Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-07-11
SENATOR'S CAUCUS.
They Talk About the Tariff and
Election Bills.
A WARN FIGHT VERY PROBABLE.

The Majority In Favor of Putting the
Election Bill Through If 1t Takes All
Summer-The silver Bill Ready to Go
to the President--An Arrangement with
England Regarding Cattle Exports
House Democrats Busy Fiiibustering-
Capital Facts.
WASHINGTON CITY, July 1.-THE Re-
publican members of the senate held
caucus last night to consider the order of
business for the rest of the present session
of congress. particularly with reference to
the federal election law and the tariff
bill 1t has been understood generally
that the Democratic members of the sen
ate intend to prevent the passage of the
federal election law, if possible and that
to achieve this purpose they are prepared
to filibuster against the tariff bill and any
other measure which may be brought up
for consideration, with a view of prolong-
ing the session and firing the Republican
senators into an agreement to a compro-
mise by which the federal election law
will be allowed TO go over until the next
session.
Examining the Precedents.
Members of the finance committee who
are interested in the enactment of tariff
law have urged upon their brethren the
advisability of coming to an understand
ing with the Democrats under which the
tariff bill will be passed within a reason
able time and the federal election bill
allowed to go over. But the friends of
the election bill have brought great deal
of pressure to bear in favor of forcing that
measure to a passage before adjournment,
and with view to testing the possibilities
of action they have examined the rules of
the senate and the record of past contests
under similar rules The result justifies
them in the belief that in spite of the fill
bustering of the Democrats the bill can
be passed.
How 1t Was Done in 1871.
In support of this claim it WAS recalled
in the caucus that when the bill to pro-
vide for supervisors of election was under
consideration in 1871, Thurman offered,
one after another, thirty amendments, in
tended to delay the consideration of the
bill, and by concerted and agreed action
by the Republicans under which one Re
publican senator was recognized regularly
to move to lay each amendment on the ia
BILE, all of these dilatory amendments were
disposed of within twenty four hours. II
was proposed that the senate should sit
out the consideration of the elections bill
if it took three months. This proposition
was debated at great length.
A DEPRESSION in the Debate.
Frye, the chairman of the committee on
commerce, who has the river and harbol
bill in charge, said that he would like tC
have some determination reached as to the
time when it could be considered. as he
was anxious TO get it into conference. AL
lison said that the sundry civil appropria
ton bill was on the calendar, and it wa.
necessary that it be disposed of an early
day. An agreement was reached finally
by which the postal subsidy bills, which
have been under debate for several days
will be taken up again today with a view
to taking vote on them before adjourn
ment, and that on Saturday the sundry
civil appropriation bill will be called up
Returning to their Mutton.
The discussion of the possibility of pass
sing the federal election bill was then re
| sumed, and debate was had under the five
| minute rule for nearly three hours
| Spooner, Hoar, Frye, and Evarts all mem
ucTs vi tne election committee, expressed
themselves in favor of passing the bill
Aldrich, the chairman of the committee
| on rules, said that it would be possible tc
pass il in one of only two ways-eithel
by sitting it out as had been proposed
| or by changing the rules of the senate sc
as to permit limit to be placed on de
| bate.
Favoring a Change in the Rules.
This suggestion gave rise to long dis
cussion about the possibility of making q
change In the rules. Edmunds bitterly
| opposed the proposition and Teller, a
| member of the committee on privilege.
and elections also expressed some opposi
| ton to it. A general debate which ensueo
developed the fact that majority of the
senators favored the passage of the federal
election bill at this session of congress and
that majority favored change in the
rules which would make this possible
Three Weeks Talk on Tariff
The caucus adjourned at lilo with the
understanding that another caucus will
be held Saturday night to come to final
| determination on the subject. In the
meantime nothing will be done with the
| tariff bill A leading member of the eau
Gus said after adjournment that the tariff
bill would probably occupy three week:
| in discussion, but that the federal cleo
ton bill would be put through in a week ;.
| time if it was determined to consider it.