The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-04
Pennsylvania Legislators Proceed
to Organize a Rump House.
QUAY RULE OvERTHROWN
ANTI-QUAY MEMBERS ELECT A
SPEAKER.
Regular Presiding officer Attempted
to Adjourn the House and Left the
Hall-Desperate Efforts to Defeat
Investigation of Bribery Charges
Quay Lost Three Votes.

Harrisburg, Pa, March S.-During a
to adjourn, Speaker Fairs declared the
house adjourned and, followed by the
clerks and many members left
the chamber. Those who remained
elected Bliss of Delaware, one of the
anti-Quay Republican leaders. speaker.
AS soon as the chaplain had conclud-
ed his prayer, a motion was made to
dispense with the reading of the jour
nal, but it was vigorously opposed, this
being part of an alleged plan of some
of Senator Quay's followers to delay
proceedings by filibuStering and thus
prevent the introduction of a resolution
by General koontz Somerset, the anti
Quay member of the anti-br1bery COM
mittee, for the appointment OF addl-
tional members on the bribery invest-
eating committee, which is inQulr1ng
into charges in connection with the
vote on the McCarToll jury bill. After
a wrangle over whether resolution by
which IL o'clock had been fixed as the
hour of adjournment was in force, Mr..
Farr slated that this resolution was in
force, and adjourned the, house. He
and many members and the clerks then
left, amid general confusion and ex-
element.
Those remaining elected Mr. Bliss
speaker with a viva voce vote, and he
called the house to order.
Representative Fox CDem.) of Phil
adelphia called the roll, and two other
members acted as clerks. The roll call
showed the presence of two less than
a quorum, although many members sat
al their desks and refused to vote.
HOUSE IN SESSION.
Mr. Bliss made statement after the
roll call that in his judgment the house
was legally in session, but the speaker
having left the house and taken with
him the officers, the house could do no
business.
Mr. Steward of Philadelphia (anti-
Quay Rep) said the speaker adjourned
The house because he feared the mouse
would right wrong it had done in al
lowing him to appoint a committee to
investigate charges Of bribery.
After adopting a motion authorizing
Mr.. Bliss to appoint a committee of i've
to take action on the arbitrary ruling
of the speaker, the rump house TOOK
recess until the hour fixed for the gen
eral session to ballot on the senator
ship.
Speaker Farr returned to the house
to attend the Joint session, but as soon
as the result of the senatorial ballot
was announced he left. without going
through the fo~maility of calling upon
the members OF the house to receive the
report of the ballot. Mr. Bliss there
upon took the chair and James israel.
a Pittsburg newspaper correspondent,
was elected acting clerk.
Mr.. Fow said he had the names OF l0S
members who would participate in the
proceedings, but on roll call only 1Ol
answered, two less than a quorum.
Acting Speaker Bliss said there We're
present more than enough members to
properly constitute a quorum, and ad-
vised that a time be fixed for adjourn
ment. On motion Of Mr. Stewart, of
Philadelphia. it was decided that the
house meet at o'clock Tuesday even.
ing. The house then adjourned until
11:55 tomorrow.