The morning news., 1894-04-16
ABSENT DEMOCRATS.
They Make 1t Necessary for a
Quorum to Be Counted.

ouOTuIn TO DC counted.
Washington, April 15.-There would be
no necessity for counting a Quorum in
the House If all the democrats would do
their duty. II is all well enough to
abuse and denounce the repub
lieans for refusing to vote, and
thus breaking quorum; but
the real trouble lies on the democrats.
who are absent, and who persist in being
absent. When, therefore, it is reported
that 1.-The republicans refused to vote and
the democrats could not muster quo
rum, you may know that two score or
more democrats are absent.
ABsENTEEIsM
There is a considerable number of
chronic absentees in the House, and there
are others who are absent so often that
it is almost chronic. These two classes
mainly live within few hours ride of
Washington, and they seem to feel iusti-
fed in going home whenever they get
ready, and staying as long as they please.
Out OF all the democratic representatives
from New York state, there are only six
whose presence can be counted on
with regularity These are Messrs.
Cummings, Coombs, Tracey, Warner,
Straus and Dunphy. Bourke Cochran,
who aspires to lead the House In oratory,
does not consider il duty Of a member to
be present all the time, and hence he is
absent whenever it suits his will. He
loves to turn up, however, at intervals, as
sort of oratorical messiah, whose elo-
quence is the last hope of some
expiring cause. Gen. Sickles, who
draws three salaries--as member of con-
gress, as retired general of the army, and
as pensioners seldom here And SO the
list might be continued. This sort OF
men Is what makes the counting Of QUO
rum necessary. They absent themselves
and then want republicans counted in
their places. And, among the democrats,
there are quite a number who have Joined
the republicans, at times, in refusing to
vote, and have thus allied themselves with
the enemy.
ANOTHER SPECIMEN.
Mr.. John ]. O'Neill, democrat. of
Missouri, has been In regular attendance
on congress for three or four months, con-
testing the seat of MIR. JOY, a republican,
who obtained the certificate Of election,
and was seated at the beginning OF con-
gress. During all the time he
was contesting, Mr.. O'Nein was
present. Soon after he was declared
elected and Mr.. Joy was turned
out, Mr.. O'Neill left for home, and has
not been back since. During the recent
PAObCSbCu SbIuRgltS lOT quorum, blGfe
has been no response when Mr.. O'Neill's
name was called. He got his seat, drew
his back salary and skipped His demo-
cratic colleagues, whose votes seated
him, may look out for themselves He
has got what he wanted, and somebody
else may attend to the public business.
WHAT CONSTRAINED THEM.
The presentation by the committee on
fTh4lredaU of Ia 10 AnA
who are absent or refuse to vote, was
doubtless the means Of inducing many to
vote in Fridays caucus, in favor of count
ing quorum. Those gentlemen who are
in the habit Of absenting themselves
when they please, don't want
to pay for their indulgencies.
Rather than be fined for their
absence, they would much prefer to
have those who are present counted. They
think that counting those who are present
IS much better than fning those who are
are absent-especially as they, them
selves are likely to be among the class to
be fined. They may swagger around and
swear that they would never pay fine,
that It Is unconstitutional and could not
be collected, etc, ETC.; but all the same
they are very eager TO adopt some meas
ure which will do away with all danger
of fines.
THE COMMITTEE AT WORK.
Since the caucus requested it, the COM
mittee on rules has been at work to draft
rules which will enable a quorum to be
counted. To make rule which will
effect the desired object, and yet will be
fair, impartial, and free from liability to
mistakes, is not an easy thing to do. The
democratic members of the committee
are giving some close and hard study to
the subject, and there is some prospect
that they will be ready to report to-
morrow, provided quorum of democrats
is present. They would not care, of course,
to project into the House a rule which is
almost revolutionary in its character.
without having quorum of their own
party behind them,
1t is considered probable that liberal
time for debate win be had before the
report of the committee is brought to
vote. This would be best for all parties.