Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-13
SENATORIAL UNCERTAINTY
Republicans May Not Wish to Organize the
Senate After ALL
re possibility without Power is No
Desirable and the Dominant
Party Does Not Desire 1t.

The declarations Of Senators Stewart and
PETER render it somewhat uncertain
whether the populiSt Sena tors or any of
their number will unite with the republican
Senators for the purpose of securing con-
| troll of the Senate after the 18th of March.
Without this assistance, 1t WILL according
to present appearances, be impossible for
the republicans to regain control before
1891, after the next election. Giving
them one of the Senators TO De elected liz
place of Senators Ransom and Jarvis of
North Carolina, and not counting Senator
Jones of Nevada republican, they
cannot hope for more than forty-three le
publicans in the Senate. and that is two
less than will be required for either organ
ization or for the transaction of business.
The question has also been raised Il to
whether the republican Senators viii really
desire to organize, and some OF the ''ide er
and more experienced politicians about
Washington contend that they will not so
desire when they come to look the ground
over and weigh the various considerations
involved.
Responsibility Without Power.
The principal reason for this view is the
belief that the older and more experienced
republican members will be averse to
suming a responsibility in the absence of
real power to transact business, which
they would, of course, not have unless
there We're majority OF Senators pledged
to act with them on questions of party
policy, well upon organization. They
call attention to the fact that the House
VIII be composed in large measure OF un-
tried me mberS and that il is possible That
many OF these new men may be disposed
to commit the party TO a legislative poIcy
which might prove to be unWiSe on the
eve of a presidential election. or, If not un-
wise at least unavalhng In the face OF the
fact that the presidency Will sun be IN the
control OF the democracy. w hat then,
they ask, lis the SENSE Of the republic iIS
assuming the responsibility of power with
out being aDIe TO exercise it,
TO do this, they continue, they must
necessarily make some concs ssions to the
populists which are liable to prove en-
barrassing. Continuing the argument i'll
TINS line, they say that the fact that the
republicans have not the Senate will prove
a check upon the House In case one is
needed and enable the cooler members OF
that bouy hoid the more radical IN by
SIMPLY holding up the impoSslblllty OF ac-
compllShlnS anything in that body and
pointing out the CnwlSdom of fruitless ef-
fort. On the other hand, the organization
OF the Senate would give the republicans no
advantage except that to be derived from
the acquisition Of the Offices and the con-
troll of committee action.
Other Possibilities Considered.
If Utah elects republican Senators ana
the senatorial elections in other states now
go as the returns from the late elections
indicate they will, this will give the republi-
can party an absolute majority, and thus
definitely settle tie question. Or, If either New
Mexico or Arizona should elect republican
Senators, assuming that there VIII be no
Grange or program On the part of the
democrats as TO the policy of their admis-
sion as states at the short session, the ef-
fect would be the Same. The two Senators
from either OF these proposed states would
be Sufhclent to give the Senate to the re-
rublicanS, whereas if the democrats should
secure the senators from all Of them they
would still be one short of majority