Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-11

telle. of Maine, was on his feet putting
questions to the speaker as to what
had become of his privileged resolu-
ton in relation TO Hawaii The speak
er'S replies We're not satisfactory to
Mr.. Boutelle. who continued TO press
his point and was finally ignored by
the speaker, who recognized Mr.. Catch
ings. democrat. of Mississippi, to pre-
sent a report from the committee on
rules
The report was read.
1t provides for sessions beginning at
II o'clock: that Immediately after the
call of committees each day the house
shall go into committee of the whole
TO consider the tariff bill; that general
debate shall close Jan. 10: that the
bill shall then be open TO amendment
and the previous question on the bin
and amendment shall be ordered at
noon Jan. -. Provision is made for
night sessions and printing remarks.
When the order was read. Mr. Bur
rows. republican. of Michigan. Il men,
ho- oF the committee on rules. raised
the cIlestion of considera ton. but the
S''naF " decided that the question
F>e1Sideration could not be raised
against a report of the committee on
rules.
Mr.. Beutellc said he would appeal
from thar decision, but the speaker de
clined peremptorily TO entertain the
appeal. Mr.. Burrows. however, pro
ceeded to argue that, as the matter
had not been specially referred TO the
committee on rules, that committee
was not authorized to report a code of
rules for the house. That point was
also overruled by the speaker on prec-
edentS heretofore established.
That matter having been disposed
of. Mr.. Boutelle demanded that the
speaker should inform him under what
rule the speaker had declined to en-
terrain his appeal, and was told that
it was not the duty of the chair. on
the demand or request of the gentle
man from Maine, to furnish him with
any information. The democrats APP
plauded this remark, but Mr. Bou-
telle persisted that it was his priyi-
lc@e to make the point of order
The speaker brushed aside this de
mand and put the question Oh ordering
the previous question on the adoption
of the report of the committee on
rules. On Il standing vote there were
but 1873 affirmative votes and no mega
tive ones. Then the yeas and NAYS
were called
At least twenty democrats absentel
themselves or refused to answer 70
their names When called. For four
hours the democratic leaders tried with
roll call after roll cali to bring their
men into line but instead OF gaining
they lost votes on each successive rOn
call. The populIstS, with the cXcep-
ton of Bell, of Colorado. also declined
to aid the democrats in getting the tar
iii bill before the house on account of
the short limit it proposed to set on
debate. Their votes would have made
up Il quorum. 1t is well known that
some of the democrats who refused TO
vote today did so because they oppose
the tariff bill. Among them were
Sperry, Of Connecticut, CalmuS, of New
Jersey, HaineS, of New York, Robert
son, Of Louisiana, Ryan, of New York,
Sickles, of New York, English of New
Jersey and Sibley of Pennsylvania.
Sperry was up in open revolt against
his democratic brethren.
Today'S proceedings are of addition,
al Importance rs making the first
time in the history of either branch
of congress since the organization of
the third party that its members held
the balance of power.
The yea and nay vote on ordering
the previous question on the report of
the committee on rules resulted in
disclosure of the absence of a quorum
every republican member declining
to answer and one populist voting.
The result, as announced, was-yeas,
1859; nays, 1. Nine less than a quorum.
call of the house was ordered.
The call of the house was responded
to by 273 members, and then the ques-
tiOn whether all further proceedings
under the call should be dispensed
nounced the result as ayes LA, nays
40, but Mr.. Reed, republican, of Maine,
thought that the vote had better be
taken by tellers and he and Mr.
CatchingS conducted the vote, which
was summed up as 135 to 10. AS the
vote did not require a quorum. further
proceedings under the call were dis
pensed with, and then another attempt
was made to get an effective vote by
yeas and nays on securing the pre-
viOus question on the report of the
committee on rules.
The second vote on seconding the
previous question on the report of the
committee on rules proved to be as
abOrtive as the firSt-falling short of
a quorum by ten No republicans
voted and the democrats only mustered
1859.
The house then began its third at
tempt to get a vote by yeas and nays
on seconding the previous question on
the report of the committee on rules.
The democrats lacking twenty-one of
a quorum, a call of the house (the
third today was ordered.
The fourth c22tilh of yeas and navs
on NJ Cathings' motion to order the
previous question on the special order
reported by him today resulted: Yeas,
166; nays, Ono quorum, and the
house then adjourned.