Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-03-18
THE NEW SENATE.
Rival Parties Seeking TO Control
In the Organization.
Combination Against RepubIIeans-GoId
and Silver Democrats, POPuIists and
Silver Republicans Trying to Unite
Against the Dominant Party.

WASHINGTON, March 10.-For more
than two hours yesterday afternoon
the democrats of the senate endeavored
10 reach some conclusion upon the
question of the organization of the SEN
ate Like the republican conference
OF Saturday it was fruitless IN results.
Two factions are arrayed against each
other. On the one hand the republi-
cans present solid phalanx of ~ votes
that will stand by each other through
thick and thin On the other there are
the divided ranks of gold standard
democrats, silver democrats, boiling
silver republicans and populists. The
problem before those seeking to take
the control of the senate from the re-
Publicans is, how can the various fac
tons be solidified and made one in in
terest?
No satisfac tory answer to this ques-
ton has yet been proposed and the
more the discussion proceeds the less
appears to be the chance of definite &C
ton by reason of the inability of these
contending factions to cohere into one
determined party of opposition.
Caucuses and conferences have been
vened. The populists, while holding
no formal caucus, have agreed among
themselves that they will Fupport any
plan that may be Endorsed by the
democrats. So, too. the silver repub-
licans-those who bolted the st. Louis
platform agreed to stand by
whatever policy may be inaugurated
by the stronger of the bodies in opposi-
~ Il -
the senate committees
when the democratic caucus was
called for yesterday there was no dis
tinction made between the men who
Endorsed the Chicago ticket and those
who stood upon the Chicago platform.
Notices of the caucus were sent to
every democrat. Of the gold men, only
Mr. Lindsay, of Kentucky, attended.
Messrs. Gray, of Delaware, and CAT
frey, of Louisiana, were absent. The
absence of Mr.. Gray is not looked upon
rs significant, for the reason that when
ever the senate adjourns over he al
ways runs up to his home for the few
days at his disposal. Mr.. Gallery, the
second absentee, was the permanent
chairman of the Indianapolis conven-
ton, and his absence may have some
political significance. The situation
was discussed in a rather informal
manner, and the only result reached
was the appointment of the old steer
zng committee, with Senators Faulk-
ner, of West Virginia, and Smith, of
New Jersey, substituted for Senators
Brice and Blackburn, whose terms ex-
pired last Thursday.
The effort to take the committees
from the republicans is antagonized by
some leading democrats for various
seasons. Mr.. German thinks the scheme
to consolidate all the factions in the
senate by a combination with the silver
republicans and pOpulists would be
dangerous and would result in the es-
adjustment of a precedent which might
prove embarrassing in the future.
Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas, is said to be
opposed to it because the democrats
have not sufficient votes with those of
their allies to do what is proposed to be
done. This conclusion is based upon the
assumption that Senators Lindsay, of
Kentucky; Gray, of Delaware. and CAT
ferry, of Louisiana, each of whom sup
ported the indianapolis ticket, are not
democrats. Mr.. Jones is supported by
several of the more radical silver men,
who thus hope to emphasize their dis
approval of the course of these SEN
stors- These same men appreciate the
fact that if they had possession of the
committees they would be handicapped
by the republican house and the repub-
lican president, and would be unable
to cOnsummate any of their own plans
of legislation.
The result of the two hours talk,
therefore, was concentrated in the ap-
pointment of the committee mentioned,
and this committee will confer with
the other factions and possibly with
the republican steering committee an
nounced yesterday by Chairman ALI
son.
The republicans do not expect any
serious result from all the talk of set
ting aside the present organization OF
the committees. They have SO far
failed to see just how the contending
elements in the senate will be able to
sRgree upon a plan of action. At the
same time the republicans realize their
ImPotence-not having more than AZ
Votes and with little hope of having
fEhe two senators from Kentucky and
Oregon seated. The belief on the part
of leading republican senator's is that
the silver democrats cannot count upon
tthe votes of the gold democrats in any
plan that contemplates the organiza-
ton of the committees by the silver vote
of the senate. They also believe that
the vacancies in the various commit
tees will be filed by agreement between
the republicans and democrat.
It cannot be verified. but it is stated
with much pOsitiveness that Senator
Teller, of Colorado, was at the caucus.
The scheme for reorganization of the
senate on silver lines contemplates the
election of ex-senator Dubois, of Idaho,
as secretary of the senate in place OF
Mr.. Cox, of North Carolina, and the re-
4ention of Col. Richard Bright, of In.
LLAMA, as sergeant-at-arms.
FASHIONABLE SMUGGLING.
Movement on Foot to stop q Widely PreVa-