The times., 1899-02-04
THE CRAMPS IN THE HOUSE.
Skirmfsh to BLOCK
MIR, Brumm's Relief Bill.

very interesting parliamentary game
begun and played through the greater part
of two days to avoid another attack OF
! Cramps, was ended in the House between
| and 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. 1t is
customary TO set apart Friday for the con-
sideration of private claims, and the big
rest claim of that sort liable to engage
the attention OF Congress is the one urged
by Mr.. Brumm of Pennsylvania, amount
| ing to 81 367, ,2i3.49, for the relief OF VIII
liam Cramp & Son, of Philadelphia.
The shipbuilders claim to have suffered
loss to that extent on their contracts for
constructing the Massachusetts. the In
| diana. the New York, and the Columbia,
by reason of the Navy Departments delay
| in delivering the arnor plate for the YES
| sells. though the Government holds the
| Cramps receipt in full for the work on the
vessels.
Mr.. Brumm succeeded in getting this
| claim before the House two weeks ago and
| the furore it occasioned resulted in an
agreement between both sides of the House
| TO block further consideration OF the claim
during this session if possible.
1t was expected that Mr.. Brumm would
urge renewed consideration Tor his Cramps
bill yesterday, and the contest begun on
Thursday night, when Mr.. Cannon of Illi-
nois moved that when the House adjourn
it should be until Saturday, thus leav-
ing out private claim day and despoiling
Mr.. Brumm of at least one chance OF get
ting his relief bill up for consideration.
Mr. Cannon's motion was readily agreed
to- whereupon Mr.. Brumm made the point
of order that quorum was not present.
This fact being very evident Mr.. Cannon
withdrew his motion by unanimous con-
sent. rather than wait for quorum to
be summoned and the House adjourned as
usual
| AT the opening of the session yesterday
Mr.. Brumm met with determined opposi-
| tion. The House managed to busy itself
with the controversy between Mr.. Hawley
and Mr.. Burton for nearly two hours. The
point of order of no quorum was twice
raised, necessitating a call of the House
each time. On Mr. Burton's motion to
strike from the Record" certain remarks
of Mr.. Hawley yea and nay vote was
| demanded, and the end came when Mr..
Payne presented a private claim to which
not single member objected, but ii
/ brought a demand for the yeas and nays
| just the same. Mr.. Payne promised MIR.
| Bailey that if the demand for a yea and
nay vote were withdrawn he Paynel would
move 10 adjourn upon the passage of the
| bill. 1t was so arranged. Before the mo-
l tion to adjourn could be voiced Mr..
| Brumm was on his feet crying for the reg
ular order, but the Chair was, of course,
bound 10 give precedence to the motion 10
adjourn, upon which Mr.. Brumm then de-
manded the yeas and nays, which was re-
fused for want of a sufficient number in
favor of further delay.
Il is quite likely that this programme
will be pursued at each succeeding Friday
during the remainder of this session. The
method is hard on other more deserving
private claims, for it entails the loss OF
an entire days session, so far as business
is concerned, but the House is determined
that the Cramps relief bill shall not be
passed by this Congress