Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-25
Chooses Officers For That
Body Of Congress.
GARRISON SURPRISED
When His Name Was Mentioned In
Connection With the Secretaryship
He Has Issued a Statement in
Regard to the Matter.

Washington, Jan. 24.-The republican
caucus of the senate today decided DELI
nitely upon the organization of thai body
and nominated Hon. Charles Bennett of
New York for secretary to succeed Hon.
william r. Cox, and Hon. Dan A. Rams
dell of Indiana for sergeant-at-arms to
succeed Col. r. J. Bright.
Some feeling was manifested over the
election of a secretary, caused by the
circulation of reports concerning Hon. J.
s. ClarksOn, who was Mr.. Benefits only
competitor, which his friends considered
uncomplimentary and untrue. These re-
ports were presented by the reporters, in
Guiding Senators Mason, Gallinger. Car
ter, Scott and others who had known Mr..
ClarksOn as an officer of the republican
national committee. A letter and a tele-
gram from Mr.. ClarksOn was read de-
Ginning the place, but some of the sena-
tors declared their intention Of voting for
him regardless of these. The first vote
was a tie, resulting in q to Il. The Sec
Ond ballot brought out three votes not
before cast. and resulted In % for Ben
nett n % for Clarkson. Mr.. Bennett
was placed in nomination by Senator
Plat Of New York. No selection a
made of q chaplain, which will have the
effect Of continuing the blind chaplain,
William HI. Milburn, in that Office. The
allotment of the minor officers was
placed in the hands of the caucus COM
mittee.
Mr.. Clarkson authorized the following
statement concerning the connection OF
his name with the secretaryship of the
senate:
II never have been a candidate for the
secretaryship of the senate. nor RESPONSE
BILE for the use of my name in connection
with II naVar hoor6 IF It and r1nxyoN
had thought OF that or any Office at this
time until in the latter part Of February
last when Vice President Hobart called
me In his room at the capitol, telling me
he had a pleasant surprise for me. showed
me an invitation in writing, signed by
some 40 of the "a republican senator's,
inviting me to be secretary. Now / was
really surprised II overwhelmed by the
offer, but ! was compelled to say hat I
knew 80 little about the office rendered
me ESQ far as such a strong majority of
the republican senators rendered it) and
as it came SO suddenly while I was under
business engagements, I would have to
decline 1t If an answer was required then.
In a day or two it was decided there
would be an extra session, and then Mr..
Hobart urged me to take 1t under advise
ment, which ] did. Later, when he came
from the south in the spring, he told me
he had secured more than enough sigma
lures to the paper or in letters to make
over four-flfths of the republicans and a
majority of the senate itself. 1 said then
that If in the fall 1t should be found thai
there was nc objection on the part of any
senators I would probably accept. After
his death I felt less inclined to the office
and sought to get out Of it in some graz
cious way. Several senators urged me
to let 1t go until the meeting of congress-.
When ongress met and opposition a
manifested to me by two or three sena-
tors, who said tina while I had such a
strong majority they would appeal to
senatorial courtesy, if necessary to de-
feat me. I told Senator Plat as a menu
Fer from New York, where 1 had lived
and voted for two years, and Senator AL
lison, from my old state, that as OPPOSE
ton had appeared, and as this was an
office to be filled only by some one ac-
ceptable to all republican senator's and
unobjectionable to any senator, I desired
to have my name. taken out of all cou-