The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-26
10 SUSPEND The SENATORS.
PLAN TO PUT THEIR NAMES
BACK on ROLLS BLOCKED.

HuA0uH Ol Ntt
and Elections - suspension Gan He
Voted by q Majority Debate ire
vented Yesterday by Early AdJourh'
ment- Committees Decision OF '"o
Power Of the senate TO Deprive =
state OF Its Representation IN ihAt
Body NJ the Basis OF a Final settlement
WARRINGTON, Feb. 25.-The Senate Re-
publicans have not agreed to the restora-
ton OF the names Of Tillman and
TO the rolls. as was reported about the
mite this afternoon. Before the Senate
meets tomorrow the Republicans will
have agreed upon n preliminary programme
and It's presentation will undoubtedly pro-
woke a ~protractei discussion OF Constitu-
tional rights and parliamentary privileges
Republicans were not ready this morn
Ing 20 take up the grave Constitutions
question involved in the parliamentary
,anele over the status OF Tillman and
McIaurin, and an excuse for a. adjournment
VAS found soon after the Senate convened.
The Democrats were prepared to continue
tbe fight Of yesterday in defence Of their
claim that a resolution declaring the Sena-
tors in contempt cannot be made operative
10 deprive a sovereign State OF its repre-
s~entaiion in the Senate. The Republicans,
admitting that there is a weak spot in their
attitude Of yesterday, desired time for
consultation.
For the first time this session a request
to dispense with the reading OF the Journal
OF the preceding date was refused this
morning. The request was made by Mr..
Stewart Rep., New and was objected to
by Mr.. Turner 1Fus.. WASH, who had
taken a prominent part in the debate over
the 1illman McLaurin episode.
The journal was read in full. Immc-
diately thereafter Senator Mcmillan fur
nished the excuse for al early adjourn
ment by taking out Of his desk a House
resolution touching on the death of Repre-
sentative Crump OF Michigan, which &C.
CURED last fall. He moved its adoption.
This vas agreed to aud the Senate adj
journed out Of respect TO his memory.
Just what form action will take has not
been determined. Many Of the members
are strongly in favor OF a searching in
yestigation OF the charge made by Tillman
that McLaurin was bribed to vote for the
Paris treaty by the promise OF patronage.
II Tillman succeeds In proving his charge,
then, those members say, McIaurin should
I've expelled at once. On the other hand,
~ the allegation cannot be proved by Till
nan, then he should be expelled and
Mel aurin indicated.
Had the Senate remained in session
to-day, Senator Turner, acting for Senator
Tillman, would have offered as a matter OF
high privilege a resolution declaring It
TO be the sense OF the Senate that the names
Of the South Carolina Senators be restored
to the rolls and that they be allowed to
vote pending a disposition Of their case
by the Senate.
Whether this resolution will be passed
to-morrow will depend on the result, II
any, Of the meeting Of the Committee on
Privileges and Elections, which has been
called to meet at 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning. II the present programme of
the Republicans Is adhered to. Mr.. Tur-
ners motion will be anticipated by a reso-
hilton from the Republican side providing
for the suspension Of Senators Tillman
and McIaurin. A majority only will be
necessary to pass this, and its adoption
will carry with II the authority of the Presi-
dent OF the Senate to strike the names Of
the offending Senators from the roll.
They admit that they should rave in
cluded this authority in their original
resolution declaring the Senators TO be
In contempt. The question Of the right Of
the South Carolina Senators to vote then
being disposed OF, the Committee on Privi-
eyes and Elections will proceed to the
formal consideration of the question Of
what punishment should be inflicted upon
Tillman and McLaurin for their violation
Of the rules.
As TO what penalty should be enforced,
opinions OF Senators on both sides OF the
chamber disagree. Tillman is quite gem
orally held to be the chief offender and 1t Is
possible that he may be sentenced to re-
main suspended for the remainder OF the
session. while McLaurin's suspension may
be shortened to a certain number OF days.
But the immediate question before the
Senate, which must be settled before
the character Of punishment il considered,
Is the power Of the Senate under any pro-
ceedings TO prevent the Senators from
voting, and thus depriving the State of
South Carolina Of her Constitutional right
TO be represented on the floor Of the Senate.
This point was the text of yesterdays
heated partisan debate, which was at it's
most interesting point during the fifteen
minutes that Prince Henry occupied a chair
beside the presiding officer. but nothing
was decided then, except the point raised
by Senator Aldrioh, the Republican man.
ager, ably and persistently defended by
him, that as the Senate in yesterdays session
was acting under a unanimous agreement
which provided hat a vote on the Philippine
Iarlh bill and amendments should be taken
withoutdebate at 4 o'clook,n mo other business
or no debate on any other subject was in
order. Had Aldrich been left to argue
MS point alone, and he had thoroughly
prepared himself TO do so by a study Of the
law and preoedents applicable TO it, he
would have prevented the speeches of
Turner and Bailey in defence Of Tillman's
rieht to vote. But so many Republican
Senators, ambitious to take a hand in solving
The parliamentary puzzle. took part in the
hight that a mix-up occurred which required
a long time TO s~traighten out.
Finally. however. the Senate came hack
TO Aldrich's point. and. the Chair deciding
that he could not properly pass upon il,
as 1t involved the Interpretation Of an
agreement made by Unanimous consent,