
democrats would agree to try the
policy of enforcing the attendance
of the members by fines under the
law of 1856 rather than resorting
to more heroic methods But it is
understood that the policy of the
committee is to follow the instruc-
tions and bring out rule to ascer-
tain and establish 4 quorum 1t.
will follow a decision of the supreme
court in the case of the United
State VS. Ballin. This was a case to
test the Mckinley law, the point
being made that only 1873 members
voted to pass it in the house. Reed
counted some seventy silent mem
bers, had them recorded as present
and thus made a quorum, The su-
preme court decides that the rec
ord showed that a quorum was
present and that was all that was
necessary, even if only 1873 voted
SO the present plan of the com
mittee on rules is to provide a rule
thereby, when a roll is called, there
shall be two members appointed as
tellers. They shall certify to the
members present and this shall go
on the records. Then under the de-
cision Of the supreme court if
majority of those present shall vote
the constitutional requirements are
complied with and a bill can be
passed. or any other busines trans
acted, even though majority of
the house is not obtained. In 9th
er words a majority Of members
present or not a majority of the
membership Of the house will only
be required to transact business
and the number Of members present
shall be recorded by the employ
ment of two members of the House
as tellcrs. This is undoubtedly the
plan Of the committee on rules at
present, though it may change its
mind by Monday,
RACE To sABINE PASS.