The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-29
SENATE TO HAVE A. SKlRMlSH.
FIGHT OVER THE COMMITTEES TO
BE PUSHED TO A FINISH.

The Democrats to Attack the Legali-
ty of the Committees as at Present
COnstituted-They Demand the
Same Minority Representation
They Accorded the Republicans.
The Republicans Refuse TO Count
the silver Republicans as Republic
cnns-They Have II scheme to Car
ny Their Point.
Washington, March 2S.-There is strong
probability of a clash between the repub-
licans and their allied opponents in the
Senate this week on the question of filling
the committee vacancies. The democrats
have attacked the validity of the action OF
the committee on postofflces and post
roads in taking under consideration nom
nations when the committee was not more
than half filled, despite the fact that
resolution was passed at the close or the
last session of the Fifty-fourth congress
continuing the Senate committees and au-
thorzing them to transact business until
the vacancies were flied.
by attacking the legality of the commit
tees as at present constituted, the demo-
Gratis hope to force the republicans to agree
to their programme of permitting the total
membership of the committees TO remain
as at present constituted, the democrats 10
hereafter name democrat for every sem
ator of that party whose term expired on
March last.
The republicans will hold caucus Tues
day afternoon for the purpose of hearing
the report of their steering committee ana
solving the difficulty that now confronts
them.
The demand Of the democrats is under
stood to be that they shall have precisely
the same minority representation Which
they granted the republican minority
when the republicans were a solid body
and did not have the present conditions OF
free silver disintegration to contend win.
The republicans on the other hand, con-
tend that the senators VINO Dolted the 81
Louis convention are no longer members
of the republican party. They acknoWl-
edge that by former action of the republ-
can party some of these senator's nave re-
ceived very desirable committee assign
ments but they insist that these positions
cannot now be charged up against the
straight republicans. The democrats re-
fuse to recognize any division in the re-
publican party.
According to this contention, the repubh-
cans, if their demands were granted, al
though holding the chairmanShips, would
be in the minority on all of the important
committees This is particularly true OF
the committees on appropriations ana
0ndnCe. Inc democrats AlniSt uPOA az
pointing a democrat to succeed Mr.. Noor-
hees on the finance committee, and also
insist upon counting Mr.. Jones of Nevada
(silver republican, as a republican, to help
make up the republican membership or the
same committee The republicans have Of
fered to accept Mr.. Jones as one of their
assignments if the democrats will agree
to assign a gold democrat to the commit
tee, but this has been declined.
The situation has been quietly canvass
ed, and the republicans, falling to bring
the democrats to terms on grounds which
they consider reasonable, Will probably
try new tactics this week. They contem-
plate offering a resolution declaring that
| the members of the various committees
shall consist of a certain number of sem
| ators belonging to each party, the num-
| Der to be designated in the case of each
| committee This resolution, it is believed
| by the republicans, will be carried either
| by the affirmative votes of the populists
| or by their refusal to vote, as they did
when the republicans reorganiZed the COM
mittees and took control. 1t is also ex-
pected that the gold democrats will decline
| to vote, and this will give the republicans
| clear majority of the quorum of the
Senate and carry the resolution that will
| be offered.
If this programme can be successfully
| carried out the republicans will then feel
| free to caucus and designate their assign
| menus TO the various committees, ana tnen
| to ask the democratic committee to fill in
| turn their assignments. This will bring
| the matter to a square issue and force
| the fighting in the Senate. The repub-
| licans who have the matter in charge pro-
| fess their belief in the success of the plan.
So far as the business of the Senate
| proper is concerned, 1t looks as If the
| general treaty of arbitration with Great
| Britain would take up the major part of
| the week. An agreement has been reach.
| ed to take a vote Wednesday afternoon
| on all the amendments then pending. The
| treaty as amended is to be printed and
| laid before the Senate the next day, when
| the debate will continue under the ten
minute rule. If further amendments are
| offered, they are all to be voted upon at
o'clock on Thursday, the day following.
| After that hour the offering of amend
| ments will not be in order and the debate
| on the treaty will continue until the final
| vote is taken. Mr.. Davis has pressed for
an agreement for a time when the final
vote shall be taken, but his appeals have
| not yet been successful.
The House of Representatives has moth
| ing ahead of it but the tariff. Up to
| Wednesday next at / O'Clock, under ex-
| listing rules, the five-minute debate on the
| bill by sections will continue. Then Mr..
| Bailey of Texas and Mr. Dlngley of Maine,
| the recognized democratic and republican
| leaders, will be accorded an hour each to
close the debate, and the vote on the pas
| sage of the bill will be taken at O'Clock
on Wednesday, March 81.