The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-07

VOTES IN THEIR PARTY TO EFF
Feet AN ORGANIZATION OF THE
SENATE-THE APPOINTEE FROM
KENTUCKY WILL PROBABLY BE
TURNED DOwN-BASING GREAT
EXPECTATIONS ON MIR. KYLE.
Washington. March 6.-The first eau
Gus OF the Senate of the Fiftv.ijfth Con
greSs was held this afternoon. IL was
not productive of results. After n dis
cussion OF one hour aud Il half, during
which Senator Allison, of Iowa. was made
the caucus chairman, sand Senator vii.
son, OF Washington, reelected caucus
secretary. resolution was adopted an
thorzing the-chairinan to appoint !, com.
mittee of seven of which him self i; to he
the head. This committee is known us
inc committee on the Situatlon''
The discussion this afternoon. while
largely informal in character developed
the Tact that Republicans are not agreed
as TO where they stand or how they will
stand, when the membership of the Sen.
ate Is completed by the elect:n of Semi
tors TO fill the existing vacancies in Ore.
gon and Kentucky
Senator Aldrich. IN ..member of the
steering committee OF The last Senate.
started the discussion with the statement
that the caucus should decide whether it
"cuid ut this time appoint committee
to MI the vacancies in the Senate COM
mltteeS, or whether it would aDpoint II
political committee similar to the steer
ing committee of the last session. Senn.
tor Aldrich, who had given the situation
In the Senate very careful considerations
was inclined to 20 slow, ANA suggested
thnt II would be wise foi the Republicans
TO Know their strength before asserting
1t. This suggestion appeared to meet
with the communication OF the other lead
ers in the Senate.
Senator Proctor said there could he no
doubt that the Republicans would have
II majority in the Senate with the casting
vote of the Vice President. He asserted
that Republican would he sent from
cach oil the States of Oregon and Ken
tuckv.
lnasmuch as this makes total Of hut
i'll votes, and ID are necessary, Mr.. Proc
tor was asked where he proposed to get
that.one vote. Mr.. Proctor evaded the
question and the conversation became
general. 1t is said that no names were
mentioned, but the intimnton was very
strongly conveyed that Mr. Kyle would
supply that vote. Mr. Kyle is the Popu-
list recently elected from sSonth Dakota
by the solid Republican vote, after the
greater part of his nwn party had for
saken him. Should he vote with the Re.
pu6licans, and shold they yet the two
votes from kentucky and Oregon,
Vice President Hobart would be in a
position to east the deciding vote on all
contested questions.
The action of Governor bradley. OF
Kentucky, in appointing Mr.. Wood to
succeed Mr.. Blackburn. was commented
upon. lt WAS conceded that this appoint.
ment would be contested and that the
credentials of Mr.. Wood would be sent
to the committee on privileges and cleo
tons, where IL fight against him will be
inhugurated.
The decision of the Senate in the Man
tie case was also alluded to, and the pre-.
diction made that in view of this de
cision, Mr.. Wood would hardly be per.
mittcd to take his seat. Senator Hoar
took the ground that the kentucky case
WAS controlled by the decision i'm the
Blair and Bell cases from New Hamp-
shire: decision which. he observed par
enthetically, ought to have been respect-
ed in the consideration of the Mantle
case. For this reason it was believed ,bv
many that no Senator from Kentu XIV
would be permitted TO take his seat until
elected by the Legislature. The Oregon
case also came in for some discussion.
Senator Proctor making the statement
that the governor of that State would
also appoint Senator.
In view of all these idcts. it was agreed
that it would be the part of wisdom to
move slowly, and resolution offered by
Mr.. Cullnm. and modified at the sugges-
ton of Mr.. Hour, VAS agreed to, provid
ing for the committee heretofore ndcat
ed. This comn:ittec will confer with
the Democratic lea hcrs in an cndeavor to
ascertain the ''stuation,' and will re.
port to another caucus which will be held
Tuesday.
Senator Platt. of Connecticut, suggest
ed that the conditions in the Senate were
such that political advisory committee
was absolutely essential, and. TEN ,.orar-
lily at least, the duties Of the old steering
will be performed by the
which Mr.. Wilson was an.
tnorized to appoint.
Mr.. Platt's suggestion doubtless grew
ont of the rumor that has been going the
rounds for several DAYS that the Demo.
Gratis, both sound money and silver i'll.
tended to combine with the silver Re-
publicans and Populists in an attempt 70
capture the committees and organization
of the Senate. This alleged combination
was not referred to in specific language,
but was limited at in the numerous refer.
cnces to ''eNistng conditions and
phrases of similar import
The tariff was mentioned. but incident
ally. No uneasincss WAS manifested on
that score, and the statement WAS made
hat there wonld be no serious opposition
to The passage of II tariff bill Constructed
10y Republicans, after a reasonable time
had been given sto debate No other