Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-31


 as between itself and the democratic panty-in the ascendancy, and the re- sponsibility for legislation should belong to the republican party in both houses as speedily as possible.
 The populists had felt that 1t was due to themselves as a party that they should take no hand whatever in the or ganization of the senate, and should re- frain from voting, thus leaving the re- publicans and democrats to settle the question of organization among them selves. The populist party in the senate, in the house and in the country was a dis tinct political entity, having its organiza- tion in every state and territory, and having a popular vote within 100000 of the number which had landed MT. Lin coin in the presidency in 1861. The pop ulists were a distinct organization, and they proposed to maintain 1t in this and in the future congresses.
 Mir Harris, democrat, of Tennessee, asked MT. Allen whether the populist senators-an annex of the republican party-had not deliberately determined to allow, by their silence, a republican or- ganization of the senate, and whether, therefore the senator from Nebraska did not understand and know that the popu- lists were as responsible for the result of the vote as if they had cast their votes for the resolution, instead Of sitting si- lent
 IL W lists came to consider the question they realized that they held the balance of power in their hands, and he added, with much emphasis, that they were going to utilize it to its fullest extent as they went along The democratic party, he contin- ued had proved itself absolutely incapa- ble of legislation. Daughter on the re- publican side of the chamber and in the gallerieS) It had claimed to be in favor of tariff reform, as he himself was, but when it's tariff bill came before the senate last session it proved to be loaded at both ends and in the middle for protection Oaughter). He had no faith in the dem- ocratic party in it's capacity or its dlspo- sition to relieve the country-not the slightest He wanted the responsibility for legislation to begin now, so that the people would see that the do-nothing poll cy of the republican party resulted m about the same thing as the policy of the democratic party. Daughter on both sides of the chamber).
 Mir. Mitchell republican, of Oregon, re marked that the republicans were not III a majority in the senate when he onered his resolution, and were not Tn ma1ority now The senate was composed when "fulT, (the double meaning of the word in that connection excited some laughtef) of eighty-eight members, but it was not full" now (more laughter), haVing only eighty-seven members, there pelng
 
 eighty-seven the republicans had forty two. the democrats thirty-nine and the populists six If that state of the case gave majority to any pontlcal party in the senate, it would require some Klnd of figuring which he had no knowledge of. -,,,
 MT. Butler, populist of North Carolina, broke into the debate and made an im- petuous speech in defense Of the posltion taken by the populist senator's. Address ing his remarks to MT. Harris, who had asked him whether he did not hoid ms party in his state he said: T hold my seat by such cooperation for the simple reason that the party to which you De. long had got to be so corrupt Tn my state that all decent men condemned IL. our marty could be today in power in Nortn Torol,na if if had stood by its pledges and promises. The populists had eltner to vote today with the democrats to or ganize the senate, or they had to vote with the republican party. Iney pre- ferred to vote with neither, but to stano alone" ,.,,,
 MT Hale remarked that the republi- cans in the senate were in the plurality, but had no power Of carrying any meas, ire by their own votes alone He reier!eu to the vote on MT. MitchelPs resolution n and said that if the populists had voted with the democrats (only one of them, MT. IyvIa having done so) the result would have been 30 yeas and 33 nays, and the republican programme would nave euii, bled to pieces The same thing that ndu occurred today would occur again anu again-the populist senators having the balance of power. All discussion, there fore. as to whether the responsibility TOT 1eeislation lay with the republican party was outside of the domain or ulScussioh and was in the domain of the concrete. ;, ."The concrete of the whole matter,
 Mr. Vest broke in, lis that the popuiisu Is', us remained silent and allowed the repupn- cans to take charge of the committees, because the finance committee, as nov constituted, has majority of one or sil- yer coinage men. of has been stated that that commit tee consists of six republicans, SIX demo- crats and one populist but the senator from Colorado (Mr. Wolcott was put upon it by the republicans with the un- | derstanding that that would give ma iority of silver coinage men to that com Inittee. That is the concrete Tn thls whole business, and without that ar engagement we never would nave seen o1r nonulist friends as dumb as oysters when this thing was carried through. MT Allison remarked that the com plexion of the finance committee hao not been changed from what 1t was at the last congress; its number only nao peen increased. No matter what we may say here if is known that that committee was and is in favor of free coinage or sli- yer. and it is also known that no organ'- zation of this senate could have been made without practically that being so' and therefore 1t is that we are dealing here today with Heather and prunella'' as respects the whole question.
 "It is we'll known" MT. Allison added, "that majority of that committee as organized would be in favor of the free coinage of silver every democrat on II heinz understood to be in its favor, so that as respects the selection of MT. Vol colt. or as respects the selection Of the new democratic member Of the commit tee. we do not deceive each other.
 MT. German confessed his amazement at the distinguished senator from Iowa proclaiming to the country (after he and his party friends had shown so much anxiety to get control of the committees) that they had no power to carry out the decrees of their party. Senators of the other side," Mir German declared with much emphasis, fare responsible from this time henceforth for the legislation of both branches of congress. You came here (apostrophizing the republicans) knowing that you had not clear major ity in the senate, and we had made pro vision last session for that condition or affairs. We made that provision on the most liberal terms as between the-two