The record-union., 1895-01-08
House Democrats Hold a Caucus
to Consider the Matter.
DECIDE IN FAVOR OF THE CARLISLE
SUBSTITUTE BILL
Charges Of a Sensational Nature
Against United States District
Judge Kicks Of Cleveland Contained
in a Memorial Presented in the
House of Representatives.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

w odIl i.--by d NOt0 VI Oh
to SO, the Democratic House caucus to-
day voted to indorse the Carlisle substi-
tute currency bill, now before the House.
Speaker Crisp took the lead in present
ing the resolution and vigorously urged
the necessity OF its adoption. The Com
mittee on Rules was instructed to bring
in rule tomorrow to close the debate.
Efforts 10 amend Mr.. Crisp's resolution
were voted down, one of the adverse
votes showing only thirteen members of
the caucus favorable To an issue OF bonds
to retire the greenbacks.
The result OF the caucus is accepted
with considerable apprehension by
friends of the bill, Notwithstanding the
passage of the resolution of Endorsement.
The eighty-one votes which the measure
commanded in caucus is far short of the
number OF votes necessary to pass it in
the House. 1t is the belief, however,
that many of the fifty nine votes recorded
against the resolution will be changed,
now that the Carlisle bill has the prestige
of the caucus amendment But there
were several prominent leaders who as
serted at the close of the caucus that the
vote showed conclusively that the bill
could not pass.
The caucus was called together at 2
O'Clock, with Mr.. Holman in the chair.
All Of The party leaders OF the House. in
Guiding Speaker Crisp and Messrs.
Catchiugs, Cultivate, Springer, Wilson,
Tracey and Bland and the Democratic
members of the Banking and Currency
Committee were on hand. There were
l52 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 il was
understood that others would pursue the
same course. AS assurances were given
that Lhe caucus would Ue advisory, rather
than binding, Mr.. Cochran and his asso-
ciates concluded to attend.
The issue of the caucus was presented
by the following resolution, prepared by
MIR. Springer and introduced by Speaker
Crisp:
Re50LUed, That it is the sense of this
caucus that the Carlisle currency bill
should be passed by the House of Repre-
seutatlves substantially as presented in
the substitute which mas been printed in
the Record, and which will be offered at
the proper time by the Chairman OF the
Committee on Banking and Currency,
and that the Committee on Rules be re-
quested to report an order tomorrow
alter the reading OF the journal, which
shall provide for its consideration for one
more day for general debate, and there
after under the nve-mlnute rule, and a
final vote thereon at the nearest time
practicable during the week.
Representative Livingston of Georgia
started the caucus at lively rate by
moving 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
tbara was pDp siIar2 bla con
Chairman Holman finally sustained the
point OF order. 'tor thirty years." said
MIR. Holman, sit has been the unbroken
rule in the House of Representatives to
consider the action of a caucus as. ad-
visory, and not as binding. 1t leaves
member entirely free to act according to
their own judgment"
1t was agreed that all speeches should
be limited to i've minutes.
MIR. Crisp then spoke in support of the
resolution he had offered. lie spoke of
the profound importance of the situation
in which the majority of the House
found itself. 1t called for conservative
and careful action and united party.
| The 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.
Mr.. Bland followed in opposition to
the resolution. I'VE have now reached
the point" said he, when the Demo-
cratic party for the first time in it's his
! tory is asked TO become the advocate OF
national banks" He urged his specific
objections to the bill, being interrupted
frequently by calls of "V ote, j" ''Vote."
Mr.. Springer next took the floor in
| support OF the resolution. He spoke
mainly of the Importance of a caucus IN
securing the adhesion of members
| While caucus action was not binding, il
I I,alnc do
suasive on the judgment of the mem Ders
when party action was involved. The
present emergency must be met by the
Democratic party as whole. The re-
sponsibility is on the party" said he,
"and the people will hold the party ac-
countable for its action. In such an
emergency caucus action should be very
effective in bringing members of the
party together and overcoming minor
objections"
Mr.. Springer's time was extended to
ten minutes in view OF his being in
charge OF the bill.
There was lively interchange of ques-
tions and answers between Cochran and
Springer before the latter closed.
Cochran asked If Springer did not re-
gard the currency question as an econ
omic rather than party question, ques-
ton which never should be submitted
To party caucus action. Springer replied
that the question was both a party and an
economic 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 Messrs. Springer aud
| Cochran proceeded, and Chairman Hol-
man tried yalnly TO preserve order and
| quiet.
Brief speeches were made by Repre-
sentatives Cox OF Tennessee, CoombS OF
| New York, Bailey of Texas, Swanson OF
| Virginia, Coffeen of Wyoming. McRae
OF Arkansas, Washington of Tennessee,
Bryan OF Nebraska and Sperry of Con-
necticut.
They showed a wide divergence of in
| dividual views. Mr.. Sperry closed his
remarks by offering an amendment to
the pending resolution by which the spe-
cial bill for an issue of bonds TO refund
the greenba backs was to be substituted as
the one on which the caucus was to ex-
| press its approval.
MIR. johnson OF Ohio, a member of the
Banking and Currency Committee, fol-
| lowed III opposition to the resolution,
Mr.. Berry OF Arkansas also submitted
an amendment proposing as the sense of
the caucus a bill'authorizing each State to
| buy silver bullion To the amount OF 81
for each inhabltant and send the same to
the nlted states Treasury to be coined
and returned 10 the several States.
| This closed the speech making and the
admission OF amendments and voting be-
gan. The Terry amendment was voted
on first and was deieated-54 to 6I
The Sperry amendment was also de-
! feated-l3 to 10.
The last vote was regarded as signifi-
cant on showing the limited strength Of
the plan TO issue bonds to retire green