Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1891-01-22
NO choice At PIERRE,
The Legislature in Joint Session Yesterday,
Takes a Ballot For United States
Senator
Very Little Business Transacted in Either
/ Branch This Week -indenendent
Contestants, Victorious.
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.

n r .---- sts-5.taa
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.
The two houses of the legislature met
in joint session at noon yesterday and took
one ballot for United States senator
with the following result:
Moody, 76; Tripp, "a; Harden, 90;
Wardall, 10 Crosse, Is; and the rest scat
tering.
PIERRE, Jan. 90 Special Co,vespo,a-
dence: This has been a most exciting
week in the legislature and the equani-
nifty of the week before was more than
made up before it was half over. The
contested cases from Brown county have
taken up most of the time of the lower
house. The republicans tried by every
means within their power to defer action
on these cases until after the election of
senator had been disposed of and in their
EFF they have even gone SO far as to
use 71re against the progress of the
cases. At least one member of the house
has been threatened violence and is being
kept under constant guard by the re-
publicans in order to prevent him from
overstepping what appears to outsiders
to be a mysterious proceeding. That
man is Ezekiel Reece, of Charles Mix
county. That gentleman's movements,
both on the floor of the house and outside,
have been of such a character as to Gre
ate the intense supicion Of all his fellow
members. He has voted with the re-
publicans on nearly every question that
has yet come before the house although
he was elected on strong anti republic
an platform, and when his friends came
to interview him on the strange manner
of his proceeding, few days ago, the re-
publican bosses who were evidently de-
tailed to stand guard over him, prevented
the Iee him and they were obliged to
60 h514e disappointed after repeated at
tempts to secure an interview with their
representative. This and similar mys-
teries connected with one or two other
gentlemen have contributed much toward
the agitation which has predominated.
THE CONTESTED CASES
came up in committee of the whole on
Tuesday. The Independents moved to
the approval of the majority reports Of
the elections committse, which recon-
mended the unseating of the two repub-
licans from Brown county. AS soon
as this motion was made, pandi-
monium broke loose. The republicans as
if by preconcerted action, jumped to their
feet, some to make motions, and others
merely to swell the din. The chairman
lost control of the house and amid the tu-
multi, a motion that the committee rise
finally prevailed. On Wednesday morn
ing the house again resolved itself into
committee Of the whole on the contested
cases, but this time the speaker called
Mr.. Converse to preside. The republi-
cans again attempted the disgraceful
proceedings of the day before but they
soon fou1 that this time they could not
bulldog chairman OF the committee
and th;zAAefe tha!; forced to abandon their
tactics. The Brown county cases are all
that have been disposed of in the house
at this writing. All have been favorable
to the Independents, and they now have
safe working majority in the house; that
is, OF course, if the democrats continue
their past loyalty. Contrary to the
claims of the opposition, the independent
members voted against J. NJ. Pease
contestant to the seat in the senate from
Davidson county, fact which goes to
show that the independents propose to be
governed by the testimony produced in
these cases regardless of party likes O.:
dislikes.
CART LOAD OF BILLS.
At this writing something over $50
bills have been introduced, covering all
the. important questions at issue, but
none of them have been acted upon in the
house and only few in the senate. The
fact of the matter is that there is little il
any hope of accomplishing anything in
either branch before the senatorial con-
contest is out Of the way.
rHSxS.Y MUCH THE SAME.
The situ1 Bn in connection with the
senatorial Contest is pretty much the
same as it was week ago;all the candi-
dates are still confident of success and all
that can be positively said at this writ
ing, is that as only one of the many can
be chosen there will be no one left with
out plenty of company in the defeat.
Your correspondent has it from parties
who stand very close to Senator Moody
and who ought to be we'll posted on the
matter that the republicans fully realize
that they cannot elect Moody and that
they would like to drop him to take up a
more popular candidate, but Moody is