The morning call., 1894-04-13
VOTE OR PUT UP.
Scheme to CoerCe the
Republicans.
FINE THEM FOR SILENCE.
How Catchings Failed to Garry
His Resolution.
CRISP WOULD NOT SEE REED.
Just the Same, the Republican
Leader Contrived to Turn nat-
ters His Way.

cratic managers Of the House to-day de-
cided that the time had come when some
effective methods should be adopted to
force the Republicans to participate in
legislation. During the last Congress and
during the recent Congress the Republi-
cans have on frequent occasions dead
locked the House for days by refusing to
answer to their names, thus breaking a
quorum. AS there was no rule to compel
hem to vote, and as the Speaker declined
to adopt The method OF counting quorum
without the authorization of a rule. the
House was constantly at the mercy Of the
min ority.
For the last few days the Republicans
have blocked business. and there was q
widespread belief on the Democratic side
that this was in pursuance OF precon-
concerted arrangement with the Repub-
cans at the Senate end of the Capitol to
delay all work with view 10 poslponing
action on the tariff bill. 1t is inlimated
that's quorum will hereafter be demanded
not only on partisan measures, but on the
routine business of the House.
Under such a stress of circumstances
Speaker Crisp, Catchings and Outnwaite,
comprising the Democratic end of the
Committee on Rules, decided this m orning
that the time had come tG act. A resolu-
ton embodying new rule designed to tlne
members $40 for refusing to vote was pre-
pared and resented. When the House
met the Dem ocrats were by no means
unanimous in their approval of it. While
the general sentiment of the House favored
some modification of the rule to accomplish
the purpose desired, a wide difference of
o. inion existed as TO whst that modifca-
ton should be. The Democrats to-day
were unable to muster quorum to act on
the new rule, and, finding themselves un-
able to proceed, resolution was offered
to revoke leaves of absence and compel the
attendance of absentees. By resort to
every means known to parliamentary law,
the Repu blicans succeeded in preventing
the adoption of this order for six hours and
a half. Tomorrow the struggle will be
resumed. 1t may be that the Democratic
opposition to the new rule as drawn will
result in It's modification, or possibly a
com plete substitution of some other
method to prevent filibustering. but there
is no doubt that when the present struggle
is over the wings of the fiiibusters will be
clipped aud new order of things will pre-
vail in the House.
AS soon as the journal had been read tie
Speaker recognized Caichings from the
Committee on Rules to present its report.
Burrows and Reed attempted to delay
m alters by raising the point Of order of
no quorum. but the Speaker averted his
head and refused to recognize them. The
report submitted by the Committee on
Rules was to amend the rules to the effect
that every member shall be in the hall of
the House during sittings unless excused
or necessarily prevented, and shall vote on
each question put unless he has a direct
personal or pecuuiary interest In such
question. Failure to comply with this rule
is punishable by fine Of $40.
Reed attempted to get the floor, but the
Speaker would not hear him. and vote
on the previous question was ordered, re-
sulting 90 10 nothing. Burrows demanded
the ayes and noes OIL the Loint of no
quorum and the Republicans refused to
vote, as did II Democrats. Geary Of Cali
fornia being one of the II. and the Populists
voting with the Democrats. The vote
stood 141 to II, showing that the Demo-
Gratis were 81 short of quorum, and on
motion of Catchings call of the
House was ordered. Then. under the
rules, a motion was made TO excuse
Hill, and this motion may be followed by
o hers till the list of abseDtees, over 100. is
exhausted. Each rollcall will require half
an hour, 80 that the fllibuster may be ex-
tended indefinitely. The Democrats
promise to stand fast until the rule
presented is adopted.
On the motion to excuse Hill point of
order was raised and overruled. and the
motion to excuse was lost-S4 to 105.
Catchngs Of Mississippi was then recog-
nized to offer resolution, but when 1t
was read Lacey claimed the floor to de-
mand reconsideration Of the vote just
taken, and Reed contended the motion to
reconsider under the rules took precedence
of all motions.
Richardson, who was In the chair, d.
rected the clerk TO read the resolution,
which proved to be resolution revoking
all leaves of absence except on account of
sickness and directing the sergeaDt-at-
arms to request the attendance of some
absentees by telegraph.
Both Reed and Boutelle jumped to their
feet when the reading of the resolution
was completed and made the point OF order
that 1t did not take precedence over mo-
,lon to reconsider.
Catchings argued that the adoption Of
the resolution would terminate further
proceedings under the call and must there.
fore take precedence of a motion to recon-
slider vote which was part of such pro-
ceedings.
TIE debate over the point OF order con-
tDued for over an hour, the giants OF both
sides crossing swords. At the conclusion
of the debate Richardson, who was in the
chair. said that while it was competent to
entertain motion to reconsider, pre-
vi0us motion having been made in the
form Of Cathings' resolution, the latter
took precedence. but would not prevent
the disposal of the motion to reconsider at
subsequent period. He therefore sus-
tanned the point of order. This had the
effect of granting the resolution the pend
ing question. Then there followed
series of dilatory motions. but finally the
vote was taken on the demand for the
previous question on the resolution to re-
yoke leaves Of absence and kilograms for
absente and it was ordered-112 10 49,