The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-09
Quay's Friends Are Trying to
Arouse Sympathy
Among Southern Democrats on
Novel Grounds.
STATEMENTS UNTRUE.
Say He Opposed the Force Bill
In the Senate
But Records Show That He
Twice Favored It.

Washington, Jan. 9.-Former Senator
Quay in his fight for a seat in the SEN
ate, is SO closely pressed that he and
his friends are trying to secure votes
among the southern senators by the
claim that he was opposed to the force
bill, which the Republicans sought to
enact in the Fifty-first congress. If
Quay could prove that he stood against
that measure. his friends feel, he would
be entitled to and would receive the
sympathy of the senators from the
southern states, against which the bill
was aimed. But Quay's aim will fall
short. The story will be exposed as
baSeleSs.
The force bill was fathered in the
house by Henry Cabot Lodge of Massa-
chusetts. He is now senator and IS
in favor of seating Quay. Aided by
Speaker Reed, Lodge pushed the bill
through the house under party whip
and spur. In the senate it was cham
pioned by Senator Hoar of Massachus-
etts, who is now, like Lodge. in favor of
seating Quay This was in the first Ses-
sion of the Fifty-first congress.The bill
got the right of way in the senate
ahead of the Mckinley tariff bill. Under
the management of Senator German it
became apparent to the Republicans
that the Mckinley tariff bill could not
reach a vote unless the force bill was
side-tracked. An arrangement was en-
tered into by which the further consid-
GRAFTON of the force bill was postponed
gress-
Promptly on the first Monday in De-
cember, 1890, Senator HOar brought the
force bill up and did everything in his
power to bring it to a vote, confident
that it would pass. The Democrats, I'M
der Senator Germans lead, continued
their opposition. Hoar by turns storm
ed and threatened. pleaded and begged
in his efforts to reach a vote. He would
have succeeded, but for the fact that
certain Republicans were quietly op-
posed to the bill.
Finally, on January %, 1891, one of
these, Senator Wolcott of Colorado.
asked Senator Morgan of Alabama. who
held the floor making a speech in oppo-
sition to the force bill, to yield to him
to move that the senate take up the
bill to reapportion representatives in
congress in accordance with the census
of 1890. Senator Morgan was prepared
for this move and knew what it was in
tended to effect. He gave ready con-
sent, and expression of his fervent hope
that he would never have the oppor-
tunity to resume"
Dolph of Oregon moved to lay VOL
colts motion on the table. The yeas
and nays were ordered. The vote re-
suited as follows: yeas "a; nays So.
The question was then on the adop-
ton of Wolcotts motion The result
was: yeas 80; nays "a. So Wolcott'S
motion was carried.
The effect of this was to displace the
the senate and replace it with the re-
apportionment bill. the force bill going
back to its place on the calendar. The
long fight against the force bill was
won, that Ubiquitous measure not COM
ing up again for debate
Quay voted both times. He voted yea
on Dolph's motion to table Wolcott's
resolution and voted nay on Wolcott's
motion to take up the reapportionment
bill. These were the only yea and nay
votes taken in the senate that had any
bearing on the fate of the force bill
They were test votes. They killed the
force bill. Quay's vote of yea on Dolph's
motion was equivalent to a vote for the
force bill Quay's vote of nay on VOL
colts motion was equivalent to a. vote
for the force bill. He did as much by
his two votes to fasten the force bill
on the south as he possibly could do.
Quay's claim for southern sympathy
and the votes of southern senators to
seat him on the ground that he was
their friend in 1890 and 1891 in their
fight against the force bill, is, therefore,
shown to be false. He supported and
sustained it by the votes just quoted
given on January D. 1891.
The Democrats are asking how, in the
face of this record, any southern sena-
tor can vote to seat him, especially in
violation of senatorial presidents, and,
as the senatorial committee reports
contrary to constitutional provisions