New-York tribune., 1894-04-15
HOW TO COUNT THE QUORUM.
THE COMMITTEE ON RULES HARD AT
WORK.
TRYING TO FIND AN APPLICATION THAT WILL
CONCEAL THE REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLE
TELIERs on EACH SIDE LIKELY
EX-sPEAKER REEDS SPLEEN
fpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIB-NE.1

Washington April 1.-THE House OF Repre-
sentatives was in session only thirty minutes
to-day II being apparent to the Democratic
leaders that IL would be impossible 10 muster
a quorum which was demanded on the motion
TO approve the journal. II was evident that a
good many OF the Democratic members were sur
fering from the natural reaction following the
proceedings Of yesterdays caucus, and an un-
usually violent attack of common sense; and 1t
IS rather probable that the effects OF this reac-
ton were made more acute and severe by the
praises and congratulations OF the wicked ana
gleeful Republicans In fact everybody seemed
TO regard the action OF the Democratic caucus as
a Republican victory as well as magnihcent
and triumphant vindcation Of ex-Speaker Reed
one Democratic member, Mr.. Ryan, OF New
York offered these philosophic comments:
I'VE went into the city elections and the Re-
publicans carried them everywhere. We went
into the township elections and everywhere the
Republicans carried them And yesterday we
went into the Democratic caucus and the Re-
publicans carried that
The Democrats who were outvoted In the call
Gus are exceedingly bitter over their defeat and
some Of them threaten to fight any rule which
provides that the constitutional quorum shall
supersede the Crisp voting quorum until they
are driven into the last ditch; that is to say,
until they have exhausted every means and de-
vice Of hlibus,ering. 1t was asserted in tneir
behalf to-day that AT least Cne-third OF the MEM
bers Of the majority are willing to take that
course. believing that the welfare Of the Demo-
cratic party demands II.
or course the Republicans were jubilant, and
they heaped congratulations upon Mr.. Reed
until he fairly blushed. Not they alone. for a
TT, In !
tions Of satisfaction and JOY. BOurke Cochran
remarked that Mr.. Reed would no longer be
"thc great ana only Car" and Mr. DOckery.
Of Missouri said that yesterdays caucus did
what ought 10 have been done by n Democratic
caucus long before Like sentiments We're eX-
pressed by Springer Savers and many other Dem
ocrdts. some ~ whom in The l.lst and Lid Con-
crosses had been most VO'iferous. vehement ana
bitter I'm their denunciations OF Reeds quorum.
Whatever may have been the sentiments and
emotions Of Speaker Crisp over the Democratic
surrender TO commOn-sonse and Republican pre-
cedent he did not appear to be anxious TO make
any public disclosure Of them. He and his Demo-
cratic colleagues were soon In deep consultation
In regard = the provisions and phrasng of the
new rul,-cspecially the latter. II they could
find words I'm the English language 10 disguise
or conceal the fact that the Democratic major
ty now proposes 10 do precisely what Speaker
Reed and IN" Republican majority IN me Llst
Congress were so Vehemently and continuously
denounced by Democrats for doing, those words
would bee seized and used in the construction OF
But they Will no, be able to discover such
words.
Probably the Republicans will not carry 10 an
extreme degree their opposition to whatever
phrases and methods may be proposed. provided
the import Of the rule is Plain and that IT VIII
produce the desire results. l. is the general
belief that the method adopted VIII Involve me
nupliufmeut II TWO trllcrs-one from carh *ldc
- whenever there j. a lack Of a quorum on a yea
ana nuv vote whose duty IL shall be 10 note ana
report. iu order % have entered IN the journal
th. names OF members present who iAit or r"iuse
- vote This method. If adopted. may be iouhd
ia practice {, consume "A good deal or TINE I'M
necessarily but II would not seem 70 be other
wise objectionable.
], is pr,bab" that measures VIII also De I>ch
{, have the law Of 1856 enforced. which requires
tho Scrgcant-at-Arms 10 dock the pay OF menu
l.rs for the days that they may be- absent eN-
cent Oh account ~ sickness. This law mas De'h
virtually a dead letter during the last thirty
o;I yctrs II is understood that the Democratic
load hope through IT'S strict enforcement. not
only 10 prevent the non-attcndance which mas
become So great an evil. but also - prevent Ke-
publican members especially from going nome 10
rep,tr their po.tica fences" before the ADJOURN
rneut Of Congress and thereby 10 promote the
prospects ~ an carly adjournment. InhshuCh
as there are many more Democratic tnah ~
nublieon members and "a the fences or th,
former are more IN need Of repair than those OF
the latter II il just possible that the rule WI
Mt bc adopted. and that IL II should De IL W9uii
T.. more Injurious 90 the Democrats than 10 thelT
mt