Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-23
TO GET A QUORUM
The Necessity Now Confronting the
House Democrats.
NO hope FOR THE SEIGNIORAGE BILL
Seeking Way to Compel Mem
bers to Vote.
CALL FOR A CAUCU S

| The democrats of the House find them
selves in position of the most extraordi-
nary embarrassment with relation to the
seigniorage bill. now before them. The
feeling is very general that it will be i'm
possible to secure a quorum by any ordi-
nary methods, and many would be glad to
drop the matter if they could. But the
issue Is sharply drawn and there is no as
surance that If they should give this matter
up they might not almost be in as bad
tangie over some other question.
Necessity Confronting the Demo-
Gratis.
This morning, while less demonstration
was made on the start, the feeling of bitter
ness which predomnated yesterday was
even more intense. Now the democrats
appear to find themselves confronted by
the necessity of either following Mr.. Reed s
example Of counting a quorum or abandon
ing the Bland seigniorage bill, which 13O
men in caucus resolved should be kept be-
| fore the House until voted on, or else to
provide fines which will compel the attend
ance Of members. Mr.. Bailey and others
have prepared rules providing for fining
the members, vino failed to vote on roll
call. Mr.. Bailey'S resolution provides for
! fine of s1o for failure to VOTE and he
has also prepared bill providing for the
enactment of a law requiring that the SER
|
salaries of members. There is a decided
| disposition on the part of a number of dem
ocrats to abandon the bill for the coinage
of the seisniorage. The fact is that the
| bill in the form reported has never been
| held in any but Indifferent favor by a num-
| Der of democrats, who belong to the silver
wing of the party. II the bill We're aban-
doned, however, 1t would not necessarily
| help matters as far as the rules affecting
| quorum are concerned.
| The Republicans United.
The republicans are united in a determi-
nation to force the counting of a quorum
| If they do not accomplish this in the
present fight they are not apt to change
| their purpose. and the democrats will
probably find themselves much embar-
rassed in their efforts for other legislation
rs they are in the present instance. A
rule for securing the presence of a quorum,
/ Ii is believed, must be adopted, IL the Tepe-
tition of the scenes of yesterday is to pe
avoided. 1t is believed that a rule will have
to be adopted providing either that MEM
| bers shall be fined for not voting or for a
supplemental roll call of those falling to
vote on the first call. for the purpose mere
/ ly of ascertaining the presence of silent
| members for quorum. This latter propo-
sition is simply another way of counting q
quorum, by letting the members record
themselves as present and not voting, in
stead of leaving IL to the Speaker to count,
as Mr.. Reed did.
MIR. Bland Hissed.
| In his speech before the House this morn
| ing Mr.. Bland said that If some one from
the galleries should throw a bomb on the
/ floor of the House it would be no more
anarchy than was the scene in the House
yesterday. This statement was received in
| silence by most of the members, but was
/ hissed from the republican side and from
the galleries. Mr.. Bynum called Mr. Blani
/ to order, stating that he was not speaking
| to the question before the House, but Mr..
| Bland was permitted to proceed with his
| speech.
| Caucus to he Called.
Representative Holman. chairman Of the
democratic caucus of the House, will call a
caucus for an early day to consider a
change in the House rules by which men,
bers may be compelled to vote to make a
| quorum.
The call is in response to a written re-
quest signed by 1O4 democratic members.
| The request is the direct result of the up
roarious demonstration in the House yes
terday. The sentiment for a change in the
rules has been gradually crystailizing. and
it needed only the climax of disorder yes
| terday to make members ready for any
| thing to insure order and a proper dispatch
of business. Representative Paynter of
| Kentucky circulated the call, and secured
an even 100 names last night, and more
| this morning.
| There was a rush to get on the paper. 1t
contains the names of leading democrats Of
the House, among them being Outhwaite of
| Ohio who is a member of thecomnittee on
rules. The name of Mr.. Bland is not on
the call, for while he is severe in deprecat-
! ing the disorder of yesterday he says public
opinion should rebuke those responsible for
it. and that Il change of rules is not desir-
| able. The New Workers are also an eXcep-
| ton to the delegations which have signed
| the call. They are not anxious to strength
| en- the rules, and thus increase the chance
| of passage of bill such as the one now
pending.
| With these exception the call represents
all shades of opinions in the House. the
| anti-silver men as well as the silver men.
| The call had not been presented to NJ.
| Holman up to noon, as signatures were still
| being received. He said, however, that the
number of names secured insured the caucus
and that he would call it for the earliest
! date practicable. The call particularly asks
/ that the time be set after the pending bill
| is disposed of. as there is no desire to COM
plicate the present situation by change in
| the rules in the midst of debate. The call
| is also careful to avoid committing men,
| bers to any specific plan for changing the
rules. Most of those who have signed are
| ready to go to the extent of counting a
quorum, and the only question among them
| is as to how the quorum can be counted
without subjecting the majority to the
charge of adopting what has been termed
| Reed rules"