The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-14

WASHTNGrON, April 13 -ItireQuired
session Of nearly four hours to day be-
| fore the caucus OF House Democrats
reached conclusion looking to q change
| in the rules which will secure tho pres
| ence of quorum.
Two resolutions were adopted. The
first was offered by Bland, OF Missouri.
1t provides for enforcing the law passed
in 1856 which forfeits a memberS pay
for every day he may bs absent without
leave, except in cases OF sickness.
The second resolution was offered by
Dearmond. OF Missouri. This reads:
Resolved, as the sense Of this eau
Gus, That the comm!ebee on rules should
report TO the House rule or an amend
ment to the rules, by means of wh.ph
members present and not voting may be
taken into account on determining the
existence or non-eHistence of a quorum
and to compel the attendance OF absent
me mbers"
The resolution in other words is an
instruction to the Democratic members
of the committee on rules to report q.
rule providing for the counting of q
quorum 1t was adopted by vote of So
to A.
In addition to the foregoing resolu-
ton Springer OF Illinois, offered reso.
luton which provided that on the seconds
roll call members who do not vote shall
have the pending business stated tc.
them and if they still decline to vote
shall be counted to make q quorum.
The principal debate of the afternoon
centered about this resolution. Later
in the day MoCreary, Of Kentucky,
offered resolut ton RELOCATING the entire
matter to the committee on rules. The
vote on this resolution was taken by
tellers and resulted in Q tie-Gi to Ca
| whereupon Holman, chairman of the
caucus, cast the deciding vote in favor
of tho resolution. a yea and nay vote
was then taken, and the resolution was
| dcfeated-59 to 65
| A motion was then made on tho part
| OF some of the members who opposed
any change in the rules TO ad journ. but
this was voted down by q, large ma iority.
Prior to tho vote on the Dearmond reso.
| luton, Springer withdrew his resolu-
ton, and announced that he would sup
port that of the gentleman from Mis-
! souri,.
| During the discussion Williams, of
| illinois, commended that the Democrats
OF tho House ought to adopt some rule
| ny which they would require the pres.
ence of the members OF their party. The
majority Of the Democrats was large
and they not have tho same necessity
for adopting rules as wal the case in
the Fifty first Congress. FORGETTING the
pay of members would not only have
the tendency Of acCelerating business
| (adlournment so that mem bers might
return home on business matters which
now caused them to leave Washington.
Warner, Of Now York, speaking of
the mo ion that had been made to refer
the whole matter to the Democratic,
members of the committee on rules,
inquired whether this would not carry
with it the Inference that the caucus
would support whatever rule the Dem
ocratic members of the committee might
determine on. He said that no matter
what the caucus might do he would
refuse in any case to vote for rule for
counting quorum.
McMillin, of Tennessee, was opposed
to counting quorum, and Dunn, of
New Jersey, and McCreary, OF Ken
lucky, were averse to pursuing such a
method for obtaining a quorum
Allen, OF Mississippi, made charac-
toristically humorous speech, but
showed conclusively by his remarks
that he would vote for any proposition
looking to the securing Of quorum
Bryan, of Nebraska, opposed any
drastic measure. The Democrats had
utHOuECeu tne ruleS or the RoSd Con-
gress, and he did not want TO defend
similar rules inaugurated by Demo.
cratic Congress, The Democrats, no
added. already have enough to answer
for in not passing the tariff bill and
! giving the people the silver legislation
| they demand.
/ In the course OF Jhe proceedings
Speaker Crisp, who was present ct the
caucus, took the floor against Spriager's
resolution. tIe objected to il ON the
ground that it might be found to be in
effectual and that i5 needed o, careful
and critical examination such as could
not be given by the caucus.
When Dearmond presented his reso-
| luton he turned to the Speaker and ad-
dressing that gentleman he asked that
| II this whole matter were referred to
the committee on rules If he (the
Spesker) would Co operate with the
committee and carry out the spirit of
any resolution that might be adopted
| by the caucus.
Amid q burst Of applause Speaker
Crisp replied that he was Democrat;
that he would yield any convic ton
which he had to the voice OF Demo
cratic caucus.
The members Of the caucus. it is I'M
derstood were enjoiSed 10 secrecy, and
st 4:4a p. m. the meeting adjourned.
Tho American Bell Telephone Company,
lao MIX Street, noston, Mass.