The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-14
DEMOCRATS DBrBRIlHBD'
COIIIrTEE ON RULES EMPOWERED
To Present . fesoirtion To the Hsooo
Which will sol,s ihe Prob sm-An-
other Day Waited in the Hvusw


WASHINGTON, April is.--It required
a session of neasiy four hours to-day
before the caucus Of Democrats reached
n conclusion looking to a change In the
rules which VIII secure the presence OF
a quorum.
Two resolutions were adopted. The first
was offered by MIR. Baldwin. I. provides
for enforcing the law passed In lSs which
forfeiis a members pay for every day
he may be absent without leave. except
in cases OF sickness.
COMMITTEE on RJLvs TO scr.
The second resolution WAS offered by
MIR. DE Almond. OF Missouri Ii read as
follows:
Resolved, as the sense OF this caucus.
that the Committee on Rules should re-
port TO the House a rule or an amend
ment to the rules by means of which
members present and not voting may
be taken into account on determining
the existence or non-cxistence OF quo
rum and to compel the attendance OF
absent members"
The resolution. in other words. is an
instruction to the Democratic members
or the Committee on Rules TO report "A
rule providing for counting a quorum. IL
was adopted by a vote of IS to a.
10 COUNT THOSE PRESENT.
In addition to the foregoing resolutions
Mr. Springer, of Illinois. offered a reso-
luton which provided that on the second
roll-call members who do not vote shall
have the pending business stated TO them.
and IL they still decline to vote shall be
o
pal debate OF the afternoon centered
about this resolution.
Later In the day Mr.. Creary, OF Ken
tucky. offered a resolution relegating the
entire matter TO the Committee on Rules
The vote on this resolution was taken by
tellers. and resulted in tie-6 to g.
whereupon Mr.. Holman, chairman OF the
caucus. east the deciding vote In favor
Of the resolution. A yea and nay vote
was then taken, and the resolution was
defeated. Prior to the vote on the De
Almond resolution Mr.. Springer with
drew his resolution and announced that
he would support that OF the gentleman
from Missouri
THE DIscUssrox.
During the discussion NJ. Williams, OF
Illinois. contended that tht Democrats OF
the House ought to ad )pt some rule
by which they would require the presence
OF the members of their party. The ma
jority of the Democrats was large and
they did not have the same necessity for
adopting rules az was he case in the
Fifty-flrst Congress.
Mr. Wamer of New York, speaking 10
the motion that had been made To refer
the whole matter to the Democratic
members OF the Committee on Rules.
inquired whether this would not carry
with IL the inference that the caucus
would support whatever rule the Dem
Ocratic members OF the committee might
determine on. lie added that no matter
what the caucus might do, he would re-
fuse in any case TO vote for rule for
counting quorum.
Mr., McMiIin (Tenn) was opposed to
counting quorum, aud Messrs. Dunn
(N. J) and McCreary oky) were averse
10 pursuing such a method for obtaining
a quorum.
Mr.. Allen tMss) made characteristic
cally humorous speech. but showed con-
clusively by his remarks that he would
vote for any proposition looking TO the
securing OF a quorum.
Mr.. Bryan (Neb.) opposed any drastic
measures. The Democrats had denounced
the rules OF the Reed Congress and he
did not want to defend similar rules In
augurated by a Democratic Congress.
sPEAEER cgIsr's VIEWS
In the course OF the proceedings Speaker
Crisp, who was present. took the iioor
against the Springer resolution. lie OBJ
jected to IT on the ground that IL might
be found TO be Intellectual and cumber-
some, and that IL needed careful and
critical execution. such as could not be
given by the caucus.
When Mr.. De Almond presented his
resolution he turned 10 the Speaker and.
addressing that gentleman. he asked that
II this whole matter was referred to the
Committee on Rules if ne ftne Speaker
would Cooperate with the committee and
carry out the spirit OF any resolution
that might be adopted by the caucus.
Amid burst OF applause Speaker crisp
replied that he was q Democrat; that he
would yield any conviction he had to
the voice Of Democrats caucus.
The members Of the caucus. n IS under
stood, were enjoinei 10 secrecy. ana ~
AS p. NJ. the meeting adjourned.
sUMNoSiSo THE AssssTKEs.
Thirty-two kilograms were sent by
the Sergeant-at-Arms last night TO Demo
cratic members Of fhe House who are
absent from the city. Some OF the ab-
sentees are expected TO return 10 day
and tomorrow. bur the number of those
who return Is more than Offset by those
who are leaving to-day, and who VIII
absent themselves tomorrow.
Colonel Isaac Hlll, the Deputy Sergeant
alarms. made the prediction this morn
ing that there will be no quorum to-
morrow or probably not before Tues
day.