Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-19
PARLIAMENTARY FENCING.
H1w an Afternoon Was Passed I'm tn
House of Representatives

After the closing OF The Stars report OF
ne House proceedings yesterday Mr.. Nc
Dermott tN.J) opposed the Cramps claim
bill, which he characterized as remark
able measure" in that 1t directed the court
to render such judgment as would fully,
fairly aud equitably'' compensate the COM
pany. That direction would include intar-
est. He said he would vote for a bill to
direct the court to ascertain what was due
the government under the contracts After
some further remarks by Mr. R!xey CyaD.
Mr.. Grosvcnor tOho) and Otey (Va) in
favor Of the bill Mr.. GrOs Venor moved thai
the committee rise. Without opposition the
committee rose and reported to the House
that Ii had come to no conclusion imam
the Cramp bill. Thereupon Mr.. Grosvenor
moved that the House go back into COM
mittee OF the whole and limit general de-
bate 10 one mirute. Mr.. Robb (Mo) moved
an amendment to limit general debate to
two hours. The latter motion WAS defeated,
80 10 50, whereupon Mr.. Sims (Tenn) made
the point OF. no quorum.
The Speaker counted 142 members-not a
quorum-whereupon Mr. McDermott moved
to adjourn. The latter motion was lost
and call of the House was ordered
On the call the motion was lost, 60 10
ia, % present and not voting. The vote
then REQUIRED upon Mr.. Grosvenors motion
carried.
Mr.. McDermott succeeded in forcing a
roll call upon the motion to go back into
committee of the whole. Pending that mo-
ton he moved an adjournment. but the
Speaker declined to entertain the motion
upon the ground that it was dilatory The
motion was carried, 113 to a. and the
House accordingly went back into commits
tee of the whole, where the opponents OF
the bill succeeded for some time in prolong-
ing the fight.
An amendment offered by Mr. Bouten
Ql), a member of the committee to
slightly change the verbiage was adopted
Mr.. Grosvenor attempted to cut off fur
Their effort to amend the bill by moving
that the committee rise and report the bin
favorably to the House. but Mr.. Hemen-
way Und.). who was in the chair, ruled
that the motion was not in order until the
amendments offered became dilatory. This
opened the way to a perfect stream OF
amendments, which poured in from the on
pOnents of the bill.
Finally the chair recognized a motion
that the committee rise. and II prevailed
Mr.. GrosVenor demanded the previous ques-
ton upon the bill A rising vote resulted
81 to 30, whereupcn Mr.. McDermott made
the point of no quorum. The Speaker was
able to count only 10 members. and a cal
of the House was ordered.
Mr. McDermott attempted to move an ad-
iournment but the Speaker held that the
motion was dilatory.
The call of the House developed the pres
ence of 173 members. and the Speaker di-
rected the sergeant-at-arms. to bring in an
Sentees.
Pending the appearance Of enough absen-
tees to make up a quorum Mr.. Robb moved
to adjourn. The motion was lost.
When the quorum at last appeared the
previous question was ordered, 1896 -
present and not voting. The previous ques
ton was also ordered on the four minor
tee and they were passed. The House then
at + 10, adjourned.