The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-20
CRONKHITE SPEAKS.
The Senator Explains to His Col.
leagues His Absenc Last Week.

ST. PAUL, March 1S.-In the senate this
morning. Senator Cronkhite was present to
answer roll call, and his sensational abb
sence of Thursday last was called up and
the incident closed forever, so far as the
senate is concerned At the first oppor-
tunity, Immediately after the reading of
the journal, he secured the recognition of
President Day. He said: Il desire to ask
that the journal Of last Thursday be cor
rected. l desire it to be corrected so as to
read that I absent under excuse by
the president. l had received that excuse,
and l am Informed by the highest author
ity that it was good until 1 had reported
at roll CALI
for and received an excuse from me- 1
think he has correctly stated the custom of
holding such excuses valid until he has
reported himself present. Unless objection
IS made the journal will be corrected as
requested
No objection was interposed. and the
journal was ordered to be corrected
Later Senator Yale surprised the senate
with resolution of confidence in Senator
Cronkhite. The resolution as read is as
follows:
Whereas, Senator j. O. Cronkhite, from
the Fifty-second district in this state, was
absent from his seat on Wednesday, the
l4th day of March, 1885, at time when an
important measure was pending in the SEN
ate, to-wit., House File No. l; and,
Whereas, 1t was insnuated in the public
newspapers in this state that Senator
Cronkhite absented himself without leave
and from Improper motives; and,
Whereas We, his fellow senators, be-
lieve that said insinuations and comments
Had H.
the people Of this state our faith and con-
fdence in Senator Cronkhite as an honor
able man, and from our acquaintance with
said senator believe that in measures COM
ing before this body he has always shown q
disposition to vote conscientiously, accord
ing to the right of the matter, without fear
or favor"
In view of the fact that the senate had
corrected the journal in the first part of
the morning session, there was some hope
that this resolution would go through
without opposition, but it Gid not. The
comments in and out of the senate had
been too numerous and too outspoken in
condemnation of the Populist absentee to
permit such a resolution to go through so
soon still it was equally unpleasant to be
forced into a direct hight against Mr.;
Cronkhite The feeling was that he had
suffered enough and should be let down as
easily as possible.
Senator Reshus, one of the other Popu-
lists was the only one who cared to put
aside personal feelings. He objected to the
resolution and gave notice of debate.
Senator Yale persisted in his resolution
and moved a suspension of the rules in or
der to have it passed at once. This was
the chance for Senator Greer to get in
another of his frequent objections to irreg-
ular proceedings He said Senator Yale
was one of the very men who had cast as
pensions upon the senator in question, and
he quoted from Senator Yale's speech. in
which the Winona senator had said that
the absentee was "either coward
knave." He, therefore, objected to its con-
sideration at once.
Senator Yale protested that he had not
been correctly quoted by the senator from
Wabasha.
Senator Wyman, who previously had
moved that the senate take recess, but
had given way to permit the introduction