Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-07
REORGANIZATION OF TIE SENATE.

y hlF NtSltIH Hoile loilltItONs
REORGANIZATION OF SENATE
Combination of Democrats, Porriistt
and silver Republicans Possible.
WASHINGTON, March 6.--The republican
senators rtmsibed in caucus an hour an
a quarter today discussing the situation o
the parties In tho senate. The only corclu
sion reached was the direction OF the ap
pointment Of a committee to confer will
those parties in the senate relative to va
csncies on the senate committees. Senate
Allison was made chairman OF this advisor!
committee with power to name other mem
berc. II was evident to the republican
that they did not have an organizing ma
jority as they now stood. and there was n,
one who could assure the caucus that vote
could be expected from either the p~opuiist
or silver republican parties.
The announcement of a CAUCUS at ,
O'Clock today fcT the purroac OF considering
the adVlssbility OF attempting to fll com
%irittecs In tie senate had the effect OF arOUs
ing considerable interest and the action o
the republicans may have the effect of i'm
mediately deciding the control Of the senate
indeed, there Is now apparently a pOssibil
lty that IL the republicans insist upon fill
Ing the pieces which will be vacated b,
republicans, they will lose all control OF tn
committees, for In that event the democrats
tho silver republicans aud the populists
II Is asserted, will unite in opposition ant
themselves will take tic committees.
The senators Of each OF these parties will
hold meetings IL the immediate future t.
, decide upon a course of action. There has
however, ii Is stated by senator's belongings
to tho three parties, already been a sufi
cient exchange OF views to render 1t quit,
certain that it will be possible for this com
binGtion to agree upon a basis of union
as there had been some apprehension tina
the anti-siiver democrats might not enteI
INTO this agreement, but IL Is asserted tina
there Is no longer occasion for doubt on thi!
score. There are a few democrats, of whom
Senator Jones OF Arkansas Is one, who doub
the eXpedi.rcy of assuming the responsible
ity or recognizing by so many interests
but the majority are of the opinion that thu
advantages are greater than the disad
valltaees of Il change. Senator. Kyle also
mas been conoidered a doubtful factor, be-
cause OF tho assistance the republicans gave
him In securing his election and no one vel
seems yet to know what position he may
AXE, as lie has not expressed himself tc
any one. The combination is quite confident
however. of securing his vote. They say
he never has severed his relations with the
popuiist party and that he has not for.
gotten that the republicans. when they came
into power two years ago, deposed him from
his place at the head of the committee or
education aud labor. The combination counts
on being able to organize without his as
s~istance, If necessary. With him, they ex-
pect to have forty-fve of the eighty-seveu
members of the senate. They therefore
could lose him and still have a narrow ma.
Iority. Members of the combination refuse
to concede the possibility of seating Mr.,
Wood as senator from Kentucky. They say
that TO do SO would mean the reversal of
preccdents and that they cannot be expected
to agree 10 this in the interest of the oppo-
sltion.
The fact also developed during the day
that Senator Turner of Washington will
caucus with the populists rather than with
the silver republicans.
Senator Allison was elected chairman of
the caucis TO succeed Mr.. Sherman and
Senator Wilson was reelected secretary. The
discussion of the committee turned upon the
character OF the committee to be appointed.
Senator Cullom moved that the usual com
mlttee OH caucuses should be appointed. but
after the debate had progressed some time
modified his motion so as to make it g
committee on the situation to consult with
other elements In the senate and to continue
only during the present emergency. The
motion as modified was agreed to. There
were numerous short speeches by the older
senator's, Senator's Hale, Frye, Cullom, Hoar,
Lodge, Chardier, Pritchard, Carter, Proctor
and Davis being the speakers. The general
drift of the sentiment was against any eff
fort to fill the vacancies by the immediate
appointment of republicans. Senator Proc
tor suggested that a republican majority
49, w ~ POStBoiih6 liz ia VI
the committees until action could be secured
in Oregon and Kentucky. Senator Aldrich
stated that in all probability the governor
of Oregon would appoint a senator from that
state. The decision of the senate in the
Mantle case was referred to as standing in
the way of an appointee being seated from
either Kentucky or Oregon.
Senators Davis, Hoar and Wolcott called
attention to the Importance of filling the
committees over which they preside, viz:
Foreign relations, judiciary and postoflces,
at as early a day as practicable. These are
important committees and all of them were
seriously affected by the retirements from
the senate. There was only individual ref
erence to other questions. Senator Chandler
stated it to be his belief that there would
be no serious objection from any source to
the republicans passing a tariff bill, what
ever the complexion Of the committees, and
others concurred in this view.
Senator Plat of New York was the only
new republican senator not present, but
none of the new men volunteered any sug-
g~estions. The caucus adjourned to meet on
Monday, when Senator Allison will an
nounce his committee.