The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-03

the Caucus Are Undergoing the
Strongest Pressure-scheme to
Elect a Gold Democrat Should
Hanna Fail
Columbus, O., Jan. 2.-There are indi-
cations tonight here of serious trouble,
at least of disorders, at the state house
tomorrow.
Since the caucuses of last night, both
the Hanna men and the opposition are
claiming enough votes for the organ
ization of the house. No trouble is
feared in the senate chamber, as it is
believed Senator Burke, one of the Re
publicans, win remain away and thus
permit the Democrats to elect the Off
GERS in that body At the Republican
house caucus last night there were ten
absentees, and Alexander BOxwen re-
ceiVed only 81 votes for the nomination
for speaker, While it requires 80 votes
for election, if ali are present. Under
the law, after ten ballots are taken,
the candidate receiving the highest
number Of votes is declared elected.
even if it is then not d majority over
all
Griffith OF Clinton, who was unable
10 be at The caucus last night on ac-
count Of sickness, has announced that
he will be here tomorrow to vote for
BoXwell. who is the Hanna candidate
for speaker, and Mr.. Bowel, without
giving any names, claims to have the
other two votes necessary for election.
In addition to the absent members.
many other Republicans have been sent
for today by both sides, and many are
arriving tonight.
KNOCKERS ARRIVING.
1t is charged that some of the arriv-
ais are known as Knockers valuable
on such occasions as VIII be witnessed
in the house tomorrow. Secretary of
State Charles Kinney, d strong Hanna
man, Will preside in the house until
that body selects a speaker.
In anticipation Of rulings there have
been threats made during the day. Mr..
Kinney IS said To have selected q strong
force Of temporary sergeants-at-arns
and 10 be ready for any emergency.
The combine Of Democratic and anti
Hanna Republicans claim tonight that
they viii elect Harry c. Mason of
Cleveland, an anu-Hanna Republican,
as speaker, and seat him.
DISORDER APPREHENDED.
If Representative Mason should re-
ceive- the requisite votes, there viii be
no trouble about him qualifying and
taking his seat, but there is apprehen-
sion OF disorder previous to the ballot
being taken, and possibly during the
balloting and the counting of the votes.
The opposition claim they viii have the
II Democratic votes in the house solid,
and nine Republican votes, or one more
than enough 20 elect the Mason ticket.
They are staying with the anti-Hanna
and anti-BoXwell Republicans very
closely, and claim that these Repubh-
cans, who did not attend the caucus
last night, are staying with them.
UNPLEDGED DEMOCRATS.
There are three Democratic members
who are opposed to fusion, or rather, to
voting for Republicans for speaker and
other offices Three of the Democrats
would not enter the Democratic caucus
last night until they were assured they
would not be pledged to vote for Re
publican nominees. But they do not
say today that they viii not vote for
Mason or other Republican candidates.
They simply announce that, as things
stand since the action of the opposition
conference, they are unpledged.
THE ONE VOTE CHANCE.
With the result depending on the
change of one vote either way, these
three Democrats and the Republicans
undergoing the strongest pressure to-
night of all influences that can be
brought to bear upon them. There have
been irresponsible charges during the
day of bribery, but no evidence of it
is discernible The opposition to Box
well tonight has declared that any
excess of % votes for him Tor speaker
viii be followed by investigation, but
there are charges and counter charges
of undue influence on both sides.
The Hanna men claim that Mason
will be short three Democratic votes
and four Republicans that are listed
against Bowel, and that Mason will
not have 80 votes. While both sides
concede less than a majority to their
opponents, neither side claims more
than one vote to spare and the situa-
ton seems to require such close watch
ing as to cause the most bitter feel
ing.
DEMOCRATIC DECKER.
Late tonight the fusionists encount-
cred the double division Of the legisla-
tive offices. There We're two Demo-
Gratis who refused to vote for Judge
Dittv for chief clerk of the senate IN
less they secured their men for minor
places. At the conference last night it
was decided what places should be
given the anti-Hanna Republicans and |
what places should go to the Demo-
Gratis. but the personnel of the as |
sistant clerkships and sergeant-at-arms
was not definitely fixed. After fire. |
ouent conferences tonight it was de- |
cided 70 hold joint caucus of the
opposition tomorrow morning. At that |
caucus the senate and house steering |
committees will report.
The same trouble about the division /
of the offices exists in the joint pro- |
pramrne of the opposition for the /
Organization of the house. Representa-
tives Powell, Wiley and Niles, three
Democratic members, are not yet |
pledged to vote for Mason for speaker,
or for any Republican. The managers |
of the combine say those men will |
finally vote with the other Democrats, |
but these three members up to mid
night would not say anything except |
that they were not pledged.
DEADLOCK.
rf +.,aca three democrats vote for n