New-York tribune., 1901-02-07
NIGHT BATTLE IN SENATE.
DEMOCRATS FILIBUSTER AGAINST THE
SHIPPING BILL.

MR. ALDRICH REBUKEs MR.. JONES' OF
ARKANsAs-MANY LIVELY Co11OoUIEs.
Washington. Feb. 6.-The Senate met at 8
o'clock tonight for the purpose of considering
the Shipping Subsidy bill Mr.. Chandler. of
New-Hampshre. occupied the chair.
Mr.. Jones. of Arkansas. remarked: by actual
count there are just twelve Republican Senators
present. I suggest the absence Of a quorum"
At that time eleven Democrats were present
One at time Senator's hurriedly entered the
chamber. but when the result Of the roIcan was
announced only forty-two had responded to
their names. MIR. Frye demanded that the roll
Of absent Senators be called While the call
was in progress several Senators entered the
chamber. among them Mr. Hanna who had
risen from sickbed in order to be present
Finally the Chair announced that quorum was
present.
Mr.. Frye then called up the Shipping bill. and
it was laid before the Senate
THREAT FROM SENATOR JONES.
Still standing as he had been since the ses-
sion opened, Mr.. Jones made a passionate pro-
test against the consideration of the pending
bill at night sessions. He declared that the
action involved d deliberate purpose to break
down opposition Senators physically and pre-
vent the passage Of the appropriation bills. The
Shipping bill. he asserted. was the most per
feCtly detestabe measure presented to the SEN
ate for years; so bad. In fact, he said. that one
Of the Republican Senators had offered an
amendment reducing the period of the bills op-
erations from twenty to fifteen years. thereby
preventing the lOOting OF the United States
Treasury Of $45OO00O0" He declared that the
shipping bill part OF a great scheme to
place all transportation facilities under one con-
troll.
Il believe" said he. that this bill proposes to
| place our commerce Of the seas under the con-
| troll Of the men who now are trying TO get the
/ land transportation routes by the throat So
help me. high heaveni" he shouted passion
! 4tely, II VIII noe be a party to this effort TO
| throttle free speech. We give you notice il you
I will have night sessions, that you must have a
| quorum here all the time, as we do not propose
: 70 contribute IN any way 70 a tyrannicaI effort
70 suppress free speech by brute force"
/ MIR. ALDRICH REBUKEs FILIBUsTERs.
Mr.. AIdrich said that Mr Joness remarks
were so extraordinary as to require attention
| No public business row was demanding the at
| tention OF the Senate. No appropriation bills
were pending. All that Senator's on his side Of
the chamber asked was that the Senate should
proceed In orderly manner.
There is disposition on this side OF the
I chamber" said he. "to stife free speech. No
4
tor from Arkansas knows IT as well as I. We
are perfectly willing to have every measure
| fully debated All ask OF you Is that after
| full discussion you shall permit a vote to be
: taken. The threat of the Senator from Arkansas
is that for the first time in our history the
minority proposes TO kill bill by fIIbustering
We ask you that, according to all the traditions
and precedents OF the Senate. you viii allow
vote to be taken upon the measure. There
never has been measure which met the ap-
proval Of majority of the Senate which was
killed as you propose TO kill this bill You can
flhuster the measure 70 death II you WILL but
heretofore there has been always seIf-respect
the part of the minority which has prevented
1t from abusing the rules of the Senate TO kill
legislation by refusing to consider it or by talk
ing IT TO death"
TALK OF AN EXTRA SESSION
Mr. Teller protested against holding the SEN
ate In session at night for the purpose Of con-
sidering bill the purpose OF which he said
was TO loot the Treasury for the benefit of a
few shipowners. He would be willing. he said.
to attend night sessions or long day sessions to
consider legislation for the Philippines II might
he necessary. too. to take some action with ref
erence to Cuba. and he had heard he said
"rumbngs that the pIighted faith Of this Gov
ernment as TO Cuba to be abandoned" He
was not in favor Of an extra session Of Congress-
but in the interest OF good government he would
be willing to remain here even in extraordinary
session.
Replying To Mr.. AIdrich. Mr.. Jones said the
pending bill might properly be called Jimmy
with which it was proposed to break into the
United States Treasury" He declared his belief
that there was a deliberate effort the part
Of the Republican majority to the failure
Of appropration bills. Much you want to
loot the Treasury" he asserted with vehemence
you do not dare to place the President in the
attitude Of calling an extra session of Congress
to pass the Ship Subsidy bill. If. however. you
can cause appropriation bills to fail. the Presi-
dent will call Congress into extraordinary ses-
sion and then the Subsidy bill can be passed E"
In conclusion. he referred the Spooner
Philippine BILL the Nicaragua Canal bill and the
Antitrust bill important matters OF Iegisla-
tion now before the Senate
MIR. AIdrich retorted that the Spooner Philip
pine bill before the Senate for action last
session for weeks.
Why didn't you pass it then?'' demanded Mr..
Jones. You had a majority"
FOLLOWING THEIR OLD TACTICS.
You would not let us" replied Mr. Aldrich
you employed the same tactics then that you
are employing now"
Mr.. Bacon resented the statement that the op-
ponents Of the Shipping bill were employing any
but fair and proper methods in opposing the
bill There had been, he said. no iiIibustering.
He asserted that they had presented arguments
which. unanswered. condemned the bill He ex-
pressed his willingness To consider the Spooner
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