The Portland daily press., 1897-03-30
MR.. JOHNSON Sat DOWN.
How Speaker Reed Quieted a Dis
turbance.
INDIANA MEMBER DEFIES AUTHO-
RITY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.

RlTY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.
The Speaker Summoned and Smooths the
the Ruffied ceilings of the Members
Not Line of Tariff Bill Read Yester-
daytime Occupied with Committee
Amendments.
Washington, March 29. This was by
far the most exciting day the House has
witnessed since the tariff debate began.
The proceedings throughout were of a
lively order and several times bordersd
on the sensational. The Democrats
blocked proceedings in the first instance
until quorum had appeared and then
by a strategic movement forced meet
ing of the ways and means committee
while the House was..considering the bill.
Not line of the bill was read today,
thesoommittee on ways and means retain
ing the floor throughout the day with
committee amendments. About 20 of
these were offered and adopted. Most of
them were not of great Importance. The
most important placed copper on the free
list.
Washington, March 2o.-When the
House met at 10 O'Clock today, the op-
position TO the tariff bill resumed their
policy of delaying and embarrassing the
majority. No mouioD being forthcoming
from the majority side, Mr.. Richardson
moved a recess for an hour. ''The gen.
tlemau is aware that that motion is not
in order in the absence Of quorum"
observed the Speaker, dryly.
Mr.. Dingley came forward and moved
the approval of the Journal. The an
nounoement of the vote, 161 to 3, showed
there was oall of the House, resulting
a22 to /, and none present. not vot-
ing.
The Speaker, after announcing the re-
suit. gently reproved the members. The
House then went into committee of the
whole and resumed the consideration OF
the tariff bill.
Amendments were adopted increasing
the rate on common yellow and brown
earthenware, etc., from 20 to a5 per
cent ad valorem.
Mr.. johnson, Republican of Indiana,
entered exceedingly vigorous protest
which the time of the House WIS being
taken up, and after Mr.. Sherman of New
York, who was in the chair, bad ruled
him out of order, he continued to protest.
Then the chair ordered him to keep his
seat. Mr.. Sherman pounded with his
gavel until he was red in the face Twen-
ty times he admonished the irate lndi-
anian to take his seat. but the latter con-
tinued his defiance. When Mr.. johnson
took his seat, the chair ordered the
stenographers to omit his remarks from
the r0cOru
MIR. QuIgg, Republican of New York,
then sent to the clerks desk another
clipping from newspaper to be read
MT. johnson again jumped to his feet
and protested. Again he was ordered to
take his seat. He refused to do SO, con
tinuipg in an impassioned way to de"
nounce irrevalHnt discussion.
Mr. Sherman announced that the COM
mittee would report the disorder to the
House. The Speaker was hurredly sum-
monel. Mr.. johnson continued to stand
defiaEtIy in his place. Suddenly the
doors burst open and the large form Of
the Speaker came into the House. His
face was flushed. As he appesred on
| the scene Mr.. johnson quickly dropped
into his seat. The Speaker looked to
ward Mr.. johnson, who arose and In
calm tones said he desired to get on with
the bill SO that he would have an oppor-
tunty to offer some amendments towards
the close. He did not want the bill ssnt
to the Senate crude measure, for, y
he said, sit has been SO characterized by
the press and the public "
The Speaker replied in coBcjl'atory
spirit. No matter what the pr0vf cation
for such protest. he snid, the pentle-
man from Indiana could not but agree
that it WAS the first duty of lnsm ber to
obey the directions of the presiding off,
Ger.
He then made a few obser sations on
the situation which restored good humor
He said he knew there was great deal
of irrevelnnt discussion. He had OBJ
served it for well nigh 20 years. Time
was wasted in all these debates and if
he had month on the bill there would
be the same Kind of debate.
II spsak as a result of experience. ~
said the Speaker amid laughter. 81
am sorry IL is so. We may not reach
some parts of the bill. but we must strive
not for an ideal condition, but to tine
to DO the best we can" (Renewed
laughter. The House then went hacE
into com mittee and proceeded with the
same character of debate.
A committee amendment adding
looking glass plates TO the varieties Of
,Icc nj in 1lA nt III II ya1arnp
was adopted and Mr.. Dalzell offered an
amendment which. upon inquiry by Mr..
Bailey, proved rot to have been agreed
to in the regular meeting If the ways
and means committee. Mr.. Bailev inti-
mated that the Democrats would MT
raise any objection 90 such a course,
| If they were permitted to offer amend
| ments. One of these was in regard to the
| differential duty on sugar and the other
amendment aimed, rs Mr.. Bailey said, at