St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-28
Recent Action by Senatorial Committees
Indicates a Stubborn Fight Will
Soon be On.
No Straws Thrown Out, Showing How the
Wind Blows at the Presidential
Mansion.
The House Committee Makes Favor
able Report for a Department of
Agriculture and Labor.
A Southern Halfway forfeiture Bill
Passed by the House--Grant Mon
ument Bill.
War Near at Hand.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-The GLOBE
representative talked with several Republi-
can senators this afternoon since learning
of the action of the finance committee, aud
while none of them were willing to be
quoted in advance of the future debate, it
is evident they have started out for fight.
They are not exactly clear yet as to what
they will do to carry their point, but they
hold very extreme views as to what it is
possible for them to do in asse rting the
power and prerogativeS of the senate. One
of the most conservative of the Republican
senators. a gentlemnn who has refused to
believe there would be any fight between
the president and senate, said with un-
usual emphasis:
II never would have believed the president
or any of his cabinet officers would have felt
like withholding any of the paper in relation
to appointments or removals. If they do
you will see one of the most stubborn lights
known in politics" ="
'.Do you hold that the senate has the right
to demand this information, or should it re-
quest it?''
at has the right to demand, and it will en-
force that demand
ITO what extent will you go? viii you
try to compel the cabinet officers to give this
lnformationY'
''wE CERTAINLY SHALL TRY,
and think we will succeed. We are clearly
entitled to all of the information. The de-
partments depend on us for appropriations.
Doyou suppose we will appropriate for a de-
partment If it should refuse to give any
information concerning the need or use of the
money? II the cabinet officers refuse to give
us the information we will subpoena them and
send for them"
suppose they should refuse to Gomez
''T4en we will bring them before the bar of
the senate for contempt"
The attorney general is to be the first tar
get 1t is understood he is averSe to giving
any kind of information to the senate and
has refused to give papers where other cab
met officers have been more liberal. The
introduction of the resolution will lead to
partisan debate. The Republican majority
has undoubtedly the power to pass it and
will pass it. The attorney general, when
the resolution comes to him, will have to
ask his chief, the president to tell him
what to do. The president will undoubt-
edly take time before he has his attorney
general make answer. The subject will be
considered at one or two cabinet meetings
before ali answer can be made. 1t is not
possible to foreshadOw what this answer
certainly will be. One of the closest adj
visers of the president said this afternoon:
MR.. CLEVELAND
has never yet said what he would do. He has
discussed the subject with number of
the Democratic senators and has expressed
certain view in talking with them. but merely
for the purpose of bringing them out. He
has never yet said what he will do, nor has he
himself decided. He regards the question just
raised as one of the gravest importance. in
that it possibly involves the prerogatives of
his office. All that he has ever said has been
that he would do the utmost to sustain the
privileges of the executive Office and would
not permit its prerogatiVes TO be invaded.
From that position he will never recede. But
he must first be convinced that this resolu-
tionis an invasion of the executive preroga-
tive.
Senator Dan voorhees, was asked this af-
ternOon if he had heard of the Republican
program.
YES" said he, 81 have"
tsDo you think the Republicans are serious
in the view expressed by them that they have
a right to bring the cabinet officers before the
bar of the senate for contempt in the event
of their refusing to give information regard
ing appointmentsY'
''Serious!' said he. ''Ihey are serious.
They believe, apparently, judging by their
talk, that they can handcutf, hobble and chain
together the members of the cabinet, and
have them dragged by the heels before the
senators in the event of their refusing their
demand.
EXTREME PARTISANSHIP.
The senator then went on to say that the
Democrats had foreseen to a certain extent
what the Republicans intended to do, but
none of them had calculated upon the eX-
treme partisan lengths to which they were
evidently prepared to go.
1.-The position assumed by them,'' said he
''means bitter partisan fight and no con
firmation in single case of suspension"
The Indiana senator said further that the
Democrats were prepared for the debate
They would cOncede that the senate haC
the right to call for the papers relating
to appointments. Beyond this they
could not go. Several of the Demo
cratic senators said they had feared the
approaching struggle, because the Republi
cans had apparently made out such gooC
position for themselves to present to th'
public. They could represent that the!
were merely seeking for information, ant
that they refused to give it to them woulC
justify their refusal to confirm. Afte
thinking it all over however, they wer'
fully pei shaded that the public would no
support the demands of the Republicans
and they therefore proposed to fight then
or their own ground and make strong ap
peal to the public in the open session of tn
senate, where this most interesting Struggl
with the president is now fairly begun.