The record-union., 1895-12-31
SENATE REORGANIZATION.
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE

in the ascendancy, and that the re-
sponsibility for legislation should be-
long to the Republican party in both
houses as speedily as possible.
Harris Oem) of Tennessee asked
Allen whether the Populist Senator'S
an annex Of the Republican party-had
not deliberately determined to allow,
by their silence, a Republican organiza-
ton of the Senate, and whether, there
fore, the Senator did not understand
and know that the Populists were re-
sponsible for the result.
Allen replied that when the Populists
came to consider the question they real
lied that they held the balance of power
in their hands, and, he added, with
much emphasis, that they were going
to utilize it to it's fullest extent as they
went along.
In the discussion following Mitchell
(Rep) of Oregon remarked that the
Republicans were not in a majority in
the Senate. That it will be responsible
for measures whenever it has enough
Senators to pass them, and only then.
Whenever" said Allen, you pre-
sent a respectable measure that will be
for the relief of the people of the coun-
try, you may count on the Populistic
votes"
Il hope So" said Mitchell, land hope
that when the Republican party pre-
sents a respectable measure, not only
the Populists, but the Democrats, will
vote for it. I should hope so, but that
is perhaps hoping against hope''
Harris Dem.) of Tennessee asked
TH-ha 10
action and silence was not as salts
factory to the Senator from Oregon
(from his Republican standpoint) as if
the members of the Populist party had
been pledged to vote with the Republi-
cans, and haQ done so.
Il am always bound" Mitchell re-
piled, good humoredly, ''to be satisfied
with whatever the majority does And
so far as [ am personally concerned, [
was not advised, when I offered the res
olutiOn, and before the vote was taken,
as to whether the result would be ma
jority in favor of the resolution
Hoar (Rep) of Massachusetts said
that Harris remarks were calculated
to give wrong impression to the coun-
try and that the fact was that the
committee membership required not
majority vote, but plurality vote.
Does the Republican party Palmer
Oem) of Illinois broke in, decline to
be responsible for the committees?"
That question" Hoar replied, docs
not relate to anything that 1 am saying
at present" Naughter) AS to Harris
remark about the Populist party being
an annex of the Republican party, Hoar
remarked that the Populists had voted
in the past, and would probably vote in
the future, ten times with the Demo-
cratic party for the once that they
lad voted or would vote with the Re
publican party. In reply to Palmer's
question he would now say that he sup
posed the Republican party expected to
be responsible in all reasonable bounds.
If the committee reported Gas they ordi-
narily did measures based upon prin-
ciples which the Republican party be-
lieved in it would accept the RESPONSE
bility for them. If any Republican SEN
ator dissented from them and acted on
his own responsibility, he could. of
course, do so.
The concrete of the whole matter
Vest Oem) of Missouri broke in, "is
that the Populists remained silent and
allowed the Republicans to take charge
of the committees because the Finance
Committee, as now constituted. has a
majority of one of silver coinage men
1t has been stated that the committee
consists of six Republicans. six Demo-
Gratis and one Populist; but the Senator
from Colorado (WalcOtD was placed
upon it by the Republicans with the I'M
derstanding that that would give ma
jority of silver coinage men to that
committee. That is the concrete in this
whole business, and without that we
never would have seen our Populist
friends sit dumb as oysters when this
thing was carried through"
Allison Rep) of Iowa remarked that
the complexion of the Finance Commit
tee had not been changed from what if
was at the last Congress; its number
had only been increased No matter
what we may say here, it is known
that that committee was and is in favor
of the free coinage of silver, and it is
also known that no organization of
| this Senate could have been without
practically, that being so, and there
fore 1t is that we are dealing here to-
day with leather and prunella" as re-
spects the whole question.
Senator German declared that hence
forth Senators on the other side are re-
sponsible for the legislation in both
branches of Congress. You came
here" (apostrophizing the Republican,
knowing you had not a clear majority
in the Senate, and we had made pro-
vision last session for that condition of
fef W 10
most liberal terms as between the
two parties, on lines which would
have secured for the committee the con-
sideration of measures by the best
thought on both sides of the chamber.
and without reference TO the third
party.
After all. Mr.. President" continued
| German, ''the country will hold neither
the Republicans nor the Democrats re-
| sponsible for the Government for the
! next two years. 1t is a divided respon-
sibility. You are in large majority in
the other house, and there is in the ex-
ecutive chair gentleman who was
elected as a Democrat. (This caustic
allusion to the President provoked
some laughter) And therefore it was
suggested in the last Congress that we
cooperate here in the Senate. The de-
sire for power, the anxiety to control
committees has made you (still address,
| ing the Republican Senators) take a
step which will enable you to throttle
| legislation. But you have taken the
responsibility. Meet it. meet it, as we
did in the last Congress, when we had
only majority of one"
The debate continuing Mr. Hale re-
minded Mr.. German that if the Demo-
Gratis had chosen a sound money man
for their additional member on the