The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-03
A HOT FIGHT ON FULLER.
HIS IsNCMINATION REPORTED WITH
OUT OMMENDATION.

Democratic Senators Count on the
Votes of Messrs. Cullom AMI Farwell
to Effect Confirmation Before the
End of the Month-No Flaw in His
Character.
WASHINGTON, July 2.-Ever since the
President nominated Melville w. Fuller to
be chief justice, the extreme republican
uartisans of the senate have been casting
about for some means of preventing his
confirmation. The day after the nomina-
ton was sent in gentleman said to Char
man Edmunds of the senate judiciary COM
mittee:
"Well, see we have a new chief justice. u
Have wei" asked Mr.. Edmuuds in re-
ply, and ever since he has been endeavoring
to make his sneering question significant.
HUNG IT UP.
Aided by the other republican members
of the committee on the judiciary he hung
the nomination up and then tried to find
some one who could pick flaws. The only
result of these efforts to find something
der0gatory to the personal or professional
character of Judge Fuller was the fishy
charge from some one in Chicago, which
Mr. Edmunds and his republican colleagues
made the mistake of submitting anony-
mously to Judge Fuller. Judge Fuller's
dgnifed and scathing reply completely dis
posed of that, but it only stung Mr..
Edmunds into greater desire to defeat his
confirmation.
ONLY ONE WEAPON LEFT.
He had no weapon left, however, except
delay, and he came to feel, under the pres
sure of letters from republicans in Chicago
and other cities that it would be unwise
to longer delay action i'll committee Ac-
cordingly he and the other republicans of
the committee, MesSrS HOar, ingalls,,
Evarts and Wilson, of Iowa, grudgingly
and ingraciously agreed in the meeting this
morning to report the nomination without
recommendation.
A FUTILE EFFORT.
The democrats of the committee tried to
get the republicans to acknowledge man :
tully that there was nothing to be said
against Judge Fuller, except that he was a
democrat, by reporting the nomination
favorahlY They discussed this proposition
for some time with the republicans, COM
pelling the latter to admit that they could
not vote to report the nomination unfavor-
ably because they had found no fault in it,
but failing to bring them to that point of
liberality where they would admit the fail
ure publicly by reporting the nomination
favorably.
HoAR'S ASSERTION.
Mr.. Fuller was a democrat. and Mr..
Hoar had said the President could not find
fit man in the democratic party for the
chief justiceship, and so he ought not to be
confirmed This was the republican line of
thought, though they did not dare make it
effective by adopting an adverse report,
consoling themselves by making no report
at ALL
THE DEMOCRATS YIELD.
Seeing that they could get no more, the
democrats expressed their willingness to let
the nomination be reported without recon-
mendation, reserving, of course, the right
to advocate the confirmation of the nomin-
alton. Accordingly the nomination was
reported to the senate in executive session
this afternoon and placed on the calendar
Mr.. Edmunds and his followers in this
matter are disposed to keep it there without
action as long as possible, availing them
selves of the crowd of business before it
and trusting to the chapter of accidents tC
give them some opportunity to defeat its
confirmation, or, at least, defer it unit
next session.
HOPE OF THE DEMOCRATS.
The democrats do not think that Mr.. Ed
munds viii be able to prevent confirmation
for a considerable length of time. Both
Senators Farwell and Cullom of Illinois
told the President before he sent Judge
Fullers nomination in that it would be con
firmed. If they had not given this assur
ance the nomination might not have beer
made at all. They are now expected to re
deem this promise Neither of them has as
yet returned from attending the Chicago
convention, but they will both be here thi.
week. If they cooperate the nomination
will be confirmed this month.