Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-28
THE BLAND BILL.
After q Long Struggle the House
Deadlock is Broken.
THERE WAS FILIBUSTERING TODAY
Mr.. kilgore Presents Some Res.
oIutions on Absentees.
SEVERAL POINTS OF ORDER

SEVERAL POINTS OF ORDER
At the opening Of the session this morn
ing Mr.. Gessenhainer CN.J) tried to secure
unanimous consent for the consideration OF
the bill making An appropria ton to save the
armament of the wrecked kearsarge. Blu
Mr.. Bland demanded the regular order.
Mr.. Geissenhainer Is one of the democrat.
who have been refusing to vote on Mr.
BANDS motion. After the call of commit
tees for reports Mr.. Kilgore Tex) presented
the following resolution as a question OF
privilege:
MIR. KilgOre's Resolution.
Whereas the laws Of the United States
section 40. chapter 4. Of the Revised Stat
utes, provide that when any member Of tn,
House of Representatives shall be absen
for any cause except that of sickness Of
himself or his family. 1t shall be the duty O.
the sergeant-at-arms to deduct from tn.
monthly salary the amount due him eaci
day he is so absent without such cause, and
whereas during the present session o.
Congress many members have been absent
as appears from the Record. for cause.
other than those named in the statutes
therefore be 1t
Resolved. That the sergeant-at-arus be
required to report to this House withou,
uSioy lhS VI SUCH aDS6uteeS anu
whether or not the law in such cases nadt
and provided has been by him compiled
with, and that. II 1t has not been so com
piled with, to report his reasons why he has
been dereiiet in his duty in that regard: and
II. In his Judgment. the law cannot be COM
piled with, that he be required TO give hi,
reasons why 1t cannot be enforced.
Mr.. Reeds Point of Order.
Mr.. Reed made the point Of order that
the resolution was not privileged. 1T is
not question Of privilege" said he, sar-
castically. Ito ask the sergeant-at-arms his
opinion as to law Of Congress. I admit
that the temptation to take advice from
anybody in the present emergency Is great,
but don't think we should publicly &C.
knowledge that We are driven to such
straits"
Mr.. Ki,gore said this was not q matter
to be jeered at. and Mr.. Sickles (N.Y) aug
gested that the resolution should go to the
committee on grievances.
The speaker decided that the resolution.
os drawn. was not privileged, but IL 1t con-
tanned an allegation to the effect that an
officer Of the House had been derelict in
MS duty. 1t would be clearly Of that char
acter. Accordingly. Mr.. Kilgore withdrew
II TO make the change suggested.
Mr.. Bland and His Bill.
Thereupon Mr.. Bland moved that the
House 60 into committee Of the whole for
the consideration Of the seigniorage bill,
and pending that, that general debate close
at o'clock tomorrow.
On the latter motion he demanded the
previous question. The vote was the signal
for break in the New York delega ton
Messrs. Cummings, Clancy and Magner de-
Ginning longer to give countenance to the
hiibuster OF their colleagues by not voting.
During the progress of the roll call Mr.
Johnson Ohio rose to a point Of order He
called attention to the fact that the rules
required members to vote, and that the
member whose name the clerk had just
called (AIr. Bingham) had refused to answer
to his name. The Speaker said the roll
call could not be interrupted. Mr. Johnson
then reserved the point Of order. and the
roll call proceeded.
Mr.. Livingston and Rule 8.
At Its conclusion Mr.. Livingston Of Geor-
Eia renewed the point Of order made by Mr.
Johnson, and read rule 8, which is as fol-
lows:
Every member shall be present within
the hall of the House during its sittings
unless excused or necessarily prevented !;
ana shall vote en- each question put, unless
on motion made before division or the COM
mencement of the roll call he shall be ex-
cused or unless he has direct personal or
pecunlary interest in the event of such
question"
Under that rule he demanded that Mr..
Tracy. who had refused to vote. be held in
contempt of the House. Mr.. johnson said
he had list of twenty-five members who
had violated the rule.
Mr.. Livingstone demanded that the Speak
er enforce the rule under the decision Of the
Supreme Court.
No Power to Enforce the Rule.
But" returned the Speaker, "the chair
has no power to enforce the rule. The rules
required that gentlemen shall not SIN oke on
n No bot ,1x, 10.
request members to abide by the rule in this
particular. The chair is :he organ Of the
House. not its master (apolause), and as
long as the present occupant is in the chair
he will never make a rule" Renewed ap-
plause).
Mr.. Boatner declared that 1t must be in
order to make a motion under the rule
cited to place Mr.. Tracey In contempt
Whenever a member willfully violated the
rules he was In contempt and 1t was natural
to suppose that the House. which has the
power to make rules, had the power TO en-.
force those rules.
The chair then stated that the discussion
was proceeding by unanimous consent and
he was ready to announce the result Of the
vote.
No Quorum.
Mr.. Springer asked il the point Of order
could be made after the announcement
The Speaker replied that the announce
voted and that under the Constitution
nothing would then be In order save an
adjournment or call Of the House. He
then announced the result-l69-5-5 short
of quorum. Mr.. Bland shouted out that
quorum would have voted on that roll
call had all the friends of the measure
been where they should have benin their
seats. He then moved q call Of the House.
Mr.. Reed insisted on the yeas and nays
The call of the House was ordered-1S9+
The call developed the presence of PCS
members. Mr.. Bland moved to dispense
with further proceedings under the call
and on that motion Mr.. Reed forced the
yeas and nays.
Further proceedings under the call were
dispensed with-1S3-3-and the vote then
required upon Mr.. BANDS demand for the
previous question on the motion to limit
debate.
The Deadlock Broken.
At 2:45 the House obtained quorum. 1874
members voting. The committee on rules
Immediately presented a resolution provid-
ing for two hours debate on the Bland Sill
yer bill and for a vote to be taken at the
expiration of that time. A vote was de-
manded on the resolution, pending which
Mr.. Tracey of New York stated that there
had been an error in the roll call and that
quorum had not voted. The Speaker re-
piled that Mr.. Tracey was not the keeper of
the roll, which statement was greeted with
cheers. Mr.. Reed took Mr. Tracey's part
and insisted that he should be given a hear