St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-17

which earlier in the night were over
crowded. are now nearly empty; there
is general air of WEAKNESS about them,
all who were present; but the prospect
at this moments that the session will
continue through the watches of the
night and all day tomorrow. Mr.. Pasco
short time ago directed the attention
of the chair to the absence of quorum;
and as the call is being made the sena-
tors troop into the chamber and prove
that there are few more present than
are needed to constitute quorum$ss
was furnished the sergeant-at-arms,
who dispatched messengers to carry out
the order of the senate. The Democrats
present we're: Messrs. Cockrell, Faulk-
ner, German, Harris and Pasco. Before
the list had been handed to the ser
geant- alarms five more senators, all he
publicans. had answered, making the
whole number forty-one, OF four less
than quorum. Up to 2 o'clock no SEN
ator had presented himself in compli-
ance with the request, and it looked as
if quorum might not be secured.
The first of the abSenteeS to obey the
mandate of the senate was Mr.. Gail,
who came in at 2:40. He was followed
soon after by Mr.. Daniel, who attrib-
uted his absence to the fact that he was
paired. Then Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas,
presented himself, and the quorum
lacked but one senator.
70 Limit Debate.
1t was the understanding on the Re-
publican side of the senate tonight
when the motion made by Mr.. Wolcott
to adjourn was defeated that the extern
sion of the session would not result in
any measurable advancement of the
elections bill. The real purpose was
to convince the few Republican sena-
tors who are of conservative opinions
that the old method of passing meas
ure obnoxious to the minority by excess
of sheer physical endurance is no
longer effective. The majority feel
that after short practice in the tactics
tried to-day the few senators who have
retained their belief in the old methods
will consent to support the proposed
closure rule. This measure is now on
the calendar, and it can be taken up at
moments notice by an Affirmative
vote, and it is rumored that the effort
may be made tomorrow. But there are
several obstacles to the enactment of
the rule. In the first place some way
must be found TO limit the debate upon
it. Otherwise that debate must be as
absorbent of time as the debate on the
elections bill, which it is mainly i'll
tended to cut short. In the second place
there arises the question OF the ability
of the Republicans (supposing they can
maintain their majority to
Secure a QuOrum;
for they fear that the Democrats as last
resort may refuse to vote In the attempt
to break quorum. There are six Re-
publican senators absent from the city
ALI involved in matters relative to
their own or their colleagues re-elec-
ton, and so circumStanced that it is i'm
probable they could return before the
middle of next week at least, the time
for the legislative senatorial elections,
although it is possible that Senators
Chandler and Blair could be in
duced to return in shorter time.
The Republicans were much encOur-
aged tonight by the action Of Senator
Washburn in voting with them against
adjournment, and they feel that al
though he may eventually vote against
the bill. he will still vote, and thus help
to make up quorum. Senator Ingalls,
position is the subject of much specula-
ton among them. He refrained from
voting Wednesday night to take up the
elections bill, and tonight he was not
present when the first motion to adj
iourn was defeated. One Republican
senator says he is in SySmpathy with
the objects of the bill, as, indeed,
seemed apparent from the opening SEN
fences of his speech last Wednesday,
but just how he will vote upon the
measure or its supporting propositions
is a matter of speculation.