St. Paul daily globe., 1891-01-07

A COUP D'ETAT.
Republicans Dazed at the Elec.
tion BiII's Displacement.

Republicans Dazed at the Elec-
tion Bills Displacement.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 6.-The action of
the senate in displacing the elections
bill with the financial bill was COM
plete surprise to the friends of the
former measure and several of the Re-
publican silver senators, VINO voted for
the motion, say it was without prior
knowledge on their part. So far as can
be learned the arrangement to displace
the elections bill was not effected until
some time after the senate met, though
there had been some quiet consultation
prior to to-day OH the subject. 1t is un
derstood that Senators Stewart and
Teller were the principal movers in the
scheme. The matter was kept so quiet
that the Idaho senators even did not
know what motion was to be made. Sen
ator Shoup says that he was told not to
go away; that something of interest to
silver was to take place. but said he did
not know Just what G was that was 60
ing to happen. The Democrats are re-
joicing over the displacement of the
elections bill, and think it has received
its death blow.
The financial bill must now be dis
placed by direct vote, and has the
coigne of vantage heretofore occupied by
the elections bill. 1t has right OF way.
The resolution to bring the fight to an
end was reached suddenly by the silver
decision to hold Republican caucus
tonight. There was some doubt enter
tanned as to whittier or not the financial
bill now had right of way, and whether
all affirmative vote to take it up would
not he necessary each morning. An
Associated Press reporter asked Sena-
tor EdmundS for his opinion. The SEN
ator said that if the melton to take up
the bill was made after O'Clock
(Which was the caSe), then it would not
require an affirmative vote. 1t would.
under the rules, be unfinished business
until disposed of.
"rhe financial bill then has right of
way?" was suggested.
"Yes," responded Senator Edmunds.
cit has right of way"
He said that the motion to-day was
total surprise to him. The caucus
called for tonight would be held, he
added. Inquiry among other Repub-
lican senators developes the fact that
they were also utterly surprised at the
Western senator, who personally re-
CARDS the bill with Indifference, but
was not willing to abandon it now that
1t was party measure, said that the
friends of the bill did not know what to
think OF do now, for they had been so
surprised they had not had time to con-
slider the situation. The senator said
he regarded the vote as decisive of the
fate of the bill, and that was the opin-
ion of the majority of his colleagues
with whom he had talked. Senator
Spooner. one OF the foremost advocates
of the elections bill, was seen, but
would say nothing.
Senator Jones, of Nevada, returned to
the city to-day, and the decision to hold
caucus, coupled with the arrival of
Senator Jones. for whom Senator Stew.
art has been waiting, resulted in the de-
termination to bring matters to an i'm
mediate issue. One of the silver sena-
tors said that it had been decided last
week to bring on the fight this week,
but that it was kept very quiet. ana
that the decision as to when to make
the motion, and in what form, was not
arrived at until the sen ate convened
this morning.