Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-03-17
WILL TURN EN- OUT.
Democrats Decide to "Fire"
Senate Officials.
BRIGHT TO BE sERGEANT-AT-ARMs

Move Likely to Precipitate a Struggle as
the Republicans Object-Confirmation
Laid Over Until Next week-Signs of
Change Observed in the Chamber -
White House and Department Notes-A
Senator Loses His Hat.
WAsHINGToN, March 1.-THE Democratic
caucus committee, which has been consid-
ering the question of whether or not the
reorganization of the senate shall be COM
pletcd by the election of officers, was in
session for several hours last evening and
decided in favor of proceeding with the
work of turning the Republicans out. The
report of the committee will be presented
to a caucus of the Democratic senators on
Tuesday next and it is understood will
recommend the election of eX-Representa-
tive Cox. of North Carolina, to be secretary
of the senate, and Colonel Richard Bright,
of Indiana, sergeant-at-arms
Republicans Likely to Resist.
1t is said with reference to changes in the
official places of the senate that the Repub-
licans have been preparing plan of
their own. 1t is an open secret that num-
Der of Republican senator's favor an Or
ganized opposition to any attempt to re-
organize the elective officers at this time.
1t was said yesterday that the Repu biicans
have already discussed the matter and
have notified the Democrats that such an
attempt would be very distastefui to them.
This is accepted as declaration that the
Republicans will oppose such reorganlza-
ton, the prccedents of the body being
against a reorganization at an extra ses-
sion of the senate 1t is also said that
number of the older and more econserva-
tive members of the party among the
Democrats are in favor of permitting
things to remain they are until the regu-
lar session of the joint houses, whenever
that may be.
Would Result in a Long Struggle.
Two members of the steering" commit
tee are reported as being opposed to reor-
ganization at this time. The caucus, how
ever, having voted to take up the task of
reorranizing it seems to be quite certain
that the struggle will be long and pro-
tracted AS matter of fact the senate has
never been reorganized in this particular
at a similar extraordinary session. The
Republicans attempted it in 1881. Repub-
licans now say that they desisted from this
attempt as soon as they learned that they
were seeking to violate the precedents of
the senate
Not Hurrying the CophrUau ons.
From is action yesterday it is evident
that the senate intends taking its time in
the matter of confirming appointments
It.was supposed that soon as the COM
mittees were reorganized the nominations
SO far would receive prompt attention, and
there seems no reason why the nominations
now in were not confirmed yesterday
The adjournment to Monday puts off the
day of assumption of duty by the new
e 4
prominent senator on the Democratic side
said yesterday morning that the senate
would not be in any great hurry to so into
the business of confirming nominations
and intimated that possibly they would
wait until the elective officers of the senate
had been reorganized. As soon as this was
done, he said, the senate would confirm
every nomination sent to it up to that time
Great Transform alton in the Senate.
The change that has already come over
the senate was patent to the most mex
perienced observer yesterday. AS soon as
the body adjourned after its brief session
the Offices e-seekers who have been throng-
ing the corridors for days past found en-
trance and an opportunity to see their SEN
ators. And they all found their way to
the Democratic side of the chamber 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, to flee to the retiring rooms or the
committee rooms. On the other side of the
chamber the Republican senators sat at
their ease and were unmolested observers
of the scene Some of them jokingly COM
planned they had lost popularity, and the
leaders, like Allison, Frye, Manderson and
others who rarely have a moment to them
selves had leisure to sit quietly and COM
miserate with their hard beset colleagues
on the Democratic side.
Another Sign of the Change.
Another thing that marks the change in
senate politics is the new clerks to stand
ing committees. All these had for years
been Republi, ms, but the process Of put
ting the inS out and the outs in is pro-
crossing rapidly and there are many new
faces in those positions. But there are
two clerks who will not be disturbed
Thomas 2. Cleaves has been the clerk of
the committee on appropriations for twen
ty-two years and has figured appropria-
tions and estimates under all administra-
tions. Cockrell, the present chairman of
the appropriation committee, has an
nounced that he will remain. Benjamin
Durfee, the clerk of the finance commit
tee will also be retained, but not in his ca
pacity as clerk, that place having been Civ
en- to the son of Chairman Voorhees,.
WHITE HOUSE AND DEPARTMENTS
Somebody Hooks" Senator Georges