The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-10
SENATORS IN
ODD WARFARE
Amusing Fight to Keep
Committee Rooms.
QUARTETIE REMAINS DEFIANT.
Messrs. CuIIom. Plat of New York,
Elkins, and Mason Retain
Guards for Their
Headquarters.

The spectacle OF four prominent Sena-
tors defytng the dictum OF The Senate and
warning over the location Of committee
rooms, is at present causing considerable
amusement at the Capitol. It is a four
cornered fight and wagers are being laid
on the outcome. although each member of
the quartette seems solidly entrenched
and insists that he viii be the last to
back down or surrender.
SIr- CuIOm in Possession
Senator CuIIom, Chairman Of the Inter
state Commerce Committee, and one of
the Republican towers of strength in the
upper body. has taken possession Of
new committee room and, with the aid
OF a number of clerks, has barricaded the
place so that no other Senator may rout
him out. There is someone on hand all
the time, and the three attempts made 10
obtain entrance thus far have been lrus-
trated-
Senator EIkins or West Virginia who
| owns the West Virginia Central Railroad
and IS one Of the biggest fnaneiers in the
| body, has placed a band of watchers at
/ the door Of the CUIlom committee room
with instructions to enter and obtain pos
session as soon as an opportunity pre-
sents itself
senator PIatt'S Waterman.
Senator Platt of New York. whose grip
! IS one OF steel. and who is known to hold
whatever he sets his heart upon, has
/ his belongings locked up in the finest Of
the new committee rooms and has husky
watchmsn at the door TO see that 10 one
/ obtains admittance-
| Senator Mason. Chairman OF the Com
| mittee on Postoffces and Post Roads. has
/ obtained possession OF his old committee
room and refuses to give it up Some
/ clerk is on hand day and night 10 enforce
/ the Illinois staJesman's orders.
/ This is the state Of affairs today.
What Caused the War.
1t all came about as Follows:
When the new committee rooms we're
/ opened year ago, Senator PIatt took
/ possession OF the largest and finest Of the
/ lot. and had it fixed up Tor his committee,
! that On Printing During the summer
/ Senator CulIcm came along and had Mr..
/ Platt's effects moved out He then had
/ the room renovated and handsomeI- fur
! nished Tor the Committee CT Foreign Re
! Iatiors, of which he IS TO be made chair
/ man within few weeks.
When Mr. Plat came back to Wash
+ ington and discovered what had been done
he acted with rIgor- He tore down all Of
( the handsome draperies, cast out the ma
hogany furniture. restored his own he
/ Ionglngs. and started IN 10 hold the fort
He has denIed the efforts to put him out.
and here the matter rests
Senator CulIom, finding himself home
I less. Immediately went back 10 his old
committee-room, that on Interstate Com
| merce, which had feen taken I'D by Sen
I ator Elkins, who is TO be the chairman
Of that committee. While Mr.. EIkins was
( now refuses TO leave, despite the pro-
tests of Mr.. EIkiBs. Mr. CuHom is also
T defiant.
Mason EnfrencheS Himself.
Senator Mason. the present Chairman
Of the Committee on PostofTices and Post
Roads, had an linking about two weeks
ago that the Republican caucus had de-
cided to select another Republican for
the head place Mr. Mason at once en-
sconced himself and his belongings in the
committee room and holds the fort He
is aided by several civil war veterans
who change watch every few hours
The Republican caucus viii sit on the
four cases before the end Of this week
and il is predicted that the fur will fy.
It is the strangest and most amusing stu
alton ever brought about by the Senate
rules and the outcome Is being watched