The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-26
CAN'T TURN LOOSE.
Senate Committee Don't Know
How to Fix Tillman Matter.

Washington, Feb. 26.-The meeting of
the senate committee on privileges and
elections this forenoon did not result in
supplying any solution of the difficulty
that the senate is in connection with
the Tillman-McLaurin matter. The Re-
publican members of the committee
frankly confessed that they had not
been able to formulate a scheme which
would relieve the situation and after
/ less than an hours discussion. they ask
ed that the committee Should adjourn
until p, M, the understanding being
that the senate should adjourn after a
brief session and thus give the commit
tee an opportunity to consider this inn
portant question, which senators look
upon in its present shape as STUN
bling block in the way of all other leg
iSlatfon.
Again today the galleries of the SEN
ate were thronged with spectators when
the body convened. All were anticipat-
ing a reopening of the discussion of the
controversy respecting the right of Sen
ators McLaurin and Tillman of South
Carolina to participate in the proceed
ings of the body, while under the ban
of contempt.
Immediately after the chaplain had
pronounced the invocation, Mr.. Foraker
of Ohio was recognized. He said that
on account of the Mckinley memorial
exercises which were to be held in the
hall of the house of representatives at
or about II o'clock tomorrow, he moved
that when the senate adjourned today
it be until 11:45 a. m. tomorrow The
motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Burrows (Mich.), chairman of the
committee on privileges and elections
was recognized. He said that the COM
mittee was in the midst of the consid-
Grafton of a very important question, a
decision upon which had not been
reached. By instruction of the commit
tee. he therefore moved that the senate
adjourn.
Without objection the motion was
tod f1aa TO a.1i 7ad
The meeting of the committee was
marked by the best of feeling on the
part of all the members and all agreed
readily to a preliminary suggestion by
Chairman Burrows, that the question
should be approached from a purely
nonpartisan standpoint because of its
general Importance. 1t was evident,
however, that the Democrats were in
clined to apprehend some effort al po
litical advantage on the part of the Re
publicans, and the channel through
which they expected this manifesto
ton soon became evident when Senator
Foraker made the suggestion that there
should be a severer degree of punish
ment meted out to Senator Tilln an
than to Senator McLaurin. Senator
Dubois met this suggestion with pos
itive negative, and when the sugges-
ton was afterward made that Senator
Tillman should be called upon to prove
before the committee that the charge
he had repeated in the senate that
undue influence there was a hint that
if this matter should be entered upon
some senators would insist upon the re-
opening of the charges on file in the
committee in connection with the cleo
ton of other senators which charges
have never been disposed of. During
the morning meeting of the senate Mr..
Bailey notified the Republican members
that the Democrats would not submit to
the adoption of a resolution SuSpending
the South Carolina senators. He said
he agreed that they should be punished
for their breach of the peace in the
presence of the senate but he
was satisfied that the Democrats
would not submit to any proceeding
which would deprive a state of repre-
sentat:on.
Some of the Republican members of
the committee replied that they agreed
as to the unwisdom and impracticabil-
ity of proceeding by way of suspen-
sion. While no positive statement of
policy was made from the Republican
side there was enough said to lead to
the conclusion that the proposed reso-
luton for suspension has been abandon
ed and that the punishment suggested
will be in the form of censure. Indeed
some of the Republican members of the
the only course open to them. The Re-
more severe rebulxe to Mr. Tfllman than
and the Democrats will resist this dis
elimination. That is now the point of
greatest difference.