Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-10-17
FIFTY THIRD CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON. Oct. II, 1898.
SENATE.

SENAlE.
The Journal of yesterday having been
read, objection to it was made by Mr
Dolph, republican Of Oregon, on the
ground that it did not show the fact
that Senators Kyle, populist of South
Dakota, and Allen, popuiist of Nebras,
ka. who had not answered to roll call
although they were in the chamber
should have been entered as present al
though he had, at the time, called at,
tention to the fact He spoke of the
extraordinary spectacle presented blythe
Senate. 1t has been in session over ten
weeks. with a democratic majority,
and with % republican Senators who
were ready to follow the chairman OF
the finance committee on any course
he might suggest. Ii Senators could
talk Indefinitely and could read from
books and newspapers, without limit,
and if the Senate was not to amend tie
rules, they would have to drift down a
current of endlesss talk without accom-
plishing anything. The 26 republican
Senators who were in favor of the bill
would be willing to vote and cooperate
with the political majority in securing
some rule to limit debate. He knew,
and his republican colleagues knew,
that such a rule might be used against
them in other measures that were COM
ing up at the present session. The
Senate was in a ridiculous attitude. a
Senator would suggest the absence of a
quorum, and then when the roll was
called he would not answer. Then, il
there was 10 quorum, the chairman of
the finance committee would rise AUD
move that the Sergeant-at-Arms he d.
rected TO request the Attendance Olsen
ators. Aud all the time there were
Senators present in the chamber who
would not answer to their names. lie
was tired" of all this. 1t was time
that the Senate showed little back
bong. Ifa Senator refused TO vote, e
should be dealt with. TIA Senator re-
fused to answer or roll call, it was the
duty of the Chair to order his name to
lie put on the Journal. Ifthc Chair did
not do so, he (Gr Dolph) would appeal
to The Senate.
Mr. Harris, democrat of Tennessee,
suggested sarcastically, that if the Sen
ator from Oregon was tired, the best
remedy for him was to sit down and
rest. 1t would be relief to him and a
rest to the Senate. (Laughter) He
argued that the Journal was correct.
Mr.. Dolph retorted by saying that he
had often wondered what the Senate
and the country would do if the Sen
ator from Tennessee, who was sup
posed to embody all parliamentary
knowledge should die.
ooh" said Mr.. Harris, shat will de-
pend on whether the Senator rom Ore
gon will survive"
Mr.. Butler, democrat of South Caro-
lima, tainted AIr. Dolph with not hay
ing shown backbone" when he ha 10
deal, a couple Of years ago, with the
newspaper correspondents on the qres-
ton Of executive sessions. He contend
ed that there was no authority in the
presiding officer to 90 what the Senator
from Oregon wanted him to do. The
session would be very much prolonged
if the Senator from Oregon would at
tempt to apply the lash and arbitrary
rule. He would find resistance in a
quarter where he least expected it.
Mr.. Faulkner, who was in the chair,
last evening when the question was
raised by Mr.. Dolph, defended his rul-
ing, and contended that the journal
was absolutely correct. There was no
power in the presiding officer to count
a Senator as present who refused to
answer to his name.
Mr. Hoar said that the journal was
accurate in form aud substance. He
believed that the Senate and the
country would see, in the end, that it
was not possible for a body of IS men,
lightweight political leaders, IS men
sharing. and, to some extent, creating
the earnest political feeling which pre-
c,des all great political questions, to
continue much longer under the sys-
TEN of rules which were framed for
body of twenty-six. He declared,
however. with much emphasis, that the
constitutional right of the majority to
govern would be enforced. The Ameri
can people would have it done-per-
haps not this afternoon, nor to-mor-
row; perhaps not this week, nor next
week but in the end, on ell questions
which affected the welfare of the PEG
ple-by rules. through rules, or over
the rules; by the Senate through tie
Senate or over the Senate: the irresisti-
BILE Will of the majority of the Ameri-
can people would have its way.
Mr.. Hill declared that there was no