St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-22
HOPELESS TANGLE
The Senatorial Situation One OF
Grave Embarrassment.


The Senatorial Situation One OF
Grave Embarrassment.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-It is doubt
full if the situation in the senate has
ever been more hopelessly tangled than
itappeared to be at 9 o'clock tonight.
There were few external evidences OF
the real state of the case to the unprac-
ticed eye, for matters seemed to be pro-
ceeding in the usual routine fashion, a
senator was reading in a monotonous
tone of voice from long columns of
printed clippings; and no one of his
dozen colleagues who retained their
seats in the senate chamber appeared to
be paying him the slightest attention,
and there were no signs of the bitter
struggle that is going on. The Demo-
cratic senators publicly deny that they
are "filibustering' in practicing the tao
tics inaugurated for the first time to-
day in the senate, though frequent re-
sort in the house when there is diSpo-
sition on the part Of the minority to pre-
vent the accomplishment of purpose
obnoxious to them. There can be no
doubt that the Republican senators gem
ally were taken by surprise by the
adoption of the plan of debating at
length the question of the approval of
the journal. Of course it was expected
by the more experienced leaders that
issue would be taken with the journal
in its statement of fact this morning,
but it was supposed that the objection
would be really to the fact, and there
was little anticipation that the simple
corrective measures allowed by the
rules would be used to consume the.
time of the senate to the exclusion of
the closure rule and everything else.
In some quarters there was at first a
disposition TO condemn the vice presi-
dent for his accidental slip yesterday in
connection with the motion to take up
the clOture resolution, for it was upon
the recital of that matter in the Journal
that the Democrats this morning based
their attack. But as the day wore on it
was made apparent that any other state
ment of fact in the journal would have
served the purpose quite as well, al
though not cloaking the main purpose
present state of affairs will continue
can hardly be conjectured. If the old
customs regulating debate are to be OBJ
served there is nothing to prevent the
Democrats from talking from now
until the 4th of March upon the
question of approving the journal of
Jan. 20. or, if they should tire of that
subject, they may turn their attention
to the question of the correctness of the
Journal of the 21st Of January, or of
some subsequent day, and discuss it to
their hearts content. The ostensible
hope of the Republican managers lies
in their expectation that it they can
succeed in preventing an adjournment
the Democratic orators. worn out with
so much continuous talk, will finally
succumb. But of this there is little
hope, for the Democrats feel confident
of their ability, by skillful manage
ment of their powers and the use of
RELAYS of senators in rest ana duty in
talking away, and emerging in good
condition at the end of this congress.
The feeling is deepening on the Re-
publican side of the house that there is
but Que key to the situation, and that
that key is in the possession of the vice
president. This means in plain Eng
lish that to break the deadlock other
wise than by an ignominiOus defeat on
the closure resolution and the election
bill the vice president must come to the
rescue of the majority by a ruling which
will destroy in measure, as has in-
deed been the case with some other rul-.
ingS made recently, some OF the time
honored traditions of the senate as 70
the rights of individual senators as op-
posed to the rights of the majority, even
though it be based on sound construc-
ton of general parliamentary law. 1t
is not possible not to predict what form
this ruling will take Supposing that it
is called forth and that the ice presi-
dent is willing to undertake his part,
an appeal to the presiding officer from.
Republican senator to close the debate
and bring the senate face to face with
the real question at isSue-the closure
on the ground that it is matter of even
higher privilege than the approval of
journal, inasmuch as it concerns the
rules under which all legislative bodies
must do business. The time of the SEN
ate was taken up in roll calls, in obtain
ing the attendance of absent senators,
and in the delivery of Mr.. Vests
speech in sections, and at midnight the
senate adjourned, leaving the subject
of the approval of Tuesdays journal to
come up again tomorrow.
Signs that something on this order
was to be expected appeared when SEN
ator Blair, who acted as the presiding
officer tonight, refused to entertain
points by Senator Gray and directed
him to take his seat. The Democratic
surprise at the conduct Of the presiding
officer was manifested in their declara-
tion 'that it is outrageous" More
over there was spirit manifested by
Sonator RIair more in the foun than
in the substance of his rulings,
that carried to the minority unpleasant
forebodings of what might occur should
that senator be in the chair when an OPP,
portunity presents itself to the majority
to interpose some motion or suggestion.
intended to relieve the situation. No
other significant features had developed
up 10 midnight when the senate adj
journed, leaving the subject of the APP
proval of Tuesdays journal to come up
again tomorrow.