The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-01-24

The senate of the United States has
been o sort of a bedlam for some days.
Below is an article clipped from the
Times Democrat that will explain the
position fully:
A TANGLED CONDITION OF AFFAIRS
IN rHE SENATE.
1t is doubtful if the situation in the
Senate has ever been more hopelessly
tangled than it appeared to be at 8
o'clock tonight. There were few
external evidences of the real state of
the case to Impractical eyes, and
matters seemed to be proceeding in
the usual routine fashion.
A Senator was reading in a mono
tonous tone from long columns of
printed clippings, and non Of his
dozen colleagues who retained their
seats in the Senate Chamber appeared
to be paying him the slightest atten-
ton, and there were no signs of the
bitter struggle that is going on.
The Democratic Senator publicly
deny that they are "flibustering" in
practicing the tactics inaugurated for
the first time to-day in the Senate,
though so frequent in the House, when
there ia a disposition on the part of
the minority to prevent the accom-
pllshment OF a purpose obnoxious TO
them. There can be ne doubt that
the Republican Senators generally
were taken by surprise by the adop-
ton of the plan of debating at length
the question of the approval of the
journal.
Of course 1t was expected by the
more experienced leaders that issue
woald be taken with the journal in its
statement of fact this morning, but it
was supposed that the object would be
really to the fact, and there was the
anticipation that the simple correction
allowed, the rule would be used to con-
snme the time of the Senate to the ex-
c~lusion of the cloture rule and every
thing else.
In some quarters there was at first a
disposition to condemn tine Vice Pres
ident for his accidental slip yesterday.
But al the day wore on it was made
apparent that any other statement of
fact in the journal would have served
the purpose quite as well, although
not in the same degree. If the old
customs regulating debate are to be
observed, there is nothing to prevent
the Democrats from talking from now
till 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 only posi-
bic hope of the Republican members
lies In their expectation that if they
can succeed in preventing an adjourn
mcnt the Democratic orators, worn ont
with 50 much continuous talk, will fin
ally succumb. But of this there is lit
tie hope, for the Democrats feel conf
dent of their ability.
The feeling is deepening on the Re-
publican side of the Chamber that
there is but one key to the situation,
and that key is in the possession Of the
Vice President. This means i'm plain
English that to break the deadlock or
otherwise sustain an ignominious de-
feat of the cloture resolution and the
elections bill, the Vice President must
come to the rescue of the majority by
a ruling which will destroy, in a meas
ure, as has, indeed, been the case with
some other rulings made recently
ONT of the time honoIed traditions of
the Senate as to the rights of individu-
al Senator'S as opposed to the rights of
the majority, even though it be based
on construction of the general parIia-
mentary law.
1t is not possible now to predict
what form this ruling will take, sun
posing that it is called forth and that
the Vice President is willing to under
take his part, but it is conjectured that
it may follow an appeal TO the presid-
ing officer from a Republican Senator
t" close debate and bring the Senate
face to face with the real question az
issue, the cloture resolution. on the
ground that it is a matter Ofeven hjpb-
or privilege than the approval of n
journal, inasmuch as it concerns the
rules under which all legislative bodies
must do business.
Signs that something on this order
was to be expected appeared when
Senator Blair, who acted "a the nr.-