The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-20
BANKRUPTCY BILL PASSED.
CONTAINS VOLUNTARY AND INVOL-
UNTARY FEATURES.


"f----
Involuntary Feature Secures Only
sixteen Observation-Disclosures Repre-
sentatives Vote Against the Meas
ure and Twelve Democrats for IT.
An InsOIvent Described as One
Whose Property at a Face VaIua-
ton Is Not Sufficient to Pay His
Debts.
Washington, Feb. Batter four days of
consideration the House to-day passed the
bankruptcy bill reported by the House
committee on Judiciary as a substitute
for the Nelson bill passed by the Senate at
the extra session last summer. The bill is
known as the Henderson bill and contains
voluntary and involuntary features. 1t is
considered less drastic than the measure
passed by the last House by vote of 157 to
81. The involuntary feature, however, had
but sixteen majority.
To-day a motion to strike out the invol
untary feature was defeated by majority
of 10, and the bill was passed by a ma
jority of "a, the vote standing ayes, 159;
nays. 125.
Eighteen, Republicans voted against the
bill, and twelve Democrats for it. The Pop
ulists with one exception voted against 1t.
To-day the bill was read for amendment
under the five minute rule. Under the or
der made the final vote was to be taken at
4 o'clock this afternoon.
Mr. Bailey, the Democratic leader.
sought to secure an arrangement by which
the House could have an opportunity TO
vote on the Senate Cor Nelson) bill before
voting on the House substitute, but he
failed.
An arrangement was affected, however,
by which the first vote taken at o'clock
should be on Mr.. Underwoods series of
amendments to strike out the involuntary
features of the substitute.
During the consideration of a motion to
strike out the section defining the terms
used in the bill, one of which defined an
'insolvent" as one whose property at a
face valuation was not sufficient to pay
his debts, Mr.. Lacey, Rep, of Iowa, said
he could not give his support to the in
voluntary features of any bankruptcy
law, Democratic applause).
The debate on this amendment pro-
ceeded in desultory manner.
MIR. Bailey, Dem, of Texas, got the
floor upon another unimportant amend
ment, and submitted briefly some obser-
vations defining his position. He v&s
anxious, he said, as a member of the
House, to see an equitable bankruptcy
law placed upon the statute books. But
his anxiety would not lead him to vote
for a measure which would njure the
solvent more than it would benefit the
insolvent
Mr.. Cannon, Rep, of Illinois, created
some enthusiasm on the Democratic side
by announcing that he would refuse to
support the bill.
Mr. Mahany, Rep, of New York offered
an amendment limiting the operation of
the act to two years from the date of it's
passage. The vote on the motion was
taken by tellers and the announcement
that it had carried-131 to 129-was greeted
with loud applause.
Mr.. Henderson Immediately moved to
reconsider the vote and Mr.. Bailey moved
to lay the motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table Mr.. Hen
derson's motion to reconsider was lost by
vote of 166 to 1856.
When this vote was announced the hour
set for vote a O. clock) had passed.
The motion to reconsider was put and
carried without division and the vote was
about to be taken again upon the Mahany
amendment, when Mr.. DalzelI made the
point of order that the order under which
the House was operating precluded any
further action except upon the Underwood
amendments which, under the arrange
ment, were to be voted upon at 4 O'clock
This point of order, the speaker sustained
An interesting parliamentary struggle
followed in which Mr. Bailey, Mr.. Will
Jams Dem, of Mississippi, and the speak,
er took part. which finally resulted in the
speakers deciding that the House had re-
considered its action in regard to the Ma
hany amendment, and that a vote upon it
was now excluded by the order.
The Underwood amendments, which
struck out the involuntary features of the
bill, were then presented and voted on I'M
der the order of the House. The amend
ments were defeated 1S9 to 1885, The vote
then came up on substituting the Hender-
son bill for the Senate Cor Nelson bilD and
the motion prevailed, 1853 to ia.
Mr.. Terry, DEM, of Arkansas, the senior
member of the judiciary committee then
moved to recommit the bill with instruc-
tons to strike out all the involuntary feat
ures, except those for actual frauds This
was lost by vote of 100 to 49,
Mr.. Terry insisted upon an aye and nav
vote on the final passage of the bill. The
bill was then passed by a vote of 159 to
125.
Messrs. Henderson, Rep, of Iowa. Ray.
Rep, of New York, and Terry, Dem. of
Arkansas, were appointed conferees on the
BILL and at $40 o'clock the House adjourn
ed.