The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-17
THE SENATE DEMOCRATS
MAY UNDERTAKE THE REORGANI-
ZATIOy OF THE BODY At ONCE.
The Senate Evidently Intends to Take Its
Time in the Matter of Confirming
Appointments.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March l6.-Im-
mediately after the Senate adjourned to-
day the Democratic caucus committee re-
sumed its sitting. and took up the matter
Of the reorganization OF the elective Off
GERS Of the Senate.
II is said that the committee will be
ready TO report TO the full caucus early
next week, possibly Tuesday morning.
Whether the Democrats intend to reor-
ganize or not, is an interesting question,
but the Republicans are acting upon the
assumption that. having power they in
tend to exercise it. and have been pre-
pairing plans of their own.
1t is an open secret that number OF
| Republican senators favor an organized
opposition to any attempt TO reorganize
| the elective officers at this time. IL Is
said to-day that the Republicans have al
| ready discussed the matter and have noti-
| fed the Democrats that such an attempt
| would be very distasteful to them. This
! is accepted as a declaration that the Re
| publicans will oppose such reorganization,
! the precedents of the body being against
a reorganization at an extra session or
! the Senate. Ii is also said that number
| of older and more conservative members
/ Of the party among the Democrats are in
favor Of permitting things to remain as
they are until the regular session OF the
| joint Houses. whenever that may be.
| Two prominent members OF the steer
| ing" committee are quoted as being op-
| posed to reorganization at this time and
| IL may be that a prolonged struggle be-
tween the two parties will be prevented
| II their advice is followed by the Demo
cratic caucus. Should the caucus. how
ever, vote TO take up the task Of reor-
| ganization, II seems 10 be quite certain
that the struggle will be long and pro-
| tracted. As a matter Of fact, the Senate
has never been reorganized In this partic-
ular at a similar extraordinary session.
| The Republicans attempted 1t In 1881,
| however. Republicans now say that they
dessted from this attempt as soon as
they learned that they were seeking 70
violate the precedents Of the Senate. III
the Democrats, therefore. attempt 10 re-
organize at this session, 1t Is almost
certain that the Republicans will show
| fight. and prevent the consummation or
the plan II It be within their power.
From its action to-day il is evident
that the Senate intends taking IFS time
in the matter OF confirming appointments
| 1t was supposed that as soon as the Conl-
mittees were reOrganized the NOMINATIONS
so far would receive prompt action, ana
to-day. At the previous session II was
! ordered that as soon az the committees
| had been appointed. the nominations
! sbouId he referred. and those sent I'm by
the President are row I'm the hands OF the
| committees These might nave beeh con,
! sidered this morning in commute anu
| cophrned to-day. but the adjournment
- tho senate until next Monday makes
q imnossible for any Of the officials named
| nv the President to assume their dulles
| until the middle Of next week
! prominent senator on the Democratic
| side said this morning THAT the senate
! would not he in any great hurry 10 eo
into the business Of connrmlng noi'iiIa- M.
| tions and intimated that possibly they
| ,,.orld wait until the elective ohcers OF
the Senate had been reorganized' II II Is
determined to do this AT once. AS sooi
as tbis was done. he said, the Senate
would confirm every nomination sent 10
II ND to that time.
Senator Murphy. or New foIh' was
asked tonight II the report was uue Una INA
ba would attempt TO prevent the con
frmation Of President NleNe'"i" '~"
York appointments
"There is no truth in It, whatever re-
| plied the senator
NV about the confirmation Of Robert
e Maxwell and Edward 5. Whitney
",rbe New York senators viii do nothing
| TO delay their cOnHIIhdtl"i, ~. '''
trarv they will aid in having them con-
! frmed.' c..a..,
The Senate Committee on Contested
Elections will hold its first meeting to-
morrow. and will take up the cases OF
tbe senators appointed by the Governors
of the States Of Wyoming Montana ana
Washington Senators-elect Mantle oi
Montana, and Beckwith. OF Nyomlhs' hau
their credentials presented TO the senate
some davs ago. but Mr.. Allen, OF Nash-
jneton has not arrived. None Of the gen
tIemen have been sworn in, and the ndl-
cations are that the report of the com
mittee will engender long debate.
The change that has come over ihe
Senate was apparent to the most mex
perienced observers to-day As soo.i 40
tho body had adjourned after It's brleI
session the army Of office seekers, who
have thronged the corridors for days past
found entrance and opportunity 10 zee
their senators. and they ali found their
way 10 the Democratic side of the Chan-
her with the result that nearly every
senator seated there was soon surrounded
by a group OF wistful-eyed men, or was
Obliged in self-defense 10 flee TO the le-
firing rooms or the committee rooms VI
The other side Of the Chamber the Repub-
lican senators sat at their ease and were
nnmolested observers of the scene. Some
of them iokingly complained that they had
lost popularity, and the leaders, like All
son. Nanderson, Frye and others, VINO
| rarely have moment 10 themselves, had
leisure to-day 10 sit quietly and commits
serate with their hard-beset colleagues
on the Democratic side. Several OF the
Republican senators talked earnestly with
Senator Stewart possibly in explanation
Of the party necessity which had impelled
them to drop him from the minority mem
bership in the Appropriations Committee
II he feels any soreness over this matter
Senator Stewart manages 10 conceal II
very effectually. IL processes 10 be en-
tirely satisfied with his situation, being al
liberty TO vote with either party against
any measure which does not commend
itself 10 his own judgment. irrespective
Of party consid erations.