New-York tribune., 1896-01-24
HOW TO COUNT 4 QUORUM.
PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE on RULES
ADOPTED BY THE HOUSE.
SOME SHARP PASSAGES Ar ARMS ENLtvEN THE
pEBATE-EX- SPEAKER CRISP STIRRED UP


pEBATE-Ex- SPEAKER CRISP STIRRED UP
by MIR. DOLIIvER.
washington. Jan. 2S.-"The nervous irritation pro-
duced By the Indulgence OF afternoon OF consttu-
tional debate" as Mr.. Doiver Rep., Iowa. wittiy
expressed It. responsible for the only enlivening
feature OF an otherwise dreary stretch In the House
proceedings to-day Immediately after the reading
of the journal Mr. Henderson Rep.. Iowa. reported
the auorun counting rule from the Committee on
Rules "a amended meet objections made TO
it's original form. The changes provided for adj
Iournmcnt pending rollcall and exempted Friday
night sessions (until further ordered by the House,
from the operations OF the rule Messrs. De Ar
mond DEM MOI, Bailey Dem. Tex. Miles Dem.
Md Grow ti2ep.. PENN, Gibson (Rep., Te1n) and
Dalzell (Rep. PENN spoke on the report. all but
Messrs Bailey and Miles approving the rule. and 1t
was agreed TO.
Mr. Crisp (Dcm Ga) moved 10 substitute for the
rules as whole the rules of the Lila Congress
Before this was put Mr. Dolliver made speech con-
graduating the Democrats their advance since the
famous scenes In the List Congress. In which they
prote sied against the counting OF quorum by
spcaker Reed az evidenced by their willingness to
vote for the rule reported to-day. This drew from
ex Speaker Crisp earnest defence OF the action
OF the Democrats at that time against what they
then deemed and which he still deemed revou-
,ionary proceeding on the part OF Speaker Reed. 1t
was 10 this that Mr. Dolliver responded quoted
above In explanation OF his purpose to say nothing
that should irrtate the Democrats or cause evil
memories 70 rise The substitute OF Mr. Crisp was
rejected and the rules reported were declared to
be adopted.
THE QUORUM-COUNTING RULE.
The modified form OF the quorum-couh'lhg pro-
vision reads as follows:
Whenever quorum fails to vote on any question
and quorum Is not present and objection Is made
for that cause unless the House shall ADJOURN there
hail he cell OF
arms shall forthwith proceed TO bring In absent
S. d at ae 6e ame nea m he @ as
ordered The clerk shall call the roll and each
member as ne answers to his name may vote on the
nendinC question. and after the rolca is completed
each member arrested shall be brought by the ser,
geant-at at-arns before the House, whereupon he shall
be noted as present. discharged from arrest. and
given an 10 yo n S ea s Se ,na sha be
who are present and decline to vote shall together
declare that quorum is constituted. and the pending
question shall be decided as the majority OF those
ceedings under the call shall be considered dis
pensed with. ..,,..u .,, 49,.
the Speaker may entertain a motion 10 adjourn N
seconded by majority Of those present to be as,
the House adjourns all proceedings under this Sec
ton snail be vacated But this section OF he rule
further order by the House
Mr. Henderson explained the force of the changes
made by the committee In the clause above men,
Toned. II provided. he s1ld for adjournment pend
Ing
OBJECT of vacatlng all proceedings Hereunder and
II did not apply the Friday night sessions when
,rs attendance usually Is not equal TO that of a
quorum Mr. Henderson said that the merits OF
the question having been argued by him when the
suhiect was under discussion some days ago. he
would not enter that field at this time but would
hear from those who oppose the view that a ma
jorty OF a present quorum can proceed TO do bus-
hrrn originally advanced In the NI.NIlth Congress
by j. Randolph Tucker once chairman of the Com
,1ilttca on the judiciary and recognized by all as
an able lawyer. and later advocated In the Lid
Committee on the Judiciary. Ii WAS desirable that
the rule should be adopted now. when It could be
considered without invoking any partisan feeling
either In It's support or opposition.
4 DEMOCRAT ADVOCATES 1T.
Mr. De Almond Den.. MOI argued tha: the pres
ence of a quorum having been ascertanedhe believed
IL to be perfectly competent for the House under the
Constitution by a rule to say In many words
that members who do not vote upon the pending
question shall be counted with the prevailing side
MIR De Almond. thus to vote them. Mr.. DE Ar
mond spoke for nearly an hour, and at the close
OF his remarks was greeted with applause
Mr.. Bailey Dem.. Tey.) answered Mr.. De Ar
mond. He asserted that II was not competent for
the House pass rule whereby any measure
could be declared to be legally passed unless 1t
received the affirmative votes of ieaHt a
jority OF the quorum OF the House lie fortified his
position by copous quotations from leading text
writer's and decisions OF judicial tribunals upon this
subject
rhe rule was advocated by Mr. Powers (Iep.. VT
end opposed by Mr. Williams Dem.. Mss. Mr.
Miles Dem. Md offered an amendment providing
that the result OF pending proposition shall be de-