The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-01-28
TUESDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
First Ballot for SenatOr-Nearly Ninety
Men Voted For.


Men Voted For.
The first ballot for Senator was
taken in the Assembly Tuesday at
noou, the result being as follows:
Col. E. J. Sanford, 30 in the Houses
8 in the Senate. Total, 81.
Hon. T. B. Turley, in the Senate,
4 in the House. Total, 5.
Hon. Benton McMillin, in the
Senate, in the House. Total, 2.
Gov. R. L. Taylor, in the Senate,
l in the House. Total, 2.
Scattering, SO, no man receiving
more than one vote.
The cause of the large scattering
vote is easily explained. The Demo-
cratic leaders did not desire to give
the Republicans an opportunity OF
assisting in electing Senator, and
decided the night before that in
each house each of the Democratic
candidates should receive only one
vote, others to be recorded as
present and not voting. This would
prevent, it was argued, the Republi-
cans from throwing their strength
to and electing any Democrat. But
they did not stop to think that this
plan would let the Republican nomi-
nee have majority of the vote cast
in each branch and create a prob
able senatorial contest. 1t was
thought of the next morning, how
ever, after consulting the statute,
which is as follows:
1.-THE Legislature of each state
which shall be chosen next proceed
ing the expiration of time for which
any Senator was elected to represent
said state in Congress, shall on the
second Tuesday after the meeting
and organization thereof proceed tC
elect a Senator in Congress, in the
place of such Senator so going out oil
office, in the following manner
Each house shall openly by viva
voce vote of each member present
name one person for Senator in
Congress from said state, and the
name of the person so voted for who
shall have a majority of the whole
number of votes cast in each
house, shall be entered on the
journal Of each house, by the CLERK
or secretary thereof; but, If either
house shall fail to give such ma
jority to any person on said day
that fact shall be entered on the
journal. At II o'clock IN. of the day
following that on which proceed
ings are required to take place al
aforesaid, the members of the tive
houses shall convene in joint assem-
bly,, and the journals of each house
shall then be read, and if the same
person shall have received a ma
jority of all the votes in each house
such person shall be duly elected
Senator to represent said state il
the Congress of the United States
but If the same person shall no
have received a majority of thu
votes in each house, or if eithe
house shall have failed to take pro
ceedings as required by this section
the joint assembly shall then pro
coed to choose, by viva voce vOtt
of each member present, person
for the purpose aforesaid, and tn,
person having a majority of all th,
votes of the said joint assembly,
majority of all the members elected
to both houses being present ant
voting, shall be declared dull,
elected; and, i'm case no person shall
receive such majority on the frs
day, the joint assembly shall NEE
at II o'clock m. on each succeeding
day, during the session Of the Legis
lature and take at least one vote un
til Senator shall be elected"
A careful reading of this caused
doubt as to the advisability of tn
! iContinnod 70 Fourth p.oo