Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-01-16
THE FUNDING BILL DEAD
DEFEATED IN THE HOUSE by A
VOTE OF iO2 TO lGS
Intense Interest Shown in the Strug.
gle, and Il Spirited Discussion
Precedes the Vote.

Precedes the Vote.
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE Pacific rail-
way funding bill went to its uoom in the
| house today under an adverse majority
of g. The friends of the measure, who
mad predicted its passage up to the last
moment, were surprised by the decisive
character of their defeat. They had been
led to hope from the votes on the sub
stitutes that the bill had more than an
even chance of passage. The California
| and middle west members voted almost
solldly against the substitutes. When
| the vote came on the main proposition
the whole opposition swept into and
crushed it.
This was the fourth funding bill killed
IN the house in 10 years. An analysis Of
| the vote today shows that Sc republicans
and 16 democrats voted for the bill, and
50 republicans, IS democrats, popuists
and independents against the bill.
Mr.. Powers said tonight that he did
not know what would be done, but ex-
| pressed the opinion that another effort
| should be made to pass an acceptable
bill. The opponents of the BILL on the
! other hand, are rejoicing and say the
| vote today settles the scheme to fund
| the debt at this session.
| Galleries Were Crowded.
| Great interest centered in the outcome
of the vote on the bill. The galleries were
crowded early, and members on the floor
| before the opening hour discussed the
| merits Of the bill.
| 1t required some time to straighten out
| the parliamentary situation. Speaker
| Reed stated there were no pending
amendments to the bill. There We're how
ever, two substitutes-that of Harrison
| Of Alabama to provide for a commission
| Of three cabinet officers to negotiate a
settlement of the debt with the two roads,
| and the Bell substitute, providing if the
roads would clear Off the first mortgage
50 as to advance the governments lien
! to the position of first mortgage, the gov
efnment would agree to the extension Of
the period for payment of the debt al
8 per cent interest. TO the former substi-
tute there was pending an amendment
proposed by NorthWay of Ohio, providing
tnat the commission should be appointed
by the secretary of the treasury secre-
tary OF the interior and attorney general
instead of consisting OF these three cab
met officers. The Northway amendment,
he said, was to be voted on first. T.1en
the substitutes in their order.
After some wrangling, the speakers
statement of the situation was accepted
by the house.
The NorthWay amendment to the Har-
rlson substitute was defeated on viva
voce vote, after which the Bel substi-
lie was submitted Bell demanded a
-scord of the vote. The demand was slls-
tanned by 70 members, mostly democrats,
and the roll was called. AS the voting
proceeded, it was evident the substitute
would fail, and the friends OF the bill
were correspondingly jubilant. Senator
White of California, Senator Daniels and
other senators watched the struggle witt,
deep interest.
When the speaker announced the de-
feat Of the Bell substitute, 110 to 1856. the
opposition appeared somewhat staggered
but it was pointed out that California
members and others known to be opposed
to the measure voted against the substi-
tute.
The Harrison substitute was then sub
mitted. On a viva voce vote, the volume
the speaker was about to declare it de-
feated when Harrison demanded the
ayes and noes. There were cries of ''No,''
No. but Harrison succeeded in secur-
ing AZ members to back his demand
This was not a fifth of the preceding
vote, but the other side was unable to
muster more than 129 so the speaker
ordered the roll called The substitute
I1,,j1p oily
Tne Fatal Vote.
The opposition then decided to test their
strength by securing a roll call on the
usual formal motion to engross and read
the bill. Accordingly Masure, democrat,
OF California, demanded the yeas and
nays, and half the house seemed to re
spond to his demand. AS .he roll call be
gan, every one realized the critical mo-
ment had come. The oua; of excited con-
versation subsidel, and e hush fell on the
house. Powers and his clerk kept tallies. |
Cummings, democrat of New York Ma
gure, democrat, Of California, and seE-
eral other members also checked the vote. |
When it was quietly whispered about al
the end of the first roll call, on the motion
to engross, that the vote was ST to H. the |
adverSarieS Of the measure We're over
joyed Mcguire started a round Of ap-
plause and abandoned his tally. The COM
pleteness of the defeat of the bills sG-
vocates became more apparent as the see
ond roll call proceeded. When the clerks
had figured up the to5ai. the speaker sub
nitted the result-yeas 1o2, nays 1853.
There Was a great ouf5urst of applause
when the defeat Of the measure was Off |
cially announced. a formal motion by
Hubbard, republican, Of Missouri to re
consider and lay on the table was carried |
and some minor business was transacted |
Then, suddenly, Powers seemed to make |
up his mind to try to get further consid- |
Grafton of the bill in q new form He
arose and moved that the bill be recon- |
mitted to the cammittee.
1T is apparent" said ne, speaking very
calmly, 'that the house has manifested
it's opposition to the principle of this bill |
but" he continued, "I take it every mem |
Der present wants some action taken, and
| make this motion In order to see if The
committee can not formulate some meats |
ure which will meet with the approval CT
the house,
Dockery, democrat, of Missouri immed1-
ately made a point Of orde that the mo-
ton was not in order.
Mr.. Terry of Ark2 nsas said his under |
standing of parliamentary law was that
the refusal Of the house to engross the bill
killed it, and the motion to reconsider and
lay that motion on the table had put it in
its coffin and nailed the coffin up
After some further debate, on the suS- |
gestion of the speaker the decision on the !
question as to whether the Powers motion |
was in order went over until tomorrow to !
give him an opportunity to examine prece- |
dents.
The excitement quickly subsidized. Mem |
bers retired to the cloak rooms in droves !
and in five minutes there were not % OF |
them on the floor.
is detailed 1-ata of the |