The record-union., 1896-04-04
The Speaker ReYerSeS His Famous DeCiS-
ion in the Fifty-FirSt Congress-
Only Requires a Majority Of Actual
Membership to be Present.
Thirty.Efght BILLS Passed in thesHouse
in an Hour and Half-Representa-
tfves HIT and Boutelle Debate the
Resolutions Recognizing Cuban
Belligerency, the Former In Favor
of, and the Latter Against Their
Passage.
Passage

WASHINGTON, April 3.-The House
to-day entered upon the consideration
of the report of the Conference Com
mittee recommending the adoption of
the Senate resolutions relating to Cuba,
which Hit CRep.) of Illinois, Chairman
of the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
has been endeavoring to bring to the
attention of the House for some time.
Hit was DESTROYS of securing action on
the report to-day, but the hour for re-
cess interviewed before the conclusion
of the discussion, and it went over until
tomorrow.
The prospect for further debate on
the Cuban question filled the galleries
of the House before the hour of meet
ing, but the interest among members
was not so great, judging from the at
tendance, not more than half the seats
being filled when Chaplain Couden in
voked the divine blessing.
A bill authorizing the erection of a
bridge over the Mississippi River at ST.
Louis was presented, and Picker (Rep.)
demanded the regular order, which was,
this being Friday, the consideration OF
bills reported from Committee of the
Whole at Friday night session.
The first bill was read, and Picker
moved the previous question.
Erdman Oem) of Pennsylvania made
the point of no quorum on the vote-127
ITO s. A quorum was counted and the
previous question ordered, and on the
passage of the bill Erdman demanded a
vote of yeas and nays, but only twenty
two members joined him in the request
AN insufficient number.
The bill was passed.
On the next bill Erdman again made
the point of no quorum, but the Speaker
said: The Chair overrules the objec-
tion," stating to the House that evil
IDENTIFY quorum was present.
The announcement was received with
applause, and the passage of the remain
ing bills on the calendar proceeded with
out serious delay or interruption.
Upon another vote Erdman again
made the point of no quorum, and the
Speaker, after counting, said: There
are lis present, a quorum"
This was a reversal of his famous de-
cision in the Fifty-first Congress, about
which there has been SO much contro-
versy, and which was followed by later
Congresses. The entire number of Rep
resentatives would be 357, of which 119
would be a ma iority, but there are two
vacancies, leaving the actual member
Il
Richardson Dem) of Tennessee ques-
toned the Speaker, saying that his de-
cision was in conflict with a ruling made
by him in the Fifty-first Congress, and
asking if it was the intention TO reverse
that Speaker Reed responded that il
was his intention to make the ruling as
announced.
Thirty-eight bills were passed in ar
hour and half, and then, at 2:30 o'clock
Hit called up the report of the Con-
ference Committee on the Cuban reso-
buttons. The report recommended the
adoption of the following resolutions as
passed by the Senate:
Resolved That in the opinion of Con-
gress condition of public war exists
between the Government of Spain and
the Government prevailing and fol
some time maintained by the force OF
arms by the people of Cuba, and thai
the United States of America should
maintain a strict neutrality between
the contending Powers, according tc
each all the rights of belligerents il
the ports and territory of the United
States.
Resolved, further, That the friendly
offices of the United States should bt
offered by the President to the Spanish
Government for the recognition of tbs
independence of Cuba
Hit Immediately took the floor and
said: 1.-THE two resolutions which tbs
Conference Committee has agreed K
propose, first, that the United States
should accord to the people of Cuba
qelligerent rights, and. secondly, tender
the friendly offices of the United States
to the Spanish Government for the rec
ognition of Cuban independence"
1t was true that the second resolution
as adopted by the House, was in a more
cautious form than that the House pro-
posed, ard Spain, unless persistently
seeking a quarrel could not have re.
scented such proposition, while the
resolution of the Senate proposing IL
dependence was more exposed to cap
tious objection. But when war be
tween a parent Government and de-
tendency has been going on for con.
siderable time, and when separation
was the best solution OF the war, the
mediation or friendly counsel of another
nation TO solve an existing struggle by
recognizing independence must be 9
truly friendly act, and this in fact ha.
often been done In cases almost pre-
cisely parallel to this, when Spain was
continent in the early part of this cen
fury. our Government had in fact taker
the very first step proposed in this sec.
ond resolution
He referred also to the action Of
President Grant during the ten years
struggle between Spain and the people
of Cuba, from 1865 to 1878. when he
through our Minister at Madrid. offered
the good offices of the United States
10 bring that war to close on the basis
OF Cuban independence.
The immediate recognition of bel
ligerency was a far more important and
impractical resolution. That was tht
point covered by the first resolution
both of the Senate and of the House. Ii
mere bulk the petitions presented K
Congress favoring this course had ex.
ceeded those upon any other subject 70,
years On the other side individual
members, especially of the committee
charged with the subject. had received
letters from citizens deprecating an,
action whatever. These letters were al
most always from those who call them
selves business men, brokers and finan
cial men, who were opposed to any &C