Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-04

by their state legislatures The recent
caucus has disclosed one fact very clearly,
namely, that there are but three republi-
can senators who are absolutely opposed to
the force bill and three more who are con-
ditionly opposed to it. So that giving
the opponents of the election bill all that
they claim. the deadlock here during the
entire winter has been occaslOned by the
fact that six republican senators have been
seeking to dictate to the majority of their
party. In other words the maj ority of the
senate has-yielt ed to the demands of that
fractional minority of It's own number,
just as the republican majority as whole
has permitted the democratic minority of
the senate to control the Legislation OF that
body That is the latest concession to
senatorial courtesy and to what IS called
the traditions of the senate. This princi
pie, carried to its lowest terms, would
mean that any single republican senator
opposed to any special policy could shape
the entire legislation of the party in a can
Gus. 1t is not a principle which the pe0-
pie Of this country will recognize and when
they understand the facts the republican
senators will hardly be able to excuse
themselves for the policy to which they
have assented during the entire winter
Whether or not the election bill will be-
CONF law at the next sess, on of congress
will doubtless depend in very great meas
IRE upon expressions of republican sentl-
ment in the country between this and
then.
Mr. Aldrich, in charge Of the tariff bill,
will simply ask unanimous consent that
| the vote be taken on the tariff bill at a
certain time and the consent will be
given. The republicans will not endeavor
to submit formal resolution to carry out
their caucus agreement. Of course it
would be impossible to accomplish that, as
the democrats would oppose it as earnestly
as they would the election bill itself.
The friends of the election bill have
been fighting for two things: first, for a
vote for q motion to change the rules and
regain the control OF business, and second
ly, vote on the house measure to secure
honest elections for representatives. They
have insisted naturally that an effort
should be made to neutraliZe the frauds
| which are sure to be practiced In the south
| and elsewhere at the approaching con-
grpssional elections; and but for the alb
solute impossibility of getting forty-three
republican senators together at this last
! stage of the session and holding them
! here for several weeks perhaps the COM
, mlttee on privileges and elections and its
supporters would have consented to yield
so far to the sentiment represented by Mr..
| Quay as to postpone even for three months
a vote on the pending election measure.
But there Is plainly no reasonable hope OF
obtaining quorum of republican senators
until next winter, and Mr. Hoar and his
friends have only yielded to the force of
| circumstances in agreeing to delay a vote
on changing the rules and on the passage
of the proposed election law until the short
session begins.
John |. Davenport, who has been watch
ing the election bill very CLOSELY all winter,
is authority for the statement that there
will be an extra session of congress imme-
diately after the November elections He
says: Nothing could be more erroneous
than that the election bill is dead Pre-
cisely the opposite is the truth. The cleo
ton bill will pass. 1t will not be passed,
however, this session. Why? Simply for
this reason: There are forty-eight repub-
lican senator's OF these Senators Morrill,.
Chandler, Farwell and Stanford are absent.
three Of them on account of sickness.
This leaves forty-three present. 1t would
be necessary to have every one of these in
attendance to debate and pass the bill this
| session. But we cannot depend on that.
One or more of them are liable to be sick
In fact, Mr.. Edmunds and Mr.. Sherman
are both away for weeks rest now It
is imperative, therefore, that the bill
should 90 over until the next session.
which will be called Immediately after the
fall elections. That is settled beyond ques-
ton. The character of the committee APP
pointed at the conference to report on the
bill indicates the attitude of that body on
the question. There is no doubt that the
report of this committee will contain an
order setting a date for a vote on the
measure.
| Whatever may be the ultimate agree
ment between the parties in the senate as
to the time of voting on the tariff BILL it
is evident that the present session will not
end for some weeks, even though the e;ec-
ton bill is out of the way. Senator
AIdrich. who is in charge of the tariff
bill, will probably offer a resolution on
Monday to close debate under the present
rule about Aug. 80, and to continue dis
cussion of the remaining paragraphs under
the fveminute rule until Sept. or Sept.
| 9. Some of the democratic senators asked
| for the extension of the latter date, and
the republicans will probably consent to it.
1t will still remain to consider the senate
amendments in the house and to settle diff
ferences in conference. A number of I'M
portant matters remain to be acted upon
| by the senate and it is the general i'm
preston that the session will not end until
nearly the lst of October.