Evening star., 1897-03-06
THE SENATE CONTROL
A Strong Combination of Democrats, Silver
Republicans and Populists.
BY Attempting to Fill Committee
Places Republican Senators Draw
the Fire of the Allied Forces.

The announcement of a republican sena-
tcrial caucus at o'clock today for the
purpose of considering the advisability of
attempting to fill the committee vacancies
in the Senate has had the effect of arous-
ing considerable interest in the Senate or
ganization. and the action of the republic
cans may have the effect of Immediately
preciptating the question of control of the
Senate.
Indeed. there is now apparently a possi-
hility that if the republicans insist upon
filling the places which will be vacated by
republicans they will lose all control of the
committees. for in that event the demo-
Gratis. the silver republicans and the popu-
lists. it is asserted. will unite IN opposition
ard themselves will take the committees
an Understanding.
The senators of each of these parties will
hold meetings in the immediate future to
decide upon course of action. There has
however. ii is stated by senators belonging
TO these three parties. already been sutfi-
cient exchange of views to render it quite
certain that it will be possible for this
combination to agree upon a basis of
un;cn.
that the anti-siiver democrats might
not enter into this arrangement. but
II IL asserted that there Is no longer
occasion for doubt this score There
are few democrats. of whom Senator
Jones of Arkansas is one, who doubt the
eXpediency of assuming the responsibility
of organization by so many interests, but
the majority are of opinion that the ad-
VantdSeS are greater than the disadyan-
taSes of change.
Senator kyle's Vote.
Senator Kyle also has been considered
a doubtful factor. because of the assistance
the republicans gave him in securing his
election. and no one yet seems to know
whdt position he may take, as he has not
expressed himself to any one The combi-
nation is quite confident. however of Sc
curing his vote.
They say he never has severed his rela-
lions with the populiSt party, and that he
has not forgotten that the republicans.
when they came into power two years ago,
deposed him from his place at the head of
the committee on education and labor The
combination count on being able to organ
ize without his assistance, if necessary
With him they expect to have A. of the
81 members of the Senate They therefore.
could lose him and still have a narrow
majority.
The Kentucky Senator.
Members of the combination refuse to
eoncede the possibility of seating Mr.. Wood
as senator from Kentucky. They said that
~ uo 81 WOulu mean tne reversal of pre-
cedents, and that they cannot be expected
to agree to this in the interest of the op-
position.
The fact also developed during the day
that Senator Turner of Washington will
caucus with the populists rather than the
silver republicans.
The Democratic Cloak Room,
Heitfeld of Idaho has taken a locker in
the Senate cloak room On the democratic
side. There are thirty-nine senators. Ieav-
ing out Mr.. Cali. who has not yet been
elected, who occupy the democratic cloak
room. All of these, it is understood will
act together in the matter of organization
and it is under stood that Butler, Teller
Jones of Nevada. Stewart. Mantle Cannon
and Pettigrew will act with them This
n axes forty-six senators. q majority even
In the full Senate, and there are now three
vacancies. one in Florida, one in Kentucky
and one in Oregon. The Florida vacancy
will be filled by the election of a democrat
Increasing the silver forces to forty-seyea
Mr. Wood, republican. has been appoint
ed to fill the Kentucky vacancy but IL is
Uncertain whether he will be seated. II
he should be seated the vacancy in Oregon
would probably be filled by appointment
The chances are, however. that the vacan-
c!es Will remain in both Kentucky and
Oregon.