St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-25
DAVIS IS CONFIDENT.
He Has No Doubt About the
Result in Mime
sofa.
Republican Members All His
Friends, and Will Stand
By Him.
Entertaining Discussion OF
Matters Of Interest at the
Nations Capital.
Anti-Option Bill Will Pass
French Spoliation Claims
and Their History.

While there are some who think
that the coming senatorial contest in
this state will be settled only after
struggle, there is at least one man who
has no fears on that score. and he is the
one interested beyond all others i'll its
outcome-Ho on. G. K. Davis, the sitting
member, and a candidate for a re-elec-
ton. Senator Davis arrived home yes
terday morning, and is now domiciled
at the Merchants, where he will proba-
bly, remain until he is ready to return
to the national capital. That he will be
able to make the return trip with Il Ger
tifcate of election that will give him a
lease on his seat until March 4, 1899, he
has no doubt whatever.
A part of the forenoon was spent at
the law Office of Davis Kellogg & Sew
erance, in the Merchants National Bank
building, but the remainder of the day
was devoted by the senator to meeting
and conferring with his friends at the
hotel. These conferences were evident
ly altogether satisfactory, for when Mr..
Davis was found III the afternoon lie
was in the best possible frame OF mind,
and he saw everything through glasses
Always q brilliant onversationalist,
Senator Davis, in good health and high
spirits, becomes doubly interesting and
magnetic. Although he does not avoid
discussing the senatorial contest, the
senior senator prefers almost any other
topic, and the man who goes 10 him to
talk politics often finds himself listen
ing to brilliant lecture on some polite
al, historical or literary topic, and the
matter i'll mind in lost sight Of. So it
was yesterday.
Fresh from the scene of national leg
islation, Senator DAVIS talked enter
tainingly of the situation there. The
anti-option bill he is quite sure will be
Passed by the Senate
soon after the vacation. 1t will then go
back to the house for action on the SEN
ate amendments. If these are agreed
| to. of course the bill will at once become
a law. fnot, the usual method will be
pursued. and a committee OF conference
Will be named by the two houses.
"ln this event the passage OF the bill
| Is certain" said Senator Davis, "for
the reason that these conference com
mittees never fail to agree upon some
| thing, only friends of the measures con-
cerned being appointed"
| Senator Davis is not ready to con cede
| that the senate will be in the hands or
I, the Democrats after March 4, but is not
| disposed to make claims. In the event
| that it is, however, he said that the
| heads of the important committees
would be good men.
Senator Allison" he said, "a very
careful and able man, is now at the
head Of the committee on appropria-
tions. He would probably be succeeded
by Senator COckrell, of Missouri, all able
| gentleman who has served many years
| in the senate, is hard worker, and
! thoroughly posted on the work OF the
committee. The first of the appr0pria-
| ton bills will be for the army, and this
will 90 through with little discussion, as
it is proposition that admits OF little
| debate. 1t takes about so nj uch to sup
| port the army, and no one can object.
| The other appropriation bills be late,
| but it will not take long to pass them,
because at the long session they were
| discussed at length"
! No Extra Session.
"Do you think there will be any extra
session, senators?
''There has been great deal of talk
to that effect" was the reply, "but l
! hardly expect it, OF course the senate
Will be called to meet in extra session
| for the purpose OF con tirming the cabi
net of President Cleveland. but l do
not anticipate an extra session of bOth
houses for the purpose OF considering
matters Of general legislation"
From the political discussions
and dOings of the present
| Senator Davis turned to top
| les that while old are still of live
| interest. One of these was the subject
Of . nIH oIa
| which ought to have been paid by the
| government ninety years ago, but
| which are just now i'll way to be
| slowly settled. AS usual in questions
| that require study and research, Senator
Davis was perfectly at home on this
subject, and briefly outlined case that
| illustrates the sloWness of the govern
ment in liz uidating its obligations in
one case at least.
During the last part of the eighteenth
century," he said, when France was
Just emerging from that great political
convulsiOn, the French revolution, and
her hama was against every other nation,
her priyateers seized many OF our yes
sells, and confiscated them. These pro-
ceedings were irregular, and the French
government was bound to indemnify us
for the damage. When President JEFF
ferson purchased Louisiana from Ma
poleOn part of the consideration was
that the United States government
should assume the obligations of France
in this matter, and indemnify her peo-
Die for the losses sustained by the illegal
acts Of the French priVateers. This was
not done, and through all the years
since 1903 this matter has been before
congress. The claimants are now en-
abled to go into the court of claims and
prove their claims. and finally have
them adjusted. This matter was
Vividly Recalled
short time ago by the appearance of a
White-haired old gentleman on the floor
of the senate, who, nearly fifty years
ago, wrote the best report on the sub
ject that has ever been furnished the
senate. This man was ex-senator
Chugman, of North Carolina, who was
amember Of the senate away back in
1910. When the French spoliation
claims came up in the senate took the
report written by this little old gentle
man so long ago and posted myself on
the subject"
"YOu are confident of your re-elec
tionr' was asked Mr.. Davis.
81 have no doubt whatever that l
shall be elected on the day fixed by
statute for the election" was the reply.
The members elected to the legislature
are all my friends, and have no hesita-
ton in saying that they will stand by
me. AS soon as | learned that we had
carried the legislature l felt certain
and have seen no reason to change my
| opinion"
| Senator Davis will gSsmain at the