Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-03
ONLY THE HOUSE
But One Branch Of the National
Legislature in Session.
IMPORTANT RULING As TO A QUORUM
Contest Between Pension Bills and
tho Cuban Resolutions.
THE CONFERENCE REPORT

THE CONFERENCE REPORT
The galleries Of the House were we'll filed
today in anticipation Of a renewal Of the
Cuban debate in connection with the pre-
sentation Of the conference report on the
Cuban resolution, but the attendance on
the floor was smaller than usual. Some
preliminary routine business was trans
acted.
Mr.. Murphy Qll.) secured unanimous con-
sent for the consideration of a bill to au-
thorize the construction Of third bridge
across the Mississippi river at St. Louis
Mr.. Bartholdt (Mo) offered an amend
ment, which was defeated, to compel the
construction of the bridge at least one and
d nan, ana not more than two and a half
miles below the Eads bridge
Mr.. Hepburn, chairman of the committee
on commerce. opposed the bill on the
ground that third bridge within a dis
lance OF two miles would greatly impede
navigation at ST. Louis.
Mr.. Murphy and Mr. JOY urged the pas
sage OF the bill because of the excessive
tolls charged by the present bridge com
Mr.. Hepburn maintained that CONGRESS-
mad the power to prevent the extortion
complained of. '-0
The bill was passed.
Cuba or Pensions.
Mr. Pickler, chairman of the pensions
committee, demanded the regular order.
This being private bill day, he wanted to
proceed with the consideration of privata
pension bills reported from the committee
OF the whole. Mr.. Hit, chairman of the
foreign affairs committee, thought he oupht
~ ~ nantagonize those bills If they would en-
talI uepate, In the interest OF the confer
ence report on the Cuban resolutions.
Cupa can wait" replied Mr. Picker.
while we pass these pension bills"
Mr.. Hit finally agreed to withhold h;s
motion If Mr.. Pickler would demand the
previous question on each bill as it was
Called CARED up The democrats insisted that
ipere ought to be debate. and Mr.. Erdman
rum On the first bill. The Speaker CONT
ca 2oo members. eleven more than q quo
tun' MT. Erdman then attempted to Sc
~ tGaG ~. une yeas and nays on the passage of
the bill, but only twenty-five members SIM
ported his demand. On the next bill dem
ocrats re1ra1ned from voting and less than
quorum voted, but when Mr.. Erdman
rndue me point the Speaker promptly over
ruled 1t, stating that it had already heen
ascerta1ned that a quorum was nresent
MT. Erdman went through the motions Of
demanding division" on each vote bnt
MS opposition was unavailing.
fhe Speakers Important Ruling.
On one occasion when Mr. Erdman made
the point of no quorum the Speaker made
the important ruling that IT'S constituted
quorum. thus deciding that a majority
of the living members was a quorum in
stead Of majority of the full membership
or the House. This question had never
been absolutely settled In the Fifty-frst
congress Speaker Reed held that a ma tor-
Ivy OF a 1ull house was a quorum. Mr.
Richardson called attention to the inport-
ance OF the ruling, and asked If the Speaker
intended to reverse his decision in the
Fifty-first Congress-
The Speaker replied that he did. He ex-
planned that his former ruling was made
nurriedly, on the side Of safety. After
thorough examination he had concluded
that majority Of living members was
quorum. He cited several authorities.
among others that of Reverdy Johnson.
MIR. Grosvenor Ohio said he desired at
some future time to cite other authorities
Mr.. TaIbert Is. c. caused a little furry
on the last bill-to pension Mollie Crandall-
by attempting, under the guise of a parlia-
mentary inquiry, to denounce the passage
OF the bill as an outrage" but the Speaker
called him to order and ordered him to
take his seat. After about thirty bills had
been passed in something more than an
hour Mr.. Erdman made a novel point. de-
handing after the bill had been ordered to
pc ensrcssed that copy of the engrossed
Dill be produced. AS this could not be done
the bill was laid aside.
The Cuban Resolutions I'm. "a.
Then, at 2:25 pm, Mr.. Hit. chairman Of
foreign affairs committee, called I'D the
conference report on the Cuban resolutions.
Inc report agreed to the Senate resoIu-
tons, the first of which declared, in the
opinion OF Congress, that a state of public
war existed In Cuba, and that the United
States should maintain q strict neutrality
between the belligerents, and the second
requested the President to use his friendly
offices with the Spanish government for
me recognition of the independence of
CUBA. The conference riginslly agreed on
tne Rouse resolutions, the most important
OF "hich Favored Intervention if necessary.
but which form the Senate rejected. The re-
port of the new conferees decided to ac-
cept the Senate resolutions
mr.. HIT moved the adoption of the con-
ference report in a speech which will he
found elsewhere in The Star.
Pertinent Questions and Ansyers.
During the course of Mr.. Hits remarks
he was interrupted several times by oues-
tions, though there was no general display
of antagonism to his position. Gen. Hender-
son asked for an explanation of what ben
eft the recognition Of the belligerency of
the Cubans would be. Mr.. Hit replied that
that was the point Of the whole proposition
before Congress, and said that it would give
the Cubans flag and a status. Today If
a Cuban vessel should come into the port Of
New York flying the flag with a single star
she would be subject to treatment AS
a pirate.
The Spanish minister would at once go to
the State Department and demand that
such treatment be given her. But after
belligerency had been granted, there would
be nothing of this sort. The Cubans by
this recognition would acquire the right
to purchase munitions of war and supplies
and be accorded the same treatment which
Is accorded to Spain herself.
Mr.. Swanson at this point asked If Mr.
Hit thought the adoption of this resolution
" followed 80
telligerency.
Mr.. Hit replied that he believed it would.
because he did not think that the President
OF the United States would be recreant in
his duty toward Congress. He did not
think that Mr.. Cleveland would ignore the
wishes of Congress so emphatically ex-
pressed and occupy the attitude of master
instead of President. He was confident.
therefore, that the adoption Of this report
would be followed at once by the recogni-
ton Of the belligerency Of Cuba
COL. NAFF'S PARTY DROWNED.