St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-05
SCHEMERS BAFFLED,
Senator Edwards Will Take
His Seat in the New
York Senate.
Ills Courageous, Patriotic Ac-
ton Paralyzes Republican
Triekery.
Defeated Leaders Sehemed
and Plotted to Turn the
Tide All in Vain,
And Now They Whine About
the OuteOme--BuSh for
Speaker.

ALBANY, \. y, Jan. 4.-Late tonight
Senator Edwards was asked if he would
attend the opening session of the SEN
ate tomorrow.
He replied: 81 consider it the high
est conception of duty to attend the
session of the senate tomorrow and
shall be present"
New YORK, Jan. 4.-Senator James
7. Edwards, the clergyman-professo
who defeated Commodore Perry Vedder
in the ChautauQua district, is today the
biggest link in the political concatena-
ton which engages the attention of
political leaders of this state on both
sides. His power is larger than that of
Senator Hill. for he is an elected ele-
ment in the situation. He is more pow
erful than Gov. Fifer, for he is able to
render helpless and inactive the other
wise Democratic legislature on which
Gov. Flower relies. He is bigger than
the legislature itself, for without him
the senate cannot organize with a legal
quorum to give itself positive force.
Here is the curious situation of the
state governmental machine ready to
operate but lacking the wedge pin to
fasten its gearing and make all parts
move effectively. The Democrats have
sixteen senators ready to sit in the
leather chairs in the onyx chamber to-
morrow, but there mast be present The
body of one more elected senator to
constitute the quorum number of seven
teen or
One Wore Than Half
the elected members That one other
senator may remain silent, he may read
Mother Goose or the Bible, he may en-
gage himself with peanuts and CONVEX
Sation with the senate orderlies. he may
even slumber and snore. All these in
attentions would be pardoned by the
other sixteen in the personality Of any
seventeenth elected senator. They
would even be welcomed as a condition
OF his presence, for they need him, and
senator present only, the law of quorum
would be fulfilled, and the sixteen DEM
ocratIc senators might go forward with
their purposes.
Dr.. Edwards, by reason Of the indie
pendent character of his election and of
his devotion to his personal conscience
as political guide, is the only avail
able wedge to hold the legislative gear
Ing from slipping when the power shall
be turned on tomorrow. Edwards desig-
mates himself an Independent Repub-
hcan, but he has been quoted as saying
that he would sit with the sixteen
Democrats to organize the senate to-
morrow. The fifteen out-and-out Re.
publican senators are said to favor
plan OF aDSentlng themselves tomorrow
from the senate chamber
10 Prevent a Quorum.
and when the morning dawned TODAY
the Republican leaders were doubtful as
to Mr.: Edwards alleged purpose not to
act with them. The Out-apd-outs came
down to this city TO confer with Mr..
Platt and other leaders as to what
should be done. They conferred last
night, ard have conferred more today,
as to how best act to deprive the Demo
Gratis of senate quorum tomorrow.
The meeting place of the chieftains
was the Fifth Avenue hotel. Senators
O'Cohnor, Mullin and Derby were
seated on one of the richly upholstered
benches which line the hotel corridor.
They were speaking IN undertones. and
presently United States Senator His
cock approached the group. After a
minute or two Senator Derby left to
consult with Senators Donaldson and
Parsons, who were seated on the op-
posite side of the hall. This group was
reinforced by Senator George Z. Erwin.
and later Joined by Senator Hiscock.
Senator Erwin exchanged views with
all and then held a consultation with
Senators Smith, Van Gorder and Sax
ton.
The senators conducted their little
talks so quietly that stranger
penlng. The conference, for such it
was, had ali the appearance of the usual
interchange of courteSieS between ac-
eualntanceS who met in hotel.
Edwards Holds the Power.
All the senators seemed at the outset
agreed on one point, and that was that
unless Rev. MI. Edwards refused to aid
the Democrats in organizing the senate.
IL would be useless for the other Repub-
Ilcan senators to remain away from AL
bany.
Senator Edwards had been invited to
meet his fellow Republican senators in
New YORK this morning. and his failure
10 respond to the Invitation is regarded
as ominous. The Republican senator's
however, were 10th to think that Ed.
wards would help the Democrats. and
up to noon had hopes OF hearing from
him. This hope failed, however, for
Edwards came not.
H0l6 WAS only one sentiment TO be
gathered from the groups of twos and
threes about the corridor. 1t was that
anything was justifable to prevent the
democracy in its effort to seat enough
Democrats to control the senate. Col
lector Hendricks said: 1.-The Repub-
llcan senators, i'll my opinion, ale iusti-
he'd III anything they see fit to do. They
are especially justified, and to be COM
manded, If they decline to sit with the
men whom Hill has seated as senators.
am for anything that will show Hill
that ne cannot make senators at will
ana In defiance of the people,
senator Hiscock said everything de-
pended upon the course Senator Ed
wards would adopt. Until he was heard
from the other senators could decide
upon nothing.
Miller Still Outside.
EX-United States Senator Warner
Miller passed along the hotel corridor
without speaking to or in any wav no.
tlclng the assembled senators. a re-
reporter asked him if he thought that
Senator Edwards would act with the
democrats. Il do not desire to be in
teryieWed," said Mr.. Miller, land must
decline to answer any questions"
A few philosophical RepnbIicans who
were here profess to be Indifferent IN
the attitude of the independent senator
HIS vote with the Republicans cannot.
tney observe, control the organization
OF lne senate or prevent the seating of
Walker at the opening session if thew
zee LII 10 act ON that matter then. The