The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-06
SENATE STANDS BY SHERMAN.
HIS NOMINATION TO THE CABINET
CONFIRMED AT ONCE.

/
Oath as Senator From OhiO-sena-
tors Teller and Stewart CrIticise
the Nomination of Mar. Bliss to BE
| Secretary of the Interior.
Washington, March 5-The proceedings
of the first session of the Fifty-nfth con-
gress was witnessed to-day by very
large assemblage of spectators In the gal
leries Of the Senate chamber-the Senate
being to-day without the legislative part
nership of the House of Representatives,
which body will remain In a state of sus-
pended animation until called into re-
newed existence on the first day of the
extraordinary session soon to be convened
by President Mckinley
The republican side of the Senate cham
ber looked as though the contents of a
conservatory had been deposited in it,
Magnificent floral offerings had been
placed on the desks of numerous senators
who had taken the oath of Office yester-
day. as well as on that of Vice President
| Hobart. Among the senators so distln-
guished were Messrs Foraker of Ohio,
Spooner of Wisconsin, Penrose of Penn
sylvanla, Platt of New York and Fair
banks of Indiana. The democratic side
of the chamber was free from such offer
| ings
Senator Wolcott, back from his Euro
| pean travel in furtherance OF an inter
national monetary conference, was In his
place, and received greetings from his as
| sociates.
AS soon as the journal of yesterdays
formal meeting was read, the new sena-
tor from Ohio. Mr.. Foraker rose and pre-
| sented the credentials of Mr. Hanna as
the successor of MIR. Sherman. resigned.
The credentials were read. They were
| dated at Columbus, o., March 5, 1897, and
recite that by reason of the resignation
| of Mr.. Sherman as senator from the state
| OF Ohio, there is a vacancy which, the
| legislature not being in session. the gov
ernor is authorized to fill, and he has
| appointed Marcus Alonzo Hanna OF Guy
| ahoga county, Ohio, TO fill 1t from to-day.
| until successor be elected and qualified"
| The credentials having been read. Vice
| President Hobart invited Mr.. Hanna to
| come forward and take the oath of Of
flee. Together the two republican sena-
tors from Ohio, who take the places of
| Messrs Brice and Sherman, walked to
| the Vice Presidents desk, where the oath
was duly administered to Mr. Hanna, af-
! ter round of hand-clapping In the gal
leries. and then Senators Foraker and
at some distance apart.
The next stage in the proceedings of
| the day was the appointment of COM
| mittee Of two senators, Messrs. Allison
| of Iowa and German of Maryland, to
wait upon the President of the United
| States and inform him that quorum OF
| the Senate was assembled, and that the
Senate was ready to receive any commun-
| ication he might desire to make.
| The next stage was the adoption of a
| resolution offered by Mr. Frye, directing
| that until otherwise ordered Mr.. Davis,
rep, of Minnesota be made acting chair
| man of the committee on foreign rea-
tions-the Craftsmanship having been va
| Gated through the retirement of Mr.. Sher-
man. And then a recess was taken until
| 12;45 O'clock
| During the recess, a large artistic struc-
| ture of flowers In which the national flag
was figured out, was placed on the desk
of Mr.. Quay, rep, of Pennsylvania with
card showing it to be the Offering of "The
! Bourgeoise and the Men in Bouses."
| The flowers which had been previously
| placed on the desk of Mr.. Camerons sue
! cessor. Mr.. Penrose, were from THE La
| Dor Union" and figured out the emblem
| Of labor-the brawny, uplifted arm Of the
/ worker.
| When the recess ended and the Senate
| was again called to order, Messrs. Allison
! and German made their report, that they
had waited upon the President and that
/ the President had sent "his kindly greet
| ings to the Senate" and Informed them
that he would Immediately communicate
| with the Senate in writing
! The report had no sooner been made
| than the Presidents promise was fulfilled,
Mr. Pruden, one of his secretaries, ap-
| pearing and delivering "sundry messages
| in writing"
Thereupon at 1850 the Senate. on mo-
tion of Mr.. Hale rep, Of Maine, proceed
| ed 20 the consideration of executive busI-
| ness, and at 2:37 adjourned until Monday.
The length of the executive session led
to the circulation of several unfounded ru-
| mors that a contest was being made
against the confirmation of at least two
of the members OF the cabinet. selected
| by President Mckinley. Rumor had II
| that the opposition was aimed at Mr.. Nc
Kenna, selected for the Attorney GEN
eralship and Mr.. Alger for Secretary of
| War
The delay was not unusual The nomi-
| nation Of Mr.. Sherman was confirmed Inn
| mediately without the formality of a re-
| ference to the committee. While this Is
| not the invariable rule, IL Is generally ex-
tended TO ex-senators as an act of cour-
tesy. The rule has been proved In the
/ past, however, by several marked excep-
/ tions. II was suggested privately on the
| floor that the whole cabinet be at once
/ confirmed, but this was not done, for had
| such action been taken the compliment
| Intended for Mr.. Sherman would have
| been no compliment at all.
All the other nominations were referred
| 10 the various committees, which imme-
| diately met In the cloak rooms adjoining
/ the chamber. and, after an Informal dis
| cusslon Of the nominations, made favor
/ able reports In each case.
Mr. Teller addressed the Senate briefly.
He said he did not propose to oppose any
selection Mr.. Mckinley had made. He
recognized the fact that the cabinet was
| the official family Of the executive. and
| the President ought not TO be hampered
by the Senate In the choice Of the men
whom he desired for his advisers He de-
sired, however. 10 say that he believed
| that In some cases, Mr.. Mckinley had
made mistakes IN the men he had chosen.
Whoever else Mr.. Teller had In mind is
| unknown, for he mentioned only Mr..
| Bliss nominated to be Secretary OF the
| Interior.
Mr. Teller emphasized the fact that he
| did not criticise this nomination on per-
sonal grounds. He knew Mr.. Bliss to be
a man of affairs, who had been success
| ful and was held high In the esteem OF his