The times., 1897-05-04
MR.. REEDS BLUFF CALLED
He offered to Appoint Committees
on the Majority'S Request.
MIR. LEWIS CALLED FOR A VOTE
A strict Party Vote Indorses the
Sreaker's Previous Position-Mr.
simpson, Defending Himself, At
tacks PIutocracy and Inaction.
Mr.. Bailey Snubbed.

The proceedings of the House yesters.a.
fairly bristled with antithesis and snatche
from the current political opera bouffe
There was, of course, a serious aspect an'
result ia a great deal that was developed
in the three mortal hours and half tina
the commons sat and entertained the pub
lie; which, by the way, was expecting ;
field day at this wing OF the Capitol
The day opened somewhat dreariiy. Mr.
j. b. Showalter, recently elected in The
Twenty-fifth Pennsylvania district, was
sworn in, and the President was enabled
In one intermezzo of the Kilkenny cat
fight to be heard in a message rcspectlat
the lynching of Salvatore andot her Italians
at HahnsvIIle, La. last A ugust, the message
Icing accompanied by recommendation
from the Secretary of State that So, ,oGd
lie distributed among the heirs of the VIC
tins of the tragedy.
Mr.. Bailey, of Texas, possibly not aware
of the policy that was TO be pursued
by the Democrats, who have been chatting
at the waste OF ii whole week, opened the
debate by asking unanimous consent for
the consideration of resolution provid-
ing that the House take up the bank,
ruptcy bill and discuss it from day TO
day after May 10 as in committee Of the
whole. MI Dingley was on his feet TO
make the motion TO adjourn when Mr..
Bailey caught his eye and ear and was
permitted graciously TO proceed, Mr.. Ding
ley knowing that he would not get very
far this session with anything. Mr.
brewster, of New York. settled the nani-
NOUS consent by objecting.
Then Mr. Simpson, of Kansas, who has
aninfinite assortment OF means 10 goad the
opposition To do something and also an
inexhaustive reserve fund OF picturesque
pyrotechnics, arose to a question Of personal
privilege He read extracts from the Mail
and Express, which is run by the Secretary
Of the Interior and the New York Times,
all of which called him funny names, iectlil-
ed him, and 10y indiIection and otherwise
lioniZed Mr. Reed fer his ability, with Il
hundred or no majority, to suppress Nj.
Simpson They spoke of MT. Reed as tlip
hammer, 4 sort Of a Cfalles Martel, and
OF Mr.. Simpson as ''skeeter,' and the
victim OF a head pushed against stone
wall, and such like brilliant and able argu-
ments Nj. Simpson had one or two uf
these read 10y the clerk, which gave him
the opportunity Of characterizing Mr. Reed
in the Congressional Record (if il viii tie
printed as tack-hammer
Mr. Dingiey, when he saw the fOrmida-
hle array Of clippings on Mr.. Simpson s
desk felt al once that the reading of them
would prevent the House Immediately TAX
ing up the tariff till, and he raised the
point that Mr.. Simpson was not talking TO
a question of personal privilege. Mr.. Reed
thought so also almost instanter; although
he did admitthat the clippings and attacks
had not impaired Mr.. Simpson S usefulness.
This naturally made Mr.. Simpson piping
mad, because Il was an implied rehukc and
a left-hauded personal attack by the chair
on member. Mr.. Reed said that the MEM
ber could not waste the time of the House
under such a plea as that of question of
personal privilege.
MIR. Simpson houy replied that he was
not an obstructionist, and promised 10
show, before lie sat down, who was re-
sponsible for the obstruction. His repu-
tation, he averred, was attacked in these
articles He would defend himself against
these, and in defending himself he de-
sired his constituency to know that he
was not wasting time, but that it was
being done by the Speaker and his side
of the House. On this line he rene wed his
argument against the arbitrary conduct
Of the Speaker in ignoring Rule X. andde
nounced il vigorously. All this made the
Republicans feel uncomfortable, and half a
dozen or more got up to say something, but
Mr. Dingley was permitted to say that
Mr Simpson was travelling outside of
his question of privilege.
MI Simpson then jumped on Mr. Dingley
and catalogued him with the plutocrats and
one who was jumping at the opportunity
of defending his friends. The debate here
was so personal and the points made so
direct that Mr. Reed sought to make
diversion by solemnly and grandilUquently
offering Z TO entertain motion as to whether
he should appoint the committees, making
the Republican majority n the House the
Judge and jury. The scheme was not
opaque enough to catch Mr. Simpson or
any of the Democrats, and Mr. Simpsonex-
posed 1t on the spot 10y showing that a
single objection would make the attempt
futile. Mr Reed, however, was srarring
for wind, and in that safe condition he
simply challenged Mr.. Simpson to make
the issle. Mr.. Simpson, while showing up
the scheme, was opposed by several Re
publicAns who desired that he be silenced
On the ground that he was attacking the
Speaker
Mr.. Simpson protested against the mo-
tion that the Speaker haian immunityfro1n
criticism, if he were derelict In duty. Mr.
Reed pertinaciously called Mr.. Simpsons
TO the chip on his shoulder, ana
eventually had the question put to the
House, whether Mr.. Simpson was speaking
to a question Of privilege, and it sustained
Mr. Reed hy yoteaf ga to 81 This result
was anticipated by the Democrats aud
Popuists, who voted together, Mr.. SiInl-
son characteriZing the result as another
Thirty Democrats, at least. did
not vote on the question, and s0:ne oshcrs Of
the Bailey faction voted with the Re
puhlicans.
After calls for division, yea and nay
vote, and other dilatory tactics, Mr.
Dingley moved again TO adjourn, but was
interrupted by Mr. Bailey, who demanded
to know what the Republicans proposed TO
do with his proposition to consider the
bankruptcy bill in Committee of the Whole
The Republicans were not as gentle as they
were earlier in the day, and Mr. Bailey
was Informed that they would consider
that matter if II majority agreed to it and
that it would come before the House if
at all through the Committee on Rules
The davS labor was considered IN no