St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-22
DECIDED TO TRY IT.
Democratic Senator'S Will
Nominate Elective Officers
Of That Body.
Considerable Opposition in
the Caucus to Taking
This Action.
Minor Offices Will Be Given
Out by the Party
Caucus.
Land Commissioner Contest
Land Commissioner Contest
Will Probably Be Settled
Today.


noon to consider the subject of the re-
organization of the elective officers OF
the senate. There was a large attend
ance, every Democratic senator, with
the single exception of Senator Walth-
all, of Mississippi, being present. AS
at the preceding conferences Messrs.
PETER, Kyle and Allen. despite the fact
that they have been given committee
chairmanships by the majority, were not
recognized as being Democrats and were
not invited to attend. At the previous
caucus the whole matter of whether or
not the party should attempt reorganiza.
tion at this time was left to the steering
committee, OF which Mr.. German is
chairman. The report was made, and
to the surprise of the junior senators. at
least, contained no recommendations.
The committee held number of con-
ferences, but were unable to agree upon
a report that should be positive in its
character. Some Of the members were
tor reorganization, while
Others opposed 1t
as being violation Of the precedents.
Among the latter rumor places both MIR.
German and Mr.. Cockrell, two very
powerful moving spirits of the Demo-
cratic side of the chamber.
While the committee submitted re-
port that was decidedly negative and
non-committaI, it had prepared for any
haf mi Inh oric / =
of employees of the senate and the an
nual pay roll had been gone over very
thoroughly and the condition of the roll
as it exists today compared with theroll
of the Forty-siXth congress, when the
Democrats controlled this branch.
Since that time there has been an in
crease in the force of men, especially
under the sergeant-at-arms. 1t has been
the custom to permit certain number
of employees to remain at the disposal of
the minority, and this custom will not
be departed from by the Democrats.
The caucus adjourned at o'clock, hav-
ing during the four hours of its session
come to the determination to nominate
the elective officers.
The Ticket So Nominated
is composed of William K. Cox. of North
Carolina, an eX-representative,f for secre-
tary of the senate; Richard j. Bright,
of Indiana. X-Sergeant-at-arms, for SER
geant-at-arms; Rev. w. II. Milburn,
present chaplain of the house OF repre-
sentatives, for chaplain of the senate.
This result was not reached without a
dol
siderable element of the party that op-
posed the idea of doing anything that
would be violation of the Or ecedents
of the senate and give cause for opposi-
tion OH the part of the Republicans.
No time was fixed for the present a.
ton of the necessary resolutions in the |
and they may be deferred or
may come up early for action. A lead
ing member of the committee stated |
that the chief reason why the caucus
took this course was to get rid of the |
of candidates, and to ell |
able the senate to go about its regular |
work. IL was supposed that the matter |
of the admission of the three senators |
who appeared with credentials under |
by governors of the states |
of Montana, Washington and Wyoming |
would come up for discussion, but the
subject was not broached. This ques-
ton will come up before the senate on |
the report of the committee on privi- |
leges and elections. The patronage of
the senate under the officers agreed |
upon today was considered for some
time, ana a list made of the employees of
faith who
Will Be Retained.
The patronage. however, instead of
being under the control of the officers,
will be parceed out by the party eau
Gus. After the caucdS was over one of
leading members of the Democratic
committee said that it was tleintention
Of the party to attempt to elect the
nominees. Just when this would be
done he could not say, but the resolu-
ton, he thought, might be introduced
in the senate any time now. IT the Re
publicanS appeared to be determined IN
their efforts to prevent reorganization
at this session IL may be that the Demo
Gratis will desiSt and let it go over.
There appears, though, to be no
of an abandonment OF
the idea to make at least an effort
to carry out the will Of the caucus.
Another story III connection with the
caucus was that the senate would adj
lOurn without day by the middle of next
week. This was denied by several SEN
ators, who said that the subject had not
been mentioned, and that the day of ad
iournment depended entirely upon the
pleasu of the president.
The Republican senators about the
capitol look upon the action of the eau
Gus as a declaration that the Democrats
intend to inaugurate a contest over the
organization and to hold another eau
eus to decide upon the plan of cam
Daign. Other senators who took PROM
nent part in the last caucus say that
,he Republicans would not stand idly by
md see the precedents of the senate
violated without protest, and lntimat-
I'd that, if the Democrats precipitated
contest, there was no telling when it
would end.