The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-08
Members Not Bound by the ResoIu'
ton Adopted.
COCKRlN WENT In ON THAT BASIS.
The Problem Now Will Be How to Pass
the Currency Scheme Under
the Gag.


currency bill now before the House.
Speaker Crisp took the lead in presenting
the resolution and vigorously urged the
necessity of its adoption. The Committee
on Rules was instructed to bring in rule
tom orrow to close the debate. Efforts to
amend Mr.. Crisp's resolution were voted
| down, one of the adverse votes showing
only Is members of the caucus favorable
to an issue of bonds to retire the green
backs. The result OF the caucus is &C.
cepted with considerable apprehension by
friends Of the bill, Notwithstanding the
passage of the resolution of Endorsement.
The 81 votes which the measure COM
manded in caucus is far short of the num-
Der necessary TO pass it in the House. Il
istbe belief. however, that many of the
SO votes recorded against the resolution
will be changed now that the Carlisle bill
has the prestige of he caucus amendment,
although there were several prominent
leaders who asserted at the close OF the
caucus that the vote showed conclusiyely
that the bill could not pass.
The caucus was called together at
O'Clock with Mr.. Holman in the chair. All
of the party leaders of the House, includ-
ing Speaker Crisp and Messrs. Catchings,
Cultivate. Springer, Wilson, Tracy and
Bland, ana the Democratic members of
the Banking ana Currency Committee,
were on hand. There were 152 members
present
Mr.. Cochran of New York stated early
in the day that if the caucus was to be
binding he would not enter it and it was
understood that others would pursue the
same course. As assurances were given
that the caucus would DE advisory rather
than binding Mr.. Cochran and his associ-
ates concluded to attend. The issue of the
caucus was the reply presented by the fol-
lowing resolution prepared by Springer and
introduced by Speaker Crisp:
Resolued That 1t is the sense OF this caucus
that the Carlisle currency bill! should be passed
by the House of Representatives substantially
as presented in the substitute which has been
printed In the Record and which will be offered
at the proper time by the chairman OF the Com
miltee on Banking and Currency, and that the
Committee On Rules be requested to report an
order tomorrow after the reading of the jour-
nal which shall provide for its consideration
for one more day for general debate, and there
after under the fve-minuie rule. and final
vote thereon at the nearest time practicable
during the week.
Representative Livingston of Georgia
started the caucus at a lively rate by NOV
ing that all who were in attendance should
be bound by the action of the caucus.
From various parts of the hall came cries
of Point of ORDER" and for time there
was considerable confusion. Chairman
Holman finally sustained the point of
order.
For thirty years." said Mr.. Holman,
r,,Ia
House of Representatives to consider the
action of caucus as advisory and not as
binding. 1t leaves members entirely free
to act according to their own judgment"
1t was agreed that all speeches should be
limited to five minutes. Mr.. Crisp then
spoke in support of the resolution he had
offered. He spoke of the profound gravity
of the situation in which the majority of
the House found itself 1t called for con-
servatiye and careful action and a united
party. MThe resolution was designed to
test the sentiment of the caucus on the
vital point involved whether the currency
bill now before the House should pass.
Bland followed In opposition to the reso-
luton. 1--WE have now reached the point"
! said he, when the Democratic party for
the first time in its history is asked 10 be-
come the advocate OF national banks" He
Urged his specific objections to the bill, be-
ing interrupted frequently by calls of
Vote, vote"
| Springer next took the floor in support
of the resolution. de spoke mainly of
the importance of caucus in securing the
adhesion of mem bers. While caucus &C
! ton was not binding 1t was, nevertheless.
regarded as very persuasive on the judy
mens of members when party action was
involved. The present emergency must
be met by the Democratic party as whole.
"The responsibility is on the party"
| said he, land the people will hold the
party accountab BILE for its action. In such
an emergency caucus action should be very
effective in bringing members of the party
together and overcoming minor objections"
| Springer's time was extended to ton
minutes in view Of his being in charge of
the bill There was lively Interchange
of questions and answers between Cock
ran and Springer before the latter closed.
| Cochran asked If Springer did not regard
| the currency question as an economic
rather than a party question, a question
which never should be submitted to party
caucus action. Springer replied that the
question was both party and an Geo.
nomic question, but in the present case
the party would be held responsible for
the execution of economic principles.
There was much confusion as the cross
fire between Springer and Cochran pro-
ceeded. and Chairman Holman tried vanly
to preserve order and quiet.
Brief speeches were made by Represen-
tatives Cox of Tennessee, Coombs of New
York, Bailey of Texas, Swanson of Vir-
giDia, Coffeen of Wyoming. McRae of Ar
kansas, Washington OF Tennessee, Bryan
| of Nebraska and Sperry of Connecticut
They showed a very wide divergence Of
individual views. Sperry closed his re-
marks by Offering an amendment to the
pending resolution by which the Sperry
bill for an issue of bonds to refund the
greenbacks was to be substituted as the
one on which the caucus was to express
Its approval.
John OF Ohio, member of the Bank
ing and Currency Comm ittee. followed in
opposition to the resolution. Berry Of
Arkansas also submitted an amendment,
proposing, as the sense of the caucus, a