Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-27
SENATOR CALLS GREAT FIGHT.
One of the Most Memorable Campaigns
Ever Held.

Ever Held.
Immediately after President Brown had de-
clared wilkinson Call duly elected United
States Senator yesterday at Tallahassee. as an.
nounced in The STAR, Mr.. Shine, a leading
anti-Can man, moved that the joint assembly
adjourn sine die. This was voted down. and
the president appointed committee of three
to notify Senator Call of his reelection and es-
cort him to the hall of the house of representa-
tives- Subsequently Mr.. Call addressed the
assembly amid wild enthusiasm on the part Of
his supporters, and just after pm. the joint
assembly adjourned sine dine.
AT O'Clock the sergeant-at-arms Of the SEN
ate returned to the city and reported that he
had been unable to find the fugitive senator's.
They were expected back after dark. Senator
Call Is in receipt Of many kilograms of con-
graduation, and his supporters are holding a
love feast. The anti-Call men are feeling very
sore and bitter.
AHTsToRY OF THE FIGHT.
Mr.. Calls term in the United States Senate
expired on March 4, and the contest over the
vacancy has been one of the bitterest and most
protracted of the many similar struggles that
have attracted attention during the present
year. There we're half dozen other aspirant s
for the seat. the most prominent at the outset
DelDR JOnu r. Dunn OF Ocald. VINO was one OF
the pioneers in the phosphate industry, and Is
supposed to have accumulated several million
dollars Another prominent candidate was
State Senator Z. II. Hammond, while ex-Gov.
Bloxham occupied the position Of a dark horse
in the background.
The legislature met the first week in April
and every day since then there has been a
Florida senatorial fight dispatch sent over the
wires. The opposition to Senator Calls re-
election was based on his persistent advocacy
Of the land grant forfeiture bills in Congress,
which would take from the Pensacola and At
lantic Railroad Company its title to large areas
OF land, and on his having stopped the passage
OF the Indian war claims bill in the Senate, a
measure which would have placed about $780,
200 or S60o.000 in the state treasury as reim-
bursements from the general government for
the maintenance of the Indian war in Florida.
The Call faction secured the organization of
the legislature and of the democratic caucus,
and started out with SO votes in the latter, but
not the two-thirds required by the caucus rule
Dunns name was withdrawn at the beginning
of the fight Various candidates have received
the support Of the anti-Call men, including
Bloxham. whose name, however, was soon
dropped. As early as April 10 Call received 60
votes, less than the twO-thirds required
About ninety ballots were taken in caucus. and
the proceedings have been varied by charges
of bribery and lively tits between the legis-
lators.
Hon. Wilkinson Call, who has now been
elected to a third term in the Senate, was born
in Logan county. KY, in January, 1894. and is a
lawyer by profession. He was elected to the
Senate soon after the close of the war, but was
not admitted to a seat, as Florida had not then
been reconstructed" In 1879 he was again
elected a Senator, to succeed Simon b. Conover.
republican, and was reelected in 1885.