The times., 1899-03-05
MR.. BARROWS FAILED
OF CONFIRMATION
The Somewhat Peculiar At
titude of Senator HOar.
Tillman and Chandler the Appoin-
tees Only Friends.
All of the Pending Nominations
Were Permitted to Die
Natural Death.

Between the hours of II and :45
o'clock yesterday morning the Senate was
in executive session TO clean up a great
batch of nominations that had accumulated
during the past fortnight. Few of them
we're confirmed. favorable action being
confined almost exclusively to those uomi-
nations which were sent in at the eleventh
hour, and to which no objections were
offered. The session was noted for two
things. The contempt with which the rro-
motions in the army for bravery in the
battle of Santiago were treated and the
refusal to permit vote TO be taken on the
motion to reject Congressman BarrOws of
massachusetts,, nominated to be Librarian
of the Library OF Congress. The fight on
Barrows by the men who had previously
endorsed him was one of the unique things
connected with this Congress.
Mr.. Barrows' nomination was unfavor-
ably reported by Mr. Hansbrough. Acting
Chairman of the Committee. Friday night
members of the committee and members of
the New England delegation who had
brought about his nomination. sent mes
sage TO the President urging him to with
draw the nomination and assuring him
that Mr.. Barrows could not be confirmed: {:
that in fact if the case ever reached vote
ne WOuiu De rejected Dy u vote that WOulu
be almost unanimous.
Ii was believed the name would be with
drawn but no such action had been taken
yesterday morning when the doors were
closed, and those in charge of the nomina-
tion at once began to press it to vote,
knowing very well that rejection would be
the result. 1t bad been previously whis-
pered about the Senate that Mr.. Putnam,
Librarian of the Boston Public Library,
would accept the appointment, and that
he had previously declined it when prof
fered on behalf of the President on ac-
count of the alleged statement made to
him by Mr.. Barrows. or some one repre-
senting him, that it would be dishonorable
for Mr.. Putnam to accept the place in
view of the candidacy of Mr.. BarroSs.
Mr.. BnrrOws' Endorscrs.
The entire Massachusetts, delegation had
endorsed the candidacy of Mr.. Barrows
but when the case came up in the Senate
there was a wonderful amount of luke
warmness on the part of the two Senators
from Massachusetts. Mr.. Hoar made q
speech that was characterized by several
OF his colleagues as one CT the most re-
markable that Senator had ever made il
the Senate. He was willing that Mr. Bar
rows should be defeated, but he did moi
wish it TO be on account of any attack:
against his personal character. II there
was TO be any attack made that would pu
a stigma upon the nominee Mr.. Hoar sait
he should demand that Mr. Barrows bt
given a hearing before the committee be
| fore the Senate should act. He stated tina
he believed in always giving the accused I
| chance to be heard. and il the opposition
to Mr.. Barrows was TO be based upon per
sonal grounds he should insist that he b.
| given the right TO meet the charges tina
| had been made. Then Mr.. Hoar made tn
statement that caused the surprise that wa
| subsequently expressed by his colleagues
| He said that if Mr.. Barrows was TO be re
| iected on account OF his unfitness for tn
| place. on account of the fact that he wa
not a trained librarian, he should have N
| objection.
The mere statement that if Mr.. Barrow