Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-03

4
EVERY wAY-By DEBATE AT FIRST AND THEN
BY FnIDUsrERINa.
The caution and self-control Of the democratic
Senators at the opening Of the fight over the
federal election bill is o surprise to their OPP
ponents. They design il to be long fight and
they may be expected to husband their strength
and curb any disposition to be impetuous.
The leaders on both sides of this fight are de-
termined and apparently both expect to win.
| The democrats are made sanguine by election
success which also gives them new courage.
The republican leaders will fight with the des-
perate energy Of those who have nothing fur
| Their to lose and who take the chances of regain
ing ground by daring. The party lines were
| tightly drawn on the vote for the consideration
| of the bill yesterday. This is not in itself sig
nifcant. There has been no time nor oppor-
tunity for those republicans who are opposed
| to the measure to compare notes and agree upon
a line Of action. Besides if they propose to
make any open opposition to the majority Of
| their party in Congress and to the President
| this Is not the time for it. 1t would be more
difficult to excuse a revolt from the party lead
| ers on the mere question of consideration of
| the measure than it would be to Justify vote
against it or to amend it or to prolong the time
for discussion. Ii the party lines remain UNI
broken when these latter questions arise the
| uemocrats nave lnueeu a desperate n6nt before
| them.
THE PRESENT SITUATION.
At present the situation appears thus: The
| republican leaders are determined. enthusiastic
in their policy; a majority of their partisans
are quite in accord with them and dare go as
! far as they dare; large minority indifer-
| ent about the matter but yielding, and few
are positively opposed to the bill. The fear Of
being accused of showing the white feather in
tIa. 81
courageous, will deter some from opposing the
BILL though they believe it to be vicious and its
adoption unwise. As a rule their allegiance tc
! their party is stronger than to their constit-
uents, and they dread the anger of their leaders
more than that OF the people to whom they are
| responsible.
All this has to be taken into consideration in
counting on republican disaffection for the
defeat of the bill.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLANS.
At present the democrats have no republican
allies, and they enter the fight counting more
on their own efforts than upon any combina-
lions they may possibly make. Their plan is
very simple. They propose to open the discus
sion of the matter as they would that Of any
in that spirit as long as possible. They will re-
frain from any action that could be pronounced
dilatory as long as possible. They will en-
deavOr to be so fair and SO regardful Of the
rules and the decorum of the Senate as to make
it difficult for the republicans to accuse them
of flibustering or to, themselves. attempt any
departure from custom. Against democratic
observance of rules and traditions will be con-
trasted whatever attempts the republicans make
In defiance of rules and custom. Mr.. German
will be accorded the leadership in the fight,
and an effort will be made to Keep within the
line of conservatism.
WHEN THEY WILL FIGHT.
But when the majority bring in their propo-
sition to cut off debate and to force the bill
through by a departure from the well estab
lished practices of the Senate the minority will
fight to uphold the traditions of the Senate and
will oppose the application of the previous
question, no matter how extreme the parlia-
mentary tactics are that have to be employed.
Not until then will there be any filibustering;
but then every power that minority possesses
will be exercised. The parliamentary revolu-
ton in the House was effected Mt the opening
OF the first session by first applying rule and
then adopting it. To adopt the rule giving the
Speaker the right to count a quorum the
Speaker counted a quorum. But the House
was acting without rules, under general par
liamentary law. The Senate has rules which
must be i'll operation pending the change; tho
proposed change must be considered under
those rules, unless it is proposed to dash them
aside by actual revolution. II there is to be
any disagreement apparent in the ranks Of the
majority at this juncture it will be manifested.
Here is where the democratic Senators will dig
their trenches and lie in them night and day
die in them, mayhap-bu: never yielding an
inch of ground. They will reserve their
strength until the time when the real
fighting is forced upon them, trusting to its
being enough to carry them through. Mean
while there are many things which may annoy
the advocates of the measure, who insist upon
its being put forward to the exclusion Of all
other business.
FROM FREE SILVER MEN FYpFCTED
As the discussion drags on there is apt to
grow an impatience among the advocates of
other measures and other interests will be
clamoring for consideration. Mr.. Hoar proba-
bly, relies on this impotence to help him on
with his vigorous policy. but il the democrats
are very tenacious it may operate the other
way. There are some republican Senators who
are now at hard work night and day upon q
plan for the enactment of law for the free
coinage of silver. For the most part these
men are Indifferent about the election law.
Their people do not take any interest in its
passage. and in some instances are positively
opposed to it. At present the silver men are
not quite ready for action, and therefore, the
elections bill is not in their way. Later it may
be. Then they may not forget tina. the Presi-
dent favors the passage of the elections bill
but Is credited with u disposition to veto u
free coinage bill. 1t may be that they will de-
mand the signing Of their bill AS the price of
| their support of the other. These suggestions
are heard about the Capitol.
Besides the labor bills had to be laid aside to
make way for this election bill. There are
some people who regard the labor bills as more
important. And the labor bills are not all
There are many others Of Importance on the
calendar.
APPROPRIATION ELLIS MAY FAIL.
thing once suggested and afterward re-
jectedas improbable now seems likely to occur
| There is no telling how long the fight over the
election bill will last in the Senate, and in the
House it is proposed by the majority to take
up the apportionment bill in advance of most
| Of the appropriations. these two propositions
being considered more important than any
thing else. II is entirely within possibility that
preparation bills will remain Enacted upon
| when the session closes. Congressman who
have heretofore thought that there was no dam
ger Of this happening, assuming that the APP
preparation bills would be the first things got
out of the way, now are seriously discussing the
probability Of an extra session Of the Fifty
| second Congress Immediately after the 4th Of
| March.
SENATOR HoAR SURE THE BILL WILL PASS.
Republican leaders profess to have no doubt
as tc the result, but they nevertheless re-
| alize that one Of the hardest struggles in all
congressional history is going to be condensed
within the narrow limits of this month. SEN
I atOr Hoar is satisfied that the progress of the
| measure to passage will be certain and reason
ably rapid in spite Of the many distractions
which will be placed on the track. To a STAR
| reporter he said he hoped that democrats would
zee how much better it would be to acquiesce