Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-03-01
MITCHELL Is [L[(TED
Twenty-Fifth Ballot Gave Him
the Senatorship.
HE RECEIVED JUST ENOUGH TO ELECT
Republican Minority. the Majority Of the
Democrats and Few Corbett Men
Were His Supporters.

Salem, Or, Feb. 24.-John Fl.
Mitchell was elected United States SEN
ator at 1920 this morning. 1t was
the 25th ballot of the day and the SD
of the legislative session. The result
was reached on the inevitable last bal
lot, and was attended by scenes of su.
preme uproar and enthusiasm on the
part of the Mitchell push. On the
final ballot Mitchell had 46 votes and
Corbett 80. The senator received q
minority of the Democratic votes, and
these, with the accessions from the
Corbett forces were sufi cient to elect
him.
The hands of the clock had already
pointed to midnight and the clerks
were engaged in checking up the roll
call. There was great excitement
and loud calls of the name of Mitchell
from the lobby. The first deserter from
the Corbett ranks was Hemenway, of
Lane. On the previous roll call
Mitchell had had "a votes and Corbett
So. When his name was reached
Hemenway. in the last roll call, with.
out explanation, responded, John H.
Mitchell. The call proceeded to the
end. and Mitchell and Corbett were
then exactly tied, having 35 votes
each. Then McQueene, of Lane, arose,
and with a brief speech changed to
Mitchell, putting him in the lead.
He was followed by Roberts, of Wasco,
who made short address, saying he
had come here with a clean con-
science. but he thought It his duty to
elect a senator, and he changed to
Nit hell. Colvig followed him from
the Hermann ranks, then came Senator
Ma1sters, of Douglas, then Thompson.
of Umatilla, Senators Dimmick, Proeb
stel. Hume and Hedges. Then there
was pause and mighty suspense,
Finally Represel tati,e Butt got upon
chair and tried to address the presi.
dent. The noise and uproar from the
lobby were SO great that he could not
be heard. He inquired if Mitchell at
that time had majority of the Repub.
ican votes. There were loud cries of
"Yes, and noisy counter cries of '.No''
from the Corbett ranks. Butt hesi-
tated for moment and then respond.
ed. "Well. it makes mo- difference.
change to John H. MITCHELL Mitch.
ell now had 40 votes, within one of the
goal. About this time the Multnomab
delegation got around Representative
Schumann, who had on the 21st ballot
changed from Bennett to Mr.. Corbett,
and demanded that he prevent dead
lock. While the push was wres:l ling
with the obstinate German
from Multnomah, Mattoon finally
yielded to the opportunities Of his
friends and arose and changed his vote
to Mitchell. This was all that was
needed, and the crowd knew it, Pan.
demonium reigned for many seconds,
and the chair made little effort to
check it. The clerks then completed
the roll and passed it up to Mr.. Fulton,
who announced that Mr.. Corbett had
received 29 votes, Mr.. Mitchell 46,
and Mr.. Bennett 16." The crowd
went wild again and fraternized wildly
with mem bers. em bracing them, shak.
ing them by the hands, and fairly
jumping up and down in their ioy.
The customary speech was expected
from Mr.. Mitchell, and there were
uproarious demands for him to cone
forward. He had been in the lobby
all the evening watching the progress
of the voting and waiting for his Ger
tificate of election. He was found
with no great difficulty and hurried
forward through the jostling crowd.
President Fulton appointed Brow
nell, Roberts and H. A. Smith, of
Multnomah, a committee to escort the
newly elected United States senator in.
to the assembly hall, and amid wild
cheering, waving of hats, umbrellas
and canes, Mr.. Mitchell made his
appearance. He was met and con-
graduated by Mr.. Fulton.