The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
CLOSE VOTE IN THE SENATE
REPUBLtc4N Carers TRIES TO FIG
IRE orr a M1JORfTT.

They WIN nave To seat senators from Ken
tucEy and oregon ana t.ei the Vote OF Top
Mist Kyle To make n Te-s Committee 10
be Appointed to Consider the Situation.
WASHINGTON. March eth first caucus OF
the Senate of the Fifiy-ffth Congress was held
this afternoon. II was not productive OF results.
After q discussion Of ono hour and a half. dur
ing which Senator Allison OF Iowa was made
the caucus Chairman and Senator Wilson OF
Washington was reelected caucus Secretary
resolution wss adopted authorizing the Chair.
man 10 az point n committee az seven. OF which
he himself ia TO he the head. This committee is
known Us the Committee on the situation"
The discussion this afternoon. while largely
informal in character. developed the fact that
the Republicans are not agreed as 10 how they
will stand when the membership OF the Senate
Is completed by the election OF Senators 10 hll
existing vacancies in Oregon and Kentucky.
Senator Aldrich. q member OF the steering
committee OF the last Senate. started the dis
cussion with the statement that the caucus
should decide whether il would at this time ap-
point a 10 fill the vacancies in the
Senate committees. or whether II would appoint
a political committee similar 10 the steering
committee OF the last session.
senator Aldrich. who had given the situation
in the Senate very careful consideration, was In.
clined TO go SLOW. and suggested that II would
be wise for the Republicans 20 know their
strength before asserting H. This suggestion
appeared 20 meet with the commentator Of the
other leaders IA the Senate.
Senator Proctor said that there could be no
doubt that the Republicans would have a ma
Jority IN 'hc Senate with the casting VOTE of the
Would wtSG,ir Ss cent f hs a', eadS t y the a k sEs,e. oi
Oregon and Kentucky. lnasinuch a. this
makes a total Of only forty. four votes. and forty;
five are necessary 10 tie the Senate ON n fun
vote. Mr.. Proctor was asked where be proposed
TO get that one vote. Mr.. Proctor evlded the
question. and the conversation became general.
II IL said that no names were mentioned, but
the iniimation was very strongly conveyed that
Mr.. Kyle would SUPP hat vote Mr. Eye isthe
by the solid Republican vote. after, the great
sr psri % his own parry hsd forssken
should they get the two votes from Kentucky
and Oregon, Nicc-presideut Hobart would lie in
a position 20 cast the deciding vote on all con-
The action Of Gov. Bradley of Kentucky in
appointing Mr.. Wood 10 succeed Mr.. Black.
burn wac commented upon, II wa conceded
that this appointment would lie contested and
that the credentials Of Mr.. Wood would he sent
10 the Committee on Privileges and Elections,
where u hsh; against him viii be inaugurHted.
The decision OF She Senate IN the Mantle case
view OF This decision Nr. Wood would hardly be
permitted TO take his scat.
Senator hosf took The ground that the Ken.
Blair and Bell case from New Hampshire. de
cls!on which. he observed parentheucelly. ought
the Mantle case. For this reason IL WAS believed
by many that no senator from Kentucky would
~ ~ lA4iAfNA W lAkt " u lAD fAtNNrA ~ AAt
Legislature.
The Oregon case also came In for some discus
sion. senator Proctor making the statement
that the Governor OF that state would also sp-
point "A senator.
IL view OF ali these facts IL WAS agreed that IL
would he the part Of wisdom 10 move slowly, and
a resolution offered by Mr.. Cullom. and modified
al the suggestion OF Mr.. Hoar. was agreed 10
providing for the committee heretofore, indi-
Gated. This committee will confer with the
Democratic leaders IN an endenvur 10 ascertain
the situation. and VIII report 10 another CAu'
Gus, which will be held on Tuesday.
senator PlAtt OF Connecticut suggested that
the conditions in the senate were such thai "A
political advisory committee was absolutely
essential. This suggestion grew out Of the ruilor
that has been going the rounds for several days
That the Democrats. both snuDd money and
SILVER. intended 10 combine with the SILVER Re-
publicans and Populisis in TN attempt TO capture
the committees aud organization O. the senate.
This alleged coin b1nai!nn was not referred 10
this afternoon III specific language, but was
limited at.
The tariff was mentioned. hut incidentally.
No. uneasincss was manifested on that score,
and the statement was made that there would
be no serious opposition 20 the passage OF q
tariff bill constructed toy Republicans after n
senator Carter gave every evidence Of working
In perfect harmony with his Republican hsso
Gates. regardless OF hs prodilcction for silver.
He advised the caucus that there was no need
10 hurry, and suggested. as had several others.
that better results might be obtained by first
hscer;aining what the exact situation in the Sen-
ate vas.
Mr.. P.a;t o. New York did not attend. Mr..
Hanna ana NJ. Foraker Of Ohio were present.
and participated in the proceedings only ss in
,tnsc!y interested spectators. Neither OF them
addressed the CAUCUS 90.
j; l. probable ths, after Mr.. Al!ison's commit
Steering Committee a Democratic caucus will
lie called.