The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-01-05
CONGRESS- A
Senators and Representatives Assem-
bic After the Usual Holiday
Recess.
In the House a Fight Was Immedi.
ately Precipitated by the
Republicans.
Democrats Couldn't Furnish q Quo
rum, So the Tariff Bill Was
Not Taken Up.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-There was not
avery brilliant setting for the opening
Of the tariff debate in the house. When
Speaker Crisp mounted the rostrum at
noon and raped the house to order,
there were many vacant seats in the
public gallery. In the press gallery,
o~verhangtng the speakers chair, how
ever, was lined with newspaper corre-
spondents. On the floor there was con-
siderable animation. Ex-Speaker Reed,
MI. Burrows, Mr.. Dalzell and other
Republican leaders, were comforting
earnestly, and on the Democratic side,
each member Of the ways and means
committee was surrounded by a group
of his colleagues.
Uncertain About Republicans.
Much uncertainty was manifest as to
the tactics the Republicans would pur-
sue, the suspicion being that at the very
outset, the Republicans would lay every
obstruction in the path Of the tariff bill,
and that the first step in the programme
would be to insist upon a Democratic
quorum. To prevent such a move from
being successful, the Democratic whips
were instructed to have every Democrat
present when the vote was taken. After
prayer by the chaplain and reading of
the journal, some preliminary business
interviewed.
The designations of Colonel Fellows
and Mr.. Fitch of New York, who had
been elected respectively district attor-
ney and controller Of the currency of
New York, were read, and the speaker
also presented the credentials of Mr..
Adams of Pennsylvania, who had been
elected to succeed the late Mr.. ONeill.
The Fight Begun.
The fight then began. Mr.. Boutelle,
on behalf of the Republicans, putting
forward the Hawaiian matter to antag-
onize the tariff bill. MI. McCreary,
chairman of the foreign affairs commit
tee, sought to avoid this by making an
arrangement by which Friday and Sat
urday of this week should be set aside
for the consideration of the resolution
reported by the foreign affairs commit
tee in lieu of the Hit and Boutelle reso-
AutAOAlo. VII llltI VI ti0 lllllOllJy VI LII
foreign affairs committee was ON his
feet, and as soon as Mr.. Creary had
made his proposition, he stated that in
asmuch as this proposition gave the
Republicans substantially what they de-
sired, namely a time fixed for debate of
the Hawaiian matter, lie would be glad
to accept it.
Couldn't Muster a Quorum.
The Democrats failed to iIuster q
quorum in the house, ann until one is
procured the tariff bill is blocked. There
Is little prospect of a quorum.
The Senate.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.--When the vice
president raped the senate to order at
noon hardly a score of senators were in
their seats, and it was some time later
before the presence of a quorum could
have been demonstrated. The floral
offerings of the new year were not
numerous. A luxurious bouquet adorned
the desk of Vice President Stevenson,
but he appeared to be the only one in
the senate receiving this mark of favor.
Among the first to appear on the floor
was Senator Hill of New York, and he
was shortly joined by Senator Voorhees,
sof Indiana, Allison of Iowa and Mills of
Texas.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal Senator Blackburn of Kentucky
presented the credentials of Senator
Eppa Hunton of Virginia, and the oath
of office was administered to the new
senator.