The times., 1897-03-22
THE COMMITTEE VACANCIES
The Republican and Democratic
Senators Cannot Agree.
CAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCES
The Democrats Insist Upon the
Same Number OF Assignments
They Had Last Session, and This
Would Leave the Republicans
in a Minority.

The Republican and Democratic steer
ing committees of the Senate are having
a very hard time reaching common ground
in the matter of filling the vacancies in
the committees Mr.. German, acting for
the Democrats, in all the conferences he
has had with Chairman Allison. OF the
Republican committee, mas taken the po-
sition that the Democrats should lie per
nitted TO name a Democrat for every
Democrat who has been retired rngaru-
less OF the proportion such appoinieeS
would bear To the whole committee. The
Republicans contend that in some cases,
at least this would work an injustice
and have refused TO yield.
The one notew orthy exception is round
in the Committee on Appropriations AS
constructed by the Republicans, when they
reorganized this committee, il consisted of
seven Republicans and six Democrats, but
two OF the men placed thereon as Re-
publicans Senators Teller, of Colorado, and
Pettigrew, or South Dakota-bolbed the
st. Louis convention, and no longer count
themselves as Republicans. OF the six
Democratic members, Senators Blackburn,
of Kentucky; Brice, of Ohio, and Call, of
Florida, have been retired. Mr.. Call viii
probably be returned when the Legislature
of his State meets next month.
The Democrats insist upon naming a
Democrat for every one that has been re-
tired If this were done the six Democrats
and two holting Republicans would sorm
majority of three, leaving the Republicans
a total OF but five votes on the most inn
in ba TO IT
the same time. that party is charged with
the responsibility OF the conduct Of the
affairs of the committee.
To this the Republicans will not agree
and until some conclusion is reached that
will give the straight out" Republicans
the ajority vote on this committee, there
will be no filling Of vacancies, unless
the Democrats PopuliStS and boiling Re-
publicans can agree upon Il consolidated
ticket. This seems improbable.
meanwhile the new Republican Senators
have been consulted and having been made
aware OF the condition of fairs, are
perfectly willing to go without committee
assignments until their steering committee
is able to force from the Democrats
what they believe TO be just arrange
ment.
on no other committee does such con-
dition exist. Commerce loses but Gle
member, a Republican, in the person Of
Senator Squire of Washington; Finance
loses a Republican in Senator Sherman,
and Democrat in Senator Voorhees. The
failure to fill these vacancies will have
no effect so far as the tariff bill is con
cerned for il is known that Sena tor
Jones. silver Republican Of Nevada, Will
work in harmony with his Republican
collea gues on this question, and will vote
to report the bill upon which they agree.
The Committee on Immigration loses one
Republican, one Populist and three Demo
Gratis. Judiciary also loses one Repub-
liCan and three Democrats: Naval Affairs
has lost one boiling Republican, one silver
Republican and two Democrats. Post
office and Post Roads loses one Republic
an and four Democrats, thus wiplng cut
the entire Democratic representation aid
leaving Senator Butler. Populist, as the
ONLY minority member. Privileges and
Elections loses its Republican chairman
in the person of Mr.. Mitchell of Oregon,
and two Democrats The Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds has lost one
Republican and two Democrats and Terri
tories, one Republican and two Democrats.
In each of these committees the Repub-
liCans have the best of ii so far as the
well afford to let all the committees drift
along as they are until the Democrats are
willing to come TO their terms.