The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-09
BOUTELLE WILL NOT DOWN.
Prodding Speaker Crisp in Most
Unpleasant Fashion.
HIS POINT NOT WELL TAKEN
The Maine Man Created Sensation
but His Appeal Was at Last
OVerruled.

deadlock for the lack of a Democratic
quorum would be broken and the tariff
debate would begin to-day. The deputies
of the Sergeant-at-arms had brought back
to Washington enough members under
arrest to fill the quorum and the rollcall
was answered TO by 169 Democratic men,
bers.
The members under arrest by the Ser
geant-at-arms under the resolution of
Saturday were: Brown of Indiana, Cad
mus, Fielder and Geissenhainer of New
Jersey, lie Fever and Randall of New York,
Bum of North Carolina. Childs, Cornish
and Fithian of Illinois. Laurin aud Talbert
of South Carolina, Turpin of Alabama,
Woodland of North Carolina, Broderick of
Kansas, Gardner of New jersey, Mercer
of Nebraska, Sherman Of New York and
WOomer OF Pennsylvania.
AS soon as the reading OF the journal
was completed the Speaker recognized
Catchings to call up the report from the
Committee on Rules. Boutelle demanded
recognition to call up his resolution to the
effect that the Presidents Hawaiian policy
invaded the rights and dignity of the
House. The Speaker was disposed to ig-
more him, az he had done on the two pre-
tAOuS QdNS, DuL lulS HUI uIuS DUuItIlG
made the point of order that the Speaker
in attempting to give precedence to re-
port from the Committee Oh Rules over a
question Of privilege had himself invaded
the privileges, dignity and honor of the
House. and this point having been made
the question must be submitted to the
House itself TO determine whether its priv
ileges had been absolutely abrogsted.
The startling nature of this point of
order caused the greatest excitement and
confusion. The members crowded about
the Speakers rostrum, and Boutelle. in
fierce tones, insisted that his point of or
der should be directly submitted to tie
House. 1t was notorious, he went on botIy,
that this question which he had put be-
fore the house was essential to its dignity.
The fragrant act committed by the eXecu-
tive abroad was known to every mem Der,
and twas also known that the Presidents
disgraceful policy had eliminated.
At this point McMillin vainly attempted
to call Boutele to order, but the gentle
man from Maine continued more impetu-
ously than ever. "If my point of order
does not intervene" he proceeded to say,
then these proceedings can bar out every
thing, even impeachment proceedings
even a message from the President declar-
ing that he has usurped imperial power.
The House is absolutely manacled."
Speaker Crisp. in ruling on Boutelle's
point of order, went into an elaborate dis
eussion of the parliamentary situation.
I'm ORDER" he said. $40 give life and effect
to the privilege of the House to change its
own rules, the rules require that when a
proposition to change the rules is before
the House nothing shall be in order ex-
cept motion to adjourn. If the gentle
man from Maine can invoke an existing
rule TO prevent it proceeding to consider a
change of rules. then the House ties itself
hand and foot. If the House feels that
its honor and dignity are assaulted by the
speaker or by the executive then the
House can vote down this report and the
chair will recognize Mr.. Boutelle to call
I'D his resolution"
BOutelle tried to continue, but Speaker
Crisp refused to recognize him further,
and Boutelle was still clamoring when
Reed arose to parliamentary inquiry, de-
string to know whether the Speaker re-
fused to entertain Boutelle's appeal on the
ground that it was dilatory.
The Speaker replied that he had simply
given Mr.. BOutelle a hearing on a point
upon which ne had ruled on two previous
occasions in the belief that possibly be
had something new to present. The col
lOQuy between Speaker Crisp and Reed
continued some time, and the Speaker then
stated that the question would be on the
demand for the previous question on the
report from the Committee on Rules, and
vote was then taken. The Republicans
roft \;
several Democrats, headed by Sperry of
connecticut, also declined to answer to
their names. The demand for the previ-
ons question on taking up the tariff bill
was carried-189 to @. ten more than
quorum.
Thirty minutes debate is allowed under
the rule, and the preliminaries having thus
been settled Chairman Wilson of the WAYS
and Means Committee rose and opened the
debate on the tariff bill. He said the
American people had given this admins
tration definite instructions regarding the
tariff question. The bill about 10 be con-
sidered presented a scheme of tariff re-
form to be dealt with according to the
deliberate judgment of the House. Cow
ering so wide a field OF legislation and
dealing with so many subjects the bill
must necessarily represent in its details
some compromise of opinion. ANY bill
passed by Congress, under present condi-
tons at least. must necessarily represent
such a compromise. The great CONNER
cial distress which had come upon the
country, paralyzing so many Industries
and throwing so many thousands out of
employment, made the task of reform
more difficult. while it made the necessity
for reform more imperi0us than ever. At
what time could taxes be lessened with
greater justice and greater humanity than
al time when thousands were struggling
Tor the bare necessaries of life, and when
could we with greater timeliness and
benefit strike some of the letters from
production and trade than when produc-
tion was oppressed by burdens and trade
hampered by restrictions? The third diff
Guilty was the emptiness of the treasury.
We are called upon to reduce taxes at a
time when the Government receipts are
running so low that the revenues have
ceased to meet the expenditures.
The speaker believed he could not hat
ter consume the time of the House than
OF of nf