Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-02
SOLD OUT TO TIRE SILVER MEN
)GoodSV0elivered to the Repub-
lican Senators.
'S0ME LIVELY TALK IN THE SENATE
The Bargain Was for a Free
Coinage Committee.
This the Free Silver Advocates Have in the
Composition of the New Committee on
Finance-r The Cat Let Out of the Bag in a
Discussion Following Reorganization.

="
Washington, Dec. 30 In the Senate
this afternoon the reorganization of the
committees was effected by the adoption
of resolution offered by Mr.. Mitchell,
r., the vote on which was: Yeas, 30;
nays, 2S. The Populist Senators with
held their votes, with the exception of
Mr.. Kyle, Is. ID. J, who voted with the
Democrats. The vote was followed by
debate, in which there was some
plain talking from both sides on the
subject Of giving to the free silver men
majority on the finance committee.
Mr.. Allen, Pop, (Neb. J, declared
that the Populist party had no aflllia-
tion whatever with either of the old
parties. The Populists had realized,
before the meeting of this Congress,
that there was clear majority of the
Senate in favor Of the free and un-
, limited coinage of silver; and they had
been perfectly willing to unite in bring
ing about the passage Of a free silver
measure. They had sent out invita-
tions to the free silver Senators, but
with the exception of two or three of
them they had not met with the Popu-
lists and therefore the Populist party
take no part VIII itever in The organiza-
tion of the Senate. The Populsts felt
that the Republican party was, as be-
tween itself and the Democratic party,
in the ascendancy, and that the re-
sponaibility for legislation should be-
long TO the Republican party in both
Houses as speedily as possible. The
Popuists had felt that it was due to
themselves as party that they should
take no hand whatever in the organiza-
tion of the Senate. and should refrain
from voting, thus leaving the Republi-
cans and Democrats to settle the ques.
ton of organization among themselves.
Mr.. Mitchell, r., (Ore. }, remarked
that the Republicans were not in
majority in the Senate when he offered
his resolution, and were not in ma
L jority now. The Senate was composed
when ''full" the double meaning of
the word in that connection excited
some laughterl of IS members; but it
was not 'full'' now more laughterl,
having only 81 members, there being
one vacancy from Delaware. OF these
81 the Republicans had 40, the Demo.
Qats 80 and the Popuists G. If that
Nate Of the case gave "A majority to any
HI Alitical party in the Senate, it would
Sreiuire some kind of figuring which he
had no knowledge of.
n Mr.. Allen said that every important
.Icommittee of the Senate was completely
u in the control of the Republican party
and he hoped that the distinguished
Senator from Oregon would not now
undertake to back water" and say that
his party was not responsible for the
measures it would present.
The Republican party, ''Mr. Mitchell
interposed, twill be responsible for
measures whenever it has enough Sena-
tors to pass them, and only then"
tYou have the committees now,"
said Mr.. Allen. land you can present
those measures "
Mr.. German said that 42 Republican
Senators assumed the right to control
the majorities on the committees, and
had proceeded to assign to the free
coinage men seven members, and to
give TO the sound money men six.
Mr.. Hale reminded Mr.. German that
il tho Democrats had chosen sound
money man for their additional mem
ber on the finance committee the anti
silver men would have had majority
on it, and that when they refused to
do that the whole control of that COM
mittee was given over to the silver men.
Mr.. Teller, r., (Coi. )"As to the
Democrats putting two sound money
mentwhich call unsound money 'men)
on that committee, | want to say that
il that had been done there would
have been no reorganization of these
committees " Sensation.
Mr.. Gorman-''T ia true. That
is the full explanation of the matter.
That is precisely what the country
ought to know. That is the reason why
the Senator from Nebraska { Mr.. Allen)
sat quiet in his seut-a' man whom it
is diliicult to keep quiet Laughter.
1t is the mistake which you (atldress-
ing tho Republican side of the cham
ber) have made. But you have made
1t. The attention of the country will
be called to it by this debate. You
ought TO stand up and take the full re-
sponsibility. 1t is yours. 1t is not ours
any longer. | think it was an error of
Judgment on your part. i think that
in the interest of the country, you
ought to have subordinated your desire
for the control of the Senate until you
had clear Republican majority. For
there are pending any number of i'm
portant questions, not only affecting
the business interests of the country,
but affecting interests farreaching as
the boundaries of the world. "
After some further discussion, Mr..
Cockrell, D., mo. introduced a con-
current resolution, which went over till
tomorrow, providing for a recess from
tomorrow till Tuesday, the 7th of
january.
And then, after an executive session,
the Senate, at 4.50 adjourned till to,
morrow.