The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-02-19
THE BATTLE TO
Be FOUGHT TODAY
Is Question Of Adjournment or Re-
organization and Senator.
ALL DEPENDS or THE SENATE
n that Body Refuses 70 Pass Adjourn
meni Resolution Reorganization
VIII Follow.

Special b the Astorian
salem. oregon. February b.-Two
must be finally settled to-
morrow. The nrst Is adjournment with
out day and the second is the United
States senatorship. To these h 10 be
added the unseating OF unqualified
house members by the Benson organi-
zation. the initatory steps being taken
today by the introduction OF a resoiu-
tion TO that effect
Even as late as a few hours before
all these momentous matters are to be
disposed Of, II Is not easy TO give a
clear and complete review OF the sItua-
tion. nor the probable outcome Of the
struggle. That new and decisive
turn will be given to affaics there Is
no doubt.
Senator Mitchell Is obliged 10 make
20 meet a variety Of con-
tingencies. In the first place he will
force the fight for adjournment at mid
night. If he fails 10 get IS in joint
tomorrow ne will during the
night attempt 10 assume that % Is a
majority OF all members and that II
constitutes a legal joint assembly and
is competent to elect a United States
senator.
The battle will be fought tomorrow
on several lines. In the Benson house
the first move will be 10 unseat the
unqualified ebsentees. Bilyeu and Lee
democrats. today filed their oaAhs Of
Office with the secretary of state and
the general impression Is that they will
find their way into the present con-
vention tomorrow. They will not be
unseated. but the present purpose is
10 pass the resolution as Introduced by
Crawford. and Afterwards slightly to
amend II, and 1t win no doubt 60
through by a large majority.
In the senate a resolution to adjourn
at midnight viii be introduced. The
concurrent resolution passed by the
house was sent to the senate. but was
pocketed and viii not be presented
The senate has placed itself on record
against receiving communications from
the Benson house, and this is tanta-
mount to instructions to the president
to receive no more. There will be a
hard fight over final adjournment
A conference Of republican members
OF the joint assembly was held this sf-
teruoon. The Leading subject of debate
was adjournment sine die. There was
a decided division OF sentiment, and II
was left undecided and the conference
adjourned until tomorrow at ten o'clock
IL will then be once more taken vi
and conclusion reached. The drift
OF opinion in the conference appeared
To be that the action of the senate
would determine the adjournment prob
lem II that body adopts the resolu
ton Il follows that the legislative ses
sion will end at midnight. II the sen
ate refuses to adopt il, the effec
will be to hold members of the hous,
here and reorganization will be th'
probable result Many members threat
en- to leave after tomorrow in an!
event, and some of them will carr!
out their intentions But enough L
constitute quorum will remain, al
ways provided, of course that the sen
ate refuses to pass the adjournmen
resolution,
Judge c. II. Carey, one Of Mitchell
advisers, was seen tonight in referenc
to the report that If 46 members wer
not in the joint convention tomorrow
vote for senator would be taken any
way. Mr.. Carey said that the plan wa
under discussion. but has not been de
termined upon denitely. Senator Mitch
ell has been advised that this proceed
! ing would be perfectly legal but ha
thus far been unwilling to adopt it,"