San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-03-24
PERSISTENT DEMOCRATS.
They Want More Than Their Share
of the Pie

InpY Ndul MOIc lhdh lhSll OhdlC
of the Pie.
Washington, March 24.-The Repub-
lican and Democratic steering COM
mittee of the Senate are having a very
hard time reaching common ground
in the matter of filling the vacancies
in the committees. Mr.. German, act
ing for the Democrats, in all the con-
ferences he has had with Chairman
Allison, of the Republican committee,
has taken the position that Democrats
should be permitted to name Demo
crat for every Democrat who has been
retired, regardless Of the proportion
such appointees would bear to the
whole committee. The Republicans
contend that in some cases, att least,
this would work an injustice and
have refused to yield.
The one noteworthy exception is
found in the committee on appropria-
tons. AS constructed by the Repub-
leans when they recognized this COM
| mittee, it consisted of seven Republi-
cans, and six Democrats, but two Of
the men placed thereon as Republi-
cans-Senators Teller of Colorado,and
Pettigrew. of South Dakota-bolted
the st. Lotus convention and no longer
count themselves as Republicans. OF
the six Democratic members, Sena-
tors Blackburn, of Kentucky, Brice Of
Ohio. and Call, of Florida. Democrats,
have been retired. Mr.. Call will
probably be returned when the Legis-
lature of his state meets next month.
The Democrats insist upon naming a
Democrat for every one that has been
retired. If this were done the six
Democrats and two boiling Republi-
cans would form a majority of three,
| leaving the Republicans a total Of but
five votes on the most important COM
mittee in the Senate, while at the same
time that party is charged with the
| responsibility of the conduct of the af-
| fairs of the committee. To this the
Republicans will not agree and until
| some conclusion is reached that will
give the straightout Republicans the
| majority vote on this committee there
will be no filling of vacancies unless
| the Democrats, Populist and boiling
Republicans can agree upon consol-
| idated ticket. This seems improba-
BILE.
Meanwhile the new Republican Sen
| ators have been consulted and having
been long aware of the condition Of
| affairs, are perfectly willing to go
without committee assignments until
their steering committee is able to
force from the Democrats what they
believe to be just arrangement.
On no other committee does such a
condition exist. Commerce loses but
one member, Republican, in the per-
son of Senator Squire, of Washington,
finance loses Republican in Senator
| Sherman and a Democrat in Senator
| Voorhees,. The failure to fill the va.
| cancies will have no effect so far as
the tariff bill is concerned, for it is
| known that Senator Jones, (silver Re.
| publican), of Nevada, will work in
harmony with his Republican col.
| leagues on this question and will vote
| to report the bill upon which they
| agree.
| The committee on immigration loses
one Republican, one Populist and
| three Democrats. judiciary also loses
one Republican and three Democrats;
| naval affairs has lost one boiling Re
publican, one silver Republican and
| two Democrats. Postoffice and post
roads loses one Republican and four
Democrats, thus wiping out the entire
Democratic representation, leaving
Senator Butler, Populist, as the only
| minority member. Privileges and
elections loses its Republican chair
man, in the person Of Mr.. Mitchell,
Of Oregon, and two Democrats. The
committee on public buildings and
| grounds has lost one Republican and
two Democrats, and territories one Re
publican and two Democrats. In
| each OF these committees the Republi-
cans have the best of 1t, so far as the
| vacancies are concerned, and they can
very well afford to let all the COM
mittees drift along as they are until
the Democrats are willing to come to
| their terms.