The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-17
BATTLE At HARRISBURG
The Fight For United States Sen
ator Opens Today.
DEADLOCK SEEMS INEVITABLE.

DUH INC rFieHus ana opponents Oh
Senator Quay Express Confidence OF
success-senator Martin Resigns as
Secretary of State.
Harrisburg. Jan. 17.-The great bat
tie for United States senator opens in
earnest today with the taking of the
first ballot In the senate and house.
The two houses will vote separately at
o'clock this afternoon and In joint
assembly tomorrow. IF the same per-
son receives a majority of all the votes
in each house he will be declared elect
ed. II the houses in their separate
action do not agree the joint assembly
VIII proceed to elect senator. In the
event Of deadlock or failure to elect
the joint assembly will meet each sue
ceeding day and take at least one vote
until senator is chosen.
The fight is between Senator Quay,
backed by 109 senators and members
who took part in the Republican eau
Gus; George A. jerks, of Brookville,
the candidate of the Democratic eau
Gus. and a half dozen of "favorite
sons" nominated by the anti-Quay Re-
publican legislators. With the Demo-
Gratis and anti-Quayites voting for
their candidates the indications are for
deadlock. 1t is an open question
with the Republican and Democratic
leaders how long this condition of af-
fairs will continue.
Senator Quay's managers are con-
iident there will be only one result. and
that his. reelection. The Republican
senators and members opposed to his
candidacy are just as confident he will
be beaten. The Democrats know they
cannot elect their candidate. and are
leaving the Republicans to fight 1t out
among themselves. State Chairman
Elkin and Senator Penrose are direct
ing the Quay campaign from headquar-
ters at the Lochiel hotel. They said
this morning that there was no doubt
Of the speedy reelection OF the senior
senator. Neither side will give any
figures to show how they propose to
elect or defeat Mr.. Quay.
The features of yesterdays skirmsh
were the resignation of David Martin
as secretary of the commonwealth and
the conference of the anti-Quay Re-
publican senators and members. Mr.
Martin was elected in November to the
senate from the Eighth Philadelphia
district, and expected to qualify today
after the change in the state admin
istration. He changed his mind last
evening and sent his resignation to
Governor Hastings, to take effect upon
its acceptance. The resignation was
promptly accepted and Mr.. Martin
qualified this morning.
The senator-elect Is one Of the leaders
In the anti-Quay movement, and a ru-
NOR was current that Governor r-elect
Stone, who is in sympathy with the
Quay movement, would not send his
cabinet appointments. to the senate to-
day, but withhold the nominations un-
til the senatorial fight is over. This
would have kept Mr.. Martin in office
IS secretary of the commonwealth and
prevented his qualifying as senator un-
I'll his successor was appointed and |
confirmed. To avoid such a complica-
ion Mr.. Martin resigned.
There were present at the anti-Quay |
conference AZ of the So senators and |
pledged not tn vote for sena-
or Quay while he is under Indictment |
n the Philadelphia courts. The five |
'bsentees were accounted for to the
of their associates. Sena-
or William Finn. of Allegheny, pre-
ided and made short speech pre-
letting Senator Quay's defeat. He said
here were no desertions from the anti.
quay ranks, except possibly Repre-
entative John l. Shaw, of Allegheny,