Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-19

auorum- counting rule. 1t was not in |
The terms of the rule which Mr.. Reed |
had the House adopt in the Fifty first
Congress, for it provided that the House |
Itself, by tellers, should count the menu
bers present and not Voting, rather than |
the Speaker or the clerk. But Mr.. Reed |
was able to congratulate the House on |
adopting the principle of his rule, and
he and the other Republicans were
almost as happy at his success in fore
Ing it on the Democrats as If 1t had been
In the exact words of his own rule.
The ex-Speakcr never looked happier
than he did to-day as he witnessed the
formal acknowledgment of the success
which has attended the chief purpose of
his efforts this session. He announced
ut the beginning Of the session that he
would force the Democrats to adopt q
quorum-counting rule before tho end OF
the session. The Democrats. with nearly
forty more votes than quorum, laughed
this prediction to scorn. Speaker CRISP
said that the Democrats would never
adopt quorun-countlng rule.
ABsENTEEs TO BLAME.
If the Democrats had all been as
Jealous as Speaker Crisp it would not
were so indifferent TO their public and
party obligations as to absent themselves
10 as to leave the House almost con-
SANITY without a quorum. Speaker
Crisp's appeals to them to return to their
duty failed to affect them.
In the absence of these Democrats 1t
was easy enough for Speaker Reed, with
the united support of his side, to accom-
plish his purpose by simply tilibustering
On almost every question that came UP,
great or small. Speaker Crisp and most
Of the leading men on the Democratic
side would have resisted him to the
last, in spite of all the inconvenience
involved, but they yielded to the will Of
the majority in the caucus of House
Democrats last Friday, as their repre-
sentative, Mr.. Catchings, said in pre-
sentipg the rule to the House to-day.
Indeed, the fact that the caucus had
ordered il was about all the argument
he made for it. The half-hour Of dis
cussion over it was more entertaining
than instructive.
DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE.
Mr. Bryan d., (Neb) said the ques-
ton was of far more Importance than
some members seemed to consider. The
constitutional requirement for the pas
sage of bill was that IL should receive
the votes of majority of the members
of the House. The innovation proposed
by the rule he believed to be danger
Gus one, looking to the transaction Of
business by minority.
Mr.. Springer, d., Qll.), said the pro-
posed rule contemplated no change of
The constitution; it was only propo.
sition whereby the House could do the
business for which the members had
been sent here. Republican applause, ]
The House had sat here for month
past and done scarcely two days work.
lie was tired of it, he said, and hoped
the House was. He should hail the
adoption of the rule as the dawn of a
better era in American legislation. The
delivery of Mr.. Springer's remarks was
accompanied by almost continuous APP
plause from the Republican benches.
Mr.. Grow, r. (Pa.), said he recognized
the right of the majority to make rules
but not the right to make rules which
would punish the minority for silence.
HIS objection to the rule under consid
Grafton was that it was cumDrous in de-
tail, and he had read as part Of his re-
marks rule which he desired to oifei
as substitute.
HUMILIATING SPECTACLE.
Mr.. Russell, d. (Ga.) lamented the
Illuminating spectacle presented to the
country by the Democratic majority o.
the House, with 10 or 80 more vote
than the Republicans and 80 more thar
majority, finding themselves unable tc
do business without calling to their ai(
the exceptional and revolutionary
methods of the 51st Congress.
Mr.. Reed said: ~ do not desire tt
address the House again upon the gen
eral subject. This scene here to-day il
q more effective address than any
could make. The House is about /,
adopt the principle for which we con
tended in the 51st Congress and is abou
to adopt it under circumstances which
show conclusively to the country 1t
value. No words that can utter cal
add to the Importance of the occasion
congratulate the 53d Congress upoi
the wise decision that it is about I,
make" Applause on the Republlcal
side,
Mr.. Cultivate justified the adoption
of the present rule by saying that tn
majority must proceed with the publ
business, not permitting the minority
control the business of the House an
dictate legislation. This rule gave onl
a fair opportunity to the maiority-thos
who were present and willing to sta
here day after day and hour after hou
Ito transact the public business, will
out allowing them to be unnecessaril
stayed in the performance Of their pus
lie duty.
REPUBLICANS SMILE
The debate was closed by Mr.. Catcl
ings, who pointed out the necessity #
the adoption of the rule, and said IL
present conditions were widely differel
from those which obtained in the Fift.
first Congress and against which Il
Democratic party protested.
While MIR. Catchings was speakir
Mr.. Bynum D., Qnd.) rose to a point
order that Mr.. Catchings had exceedC
the limit OF time remaining to him. -
The Speaker-The time is being Ike
at the desk, and the chair will call Il
gentleman's attention t. the fact til
his time has expired when the limit
reached.
Mr.. Bynum,-The clock shows tn
has been speaking more than thr
minutes.
The Speaker (sharply)-The cha
keeps the time for the House.
This colloquy was greatly enjoyed
the Republicans.
REEDS RULE CARRIES.
The vote on the passage of the res
luton was announced at 9 O'Clock
have been Yeas, sl2; nays, AZ, So t
resolution was agreed to.