The evening times., 1895-11-09
VACANCIES IN COMMITTEES
There Being Many of These, 1t Seems
Plain That a "Reor8anization" VIII
BE Necessary Republicans, Being
the Dominant Party, Must Accept
the Responsibility for Legislation.

~. lHio 10 uuc OIus ~ a AAhitcu ueSiS
The Senate is supplied with code OF
rules,o presiding officer, clothed with
full authority 10 act, and with Secretary,
Sergeant-at-arms, and a full force of
clerical and other officials necessary TO
its orderly assembly and conduct, but
at the beginning Of every new Congress,
so far. as the performance OF any important
legislative act is concerned, the Senate
is almost as unprepared for business as
is the House OF Representatives prior to
the election of a Speaker and other off
GERS.
The membership OF the Senate is divided
into three classes, one OF which enters
with every Congress. The class which
enters W it'll the Fifty Fourth Congress
consists or thirty, to all of whom the oath
of office must be administered by the
presiding officer before they can become
fully qualified TO perform any official
act.
AT the present time, therefore, the legal
membership OF the Senate Is limited 10
fiji y-tight, anditsfffst act will. OF necessity,
be The immetiate Introduction oi the thirty
Senators-eleCt, or as many OF tlIem as
prcsent themselves
HOW THEY STAND.
OF these senators-elect, thirteen are
Iltu WIO were uOt IhSHlUSIe Vi tnS IiNNCo-
ing Senate. Politically they stand nine
teen Republicans, including DUPONT of
Delaware; nine Democrats and two Pop
ulists.
Under the rules business must be con-
sidered and reported by committee OF
the body before il can be acted upon by
the Senate.
Notwithsta uding the fac, that II of the
Senators-elect We're members OF the pre-
cedinS Senate, their former official rela-
tions with that body are as completely cut
off as though they had never existed.
According to custom they have been con-
sidered as continuing members, have been
carried on the list of committees. accorded
a II the. privileges aud awarded all tue
"courtesies' that attach TO a full-fledged
Senator; yet the eX-officio Senators among
the Senators-elect must enter by the same
door aud go through the same forms to Sc
cure admission and rehabilitation as their
newly-chosen associates, and Will stand be-
fore the bar of the Senate upon the same
footing as the latter.
As these II ex-officio Senators can have
no official connection with the Senate prior
to formal induction, il follows that they
now have no legal connection with its coin
Inittees.
AS the Senate now stands, many OF tue
committees are merely skeletons, some of
constitute quorum. The vacancies can be
filled only after the newly-elected members
are duly admitted to the Senate.
No Que would even suggest that legisla-
tive business should be proceeded with un-
I'll the committees are reorganized.
DONE By CONSENT.
True IL is that prior to the reorganiza-
ton busines has been transacted by the SEN
ate, but this has been done by unanimous
consent, and has never involved any con-
tested questions.
1t therefore follows that at the very
outset the Senate viii be confronted with
the question OF organization, and the two
great parties will have to determine upon
the construction OF tue committees before
legislation can be proceeded with.
The construction OF the committees is not
merely perfunctory act, limited to the
assig gnment of the new Senators. That work
is of the highest personal Importance to all
the Senators, and is OF great concern to the
people. for the reason that the character OF
legislation is determined by these subordi-
nate bodies.
In the preceding Congress the mure i'm
portant of the Senate committees were domi-
mated by the Democrats, and for the simple
reason that their party was in majority.
The numerical strength of that party In
the approaching Congress will be less than
thdt VI Tue ntpubiltduS, anu Tie IdtleT uD
not number majority OF the Senate.
There has been considerable talk about
permitting the present Organization" to
continue, but that is impracticable, except
SO far as the organization affects the officers
OF the Senate.
The organization of the committees is
vastly more important than the selection
OF officers, and, being essential to legis-
lation, cannot be long postponed.
REORGANIZATION bpiug imnerntiya and the
Republican being the dominant party, al
though lacking three Of a ma jority, the Re-
publicans will be impelled to meet this ques
tion and to insist that they shall be recog-
nized as the dominant party and given con-
troll of the leading committees, notwith-
standing the fact that they are few units
below the number that constitutes quorum.
CANNOT SHRINK FROM 1T.
1t is perhaps true that the Republicans,
not controlling a majority, would prefer
not to assume the responsibility for iegis-
lation, but they cannot evade nor shrink
from 1t.
They will have AZ Senators, excluding
Dupont OF Delaware, and upon the admis-
sion Of Utah In January will gain two more,
giving them A of 80 members who will
then constitute the Senate, assuming the
DUPONT case is undetermined.
The Democrats have been cut down to 80,
and cannot be expected to continue In
domination. Ittherefore follows that what
ever arrangement is made, whether 1t be
between the Republicans and the Democrats
or the Republicans and Pupulists, the Re-
publicans viii be obliged TO insist that their
superior numbers shall be recognized and
that the leading committees shall be placed
In their charge.
There can be no doubt that an amicable
arrangement will lbe made. The only point of
real contention win be over the construction
of the finance committee.
In the preceding Senate 1t stood: voor-
hees, Harris. Mcpherson. Vest, Jones of
Arkansas, and White. Democrats: Morrill,,
Sherman, Jones Of Nevada. Allison and Al
drich, Republicans. except Jones Of Nevada,
who is q silver man.
This committee was constructed on the
basis of six Democrats and five Republicans,
two opoliticaldivisions only being recognized.
In the reorganization the third party or
the silver men Will insist upon recognition,
and Jones Of Nevada Is likely to be re-
tanned as their representative.
whether the Republicans will consent to
accept Mr.. Jones in their apportionment Of
members is an open question.
But as Mr.. Jones is in full accord with the
Republicans upon all questions that divide
the parties, except that Of silver, 1t is
probable, In view Of the fact that the sup
port of that gentleman on political questions
will he necessary to the Republicans, that he
viii be counted on their side in the political
makeup of the finance committee.
All the members of the last finance COM
mittee, except Mr.. Mcpherson. will be in
the approaching Congress, and the expecta-
ton is they viii continue on the finance
committee.
AN EXCITING CONTENTION.
The selection of a Republican to fnl the