The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-21
MONTANA'S SENATORIAL CASE
ITS FAST PRISONER
SAYS SENATOR CHANDLER
Lively Debate Concerning Matter
Caused by Man from
New Hampshire

Washington, Dec. 2O-The resolu-
tion previously offered by Mr.. Chand-
Ter discharging the committee on con-
tingent expenditures from considera-
tion Of the resolution authorizing an
investigation of the right of W. A.
Clark and Martin Maginnis to seat
in the senate was laid before the SEN
ate today.
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas said If the
senate should adopt the resolution dis
charging the committee on contin-
gent expenses from consideration Of
the resolution it would violate the
law, as the law provides that no such
expenditures should be made without
the authority Of the committee on
contingent expenses.
| "Does the senator mean to say, F"
inquired Mr.. Spooner, '.that the SEN
ate's hands are tied if the committee
Oh contingent expenses should never
make report?"
II mean to tell the senate, . replied
Mr.. Jones, "just what the law is
Mr.. Jones declared that the resolu-
tion offered by Mr.. Chandler was in
the nature of a rebuke to the commit
tee on contingent expenses that the
members did not relish. A meeting
of the committee had been held today,
but had postponed action until tomor-
row. He was of the opinion that no
tangible result could be accomplished
by authorizing now an investigation
Of case that would be settled by the
Montana legislature Oh January 2,
when it met to elect senator.
Mr.. Chandler declared that no po-
litics had entered into the considera-
tion OF the Montana senatorial case by
the committee Oh privileges and elec-
tions. Both Of the appointees TO the
senate from Montana, Mr.. Clark and
| Mr.. Maginnis, were democrats and
the question involved the seating of
one democrat or another.
IF this is purely democratic quar-
rel," suggested Mr.. Tillman, "then
the senator's interest in the matter
is rather extraordinary
| Mr.. Chandler retorted rather
facetiously that there were not
enough democrats in the senate to
represent democratic principles and
expound democratic doctrines and it
was thought another might be added
to the ranks. If it was against the
law for the senate to discharge the
committee on contingent expenditures
from the further consideration of the
resolution, Mr.. Chandler maintained
that such law could not bind the
senate, the committee being the crea-
ture of the senate.
| Referring to the presence upon the
committee of Mr.. Jones of Nevada
and Mr.. Jones Of Arkansas, Mr..
Chandler said the argument of the
opponents of the resolution was that
the senate had placed it's case in the
hands of the Jones family and it
could not get it out long enough to
determine which of the democrats was
entitled to the seat
= In response to a statement by Mr..
Chandler that the committee on con-
tingent expenses was remarkably dila-
tory in acting upon the resolution, Mr..
Gallinger, member Of the committee,
said at the meeting today no decision
had been arrived at. He said the
committee would hold meeting to-
morrow and desired to have some of
the committee on elections and priv
ileges before it to explain the neces-
sity of an investigation.
II do not suppose, retorted Mr..
Chandler, "that $50 extraordinary a
spectacle has ever been witnessed in
this chamber where the committee on
contingencies and expenses has sum-
moned members of another commit
tee before it to explain why resolu-
tion of the senate should be carried
out. "
| Mr.. Chandler said the investigation
before the last session of congress had
cost from $50, 900 to $35, 200. "What
benefit was there derived from it, y
asked Mr.. Tillman. "The vacancy Of
one seat from Montana, is the ans
wer," said Mr.. Chandler.
eyes," replied Mr.. Tillman, "Mon-
4 tana at the last election went demo-
cratic and the election of demo-
cratic senator from that state is'as-
sured. The results of the election are
not so sweet as they were expected to
be-"
!. Mr.. Chandler said he had no inten-
tion or desire to discuss the merits of
the Clark case or the result of the
Montana election. ''The senator from
Montana, Mr.. Carter said he,
"doubtless will be glad to discuss the
methods employed by the democracy