The herald., 1896-03-10
Increased by the Death of Sena.
tor Weissinger
REPUBLICANS CONFIDENT
Of Their Ability to Elect Their Candi.
date, st. John Boyle
The Duniap-kaufman Contest Today Is Ex-
pected to Result In the Unseating Of
tho Democrat.Popuiist Votes
Associated Press specia, Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
FRANKFORT, Ky., March S.-For the Sec
ond time death has added to the complex
ity of senatorial contest that has en-
crossed public interest in this state for two
months and has attracted wide attention
throughout the country. The death of
Senator Rosei Weissinger today removes,
besides distinguished member of the
Louisville bar, one of the most active and
energetic figures in the senatorial fight;
man who bad within the past few
weeks defeated DR.. Hunter, the Republican
nominee, and successfully baffisd every
attempt of the followers of Senator Black
burn to secure the election of that leader.
The exact political effect Of the event of
today cannot be determined, but tonight
an election seems more remote than ever.
The Republicans now have sixty.eight
members of the legislature and the Demo
Gratis sixty-seven, with probability of the
support of tie two Populist members as
long as Blackburn is their nominee. Taking
into consideration the announced deter.
mination of the Republicans to force a vote
IN the house tomorrow on the Dunlop-
Kaufman contest for the purpose Of un-
seating Kaufman (Democrat), the key to
the situation seems to be the attitude of
Lieutenaut-Governor Worthington. who
presides at the. joint session, will take upon
the question of quorum. If he holds to
the decision he is said to have announced
when vacancy was caused by the death
OF Representative Wilson, that sew
enty shall constitute q quorum
of the joint session, the Republicans,
even by seating Dunlop, can count upon
only 80 votes, and the Democrats, with the
ls,N. a..
so that either party may break a quorum
at will and prevent an election. IL he
takes the position that since the death of
Senator Weissinger 90 members consti-
tute quorum. the election of St. John
Boyle of Louisville can be accomplished
by the Republicans If they seat Dunlop
and give the caucus nominee the whole
party strength. This session will expire
before successor to Mr.. Weissinger can
be elected.
1t is almost certain that tomorrow
vote will be taken in the Dunlop * aufman
case, and that Kaufman, the Democratic
member, will be unseated. Whether the
Democratic senatots retaliate or not the
Republicans assert the election of Mir.
Boyle is a certainty.
Tho Democrats say they will go into
Joint session until an attempt to unseat
Kaufman is made. Beyond that the poll
tics of the situation cannot be foretold. at
today's joint session there was no attempt
to elect.
The death of Mr.. Wessinger hav-
ing been announced before II o'clock,
it was agreed between the leaders that
the proceedings be confined to a formal
ballot 10 fill the requirements of the law,
but one vote heing cast for the nominee of
each a ~, aft II which no quorum was an
nounced anu the session adjourned.
AfterWard both houses reconvened and
appointed committees to take appropriate
action upon the death OF Mr.. Welssin2er.
The adoption of the resolutions drawn up
by these committees was followed in both
branches by adjournment.