New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-14
A NEW MINORITY LEADER.
JERRY SIMPSON ASSUMES THE ROLE
BUT COMES TO GRIEF.
SPEAKER REED TOOK HIM FROM THE FLOOR
nrc,1-sr HE WOULDN'T PROCEED
IN oRDER-ACTIoN ON THE
INDIAN BILL
fpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

INDIAN BILL.
tny TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Washington. NAV 13-After much and deep tr1ou-
laton and many painful exhibitions OF thelr Ihahy
headed condition. the minority III the iiouse VI
Representatives have at last found leader whom
III 90 them can follow and obey. He Is Jerry Smp-
son Of Medicine Lodge. Kan. AS soon as ne as
sumed tho leadership of the minority to-day every
face on that side frightened, every heart pea' hsn
with pride and confidence. and such nappihs 'o
gether OF wings had not been seen or he"ru oeiio
since the session began. The ponderous ana sonor
ous BAILEY who can say II object in tone that
makes tyrants tremble: the fiery McMillin, whose
Carthaginan oratory sometimes curdies the pio'u
in the veins Of visitors from the rural dlstrlcts' to
rumlnant Bland. who regards the proposition 10
increase the tax chewing tobacco as a personal
aHront: the volatile Wheeler, who losses grave anu
heavy constitutional questions as easily as nurse
does an infant and all the rest huddled and haile1
their delivorer and leader AS for Jerry, ne wouo
have been an immense success as Ieduer IL hei"-
bers Of the majority lad not cruelty INSISTED 'i'a'
he should 90 thing which for him was utterly
inlpossble-speak in order.
The question was on the approval OF the journal
of Mondays proceedings. but that the ne" ieaoer
scorned to discuss. Three times or more was ne
called order, and three times did the House vote
10 allow him to proceed In order, but these "arli-
ings and admontions were wasted upon MIN am
his misguided followers Even the sober and I'M
pressive appeal the Speaker produced no appslr-
ent effect upon him or them, and when the ques-
ton was put for the fourth time, on motion that
he be allowed to proceed in order, the House de-
cided il in the negative The majority evidently
realized that it would be cruel as we'll as useless
further TO insist that the leader of the minor
ity should even try perform an impossibility 1t
required IA rollcal to suppress the grasshopper
statesman but that disclosed the presence OF many
more than the quorum which he had insisted was
not present. ,..-,
After he had retired in somewhat battered ana
disfgured condition. General Wheeler was recos-
nized and he entertained the House for ten min,
utes with a disqusition entirely novel
subjective Constitution Of the United states
The point he seemed to be trying 10 make
was that the journal. to the approval OK
which he objected. a nuty because IL
was q record of proceedings which We're nul-
lty because they in contr1vention OF the Con-
sitution The mere statement of this question may
not seem clear, but it is certainly as lucid as Gen
eral Wheeler's speech. After he had relieved his
mind and Mr. Payne in a few satrical sentences
had reminded the House that the question before
1t was the approval Of the journal the vote was
taken There was loud and general response III
the affirmative and when the other side was called
for thin. piping voice somewhere In the nan
squeaked No"
The House then agreed to the conference report
on the Indian Appropriation bill. returned the bill
TO conference the gilsonte amendment. and ad-
1ourned until Monday.