The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
THE SENATE PUZZLED.
They Do Not Know What TO Do
With TiIInlan and McLaurin.

Washington, Feb. 25.-The most i'm
portant deyelopement today in connec-
ton with the Tillman-McLaurin
eu;sode of last Saturday was the act OF
Senator Frye, president pro tempore
Of the senate, in ordering the clerk OF
tbe senate to restore the names OF the
two South Carolina senator's to the
senate roll. If the present plan is car
ried out this act will be followed by
the adoption by the senate Of resolu-
tion before vote on any other sub
iect is taken, practically endorsing the
action of the president pro tempore
in ordering their names erased, and
s,uspending the two senators for some
definite time.
The order of Senator Frye for the
restoration Of the names to the roll
was issued almost Immediately after
the senate convened today and was the
result ola general conference among
the Republican leaders OF the senate.
When asked for an explanation Of
this order Senator Frye said:
In my ruling yesterday | believe
that r was strictly within parliament
arv law, that senators in contempt are
not entitled to recognition either to
speak or to vote, and that logically
their names should not be called. /
still adhere to that opinion but, deslr-
ous of shifting the responsibility from
the chair to the senate, have direct
ed the clerk to restore TO the roll the
names of the two senators from South
Carolina. ,,
When asked if the result of this
action would be the recognition OF
either of the senators to either vote
or speak, Senator Frye replied that it
would not and that that was ques-
ton which must be decided by the
senate. He declined, however, to state
how the. question would be brought to
the attention of the senate.
INQUIRY In other quarters developed
the fact that there had been confer
ence of the Republican leaders in Sen
ater Aldrichs' committee room during
the forenoon, and that the extent OF
Senator Frye's ruling, and especially
its far reaching effect, not only IN this
case. but as a precedent, had been very
eyhaus5ively discussed, the conclusion
being that the action of the president
Dro tenn. in striking the names Of the
South Carolina senator's from the roll
and his refusal of a request to have
their names called was beyond precad-
ence in the senate and not entirely
justified.
On this account it was decided chat
this particular phase of the question
should be Immediately taken up by the
committee on privileges and elections.
Senator Burrows, who is chairman
of that committee, was called into the
conference and the details OF carrying
ont the plan were intrusted to him.
Il was decided that resolution should
be formulated providing for the tenn
Dorary suspension Of the two senators
and that his resolution should be pass
ed upon by Mr.. Burrows committee
and presented to the senate as soon as
possible after the convening OF that
BODY tomorrow. The general opinion
of the senators present was that the
South Carolina men should be punish
ed 10 some extent for the alteration
of Satu eday and the senator's present
were quite agreed that suspension
would be the most practicable and
reasonable form Of inficting this pun
ishment. Five days was suggested as 8
reasonable time for the Suspension and
there was some suggestion that Sena-
tor Tillman should be given a some
what longer suspension than his col
league. The question of time, was
however, left indefinite, the under
standing being that this should be
determined by the committee.
Immediately after this conference
Senator Burrows issued call for q
meeting of his committee tomorrow
morning. In response to questions
Mr.. Burrows said be could make no
explanation of the purpose of the
meeting beyond the general statement
that the question of privilege con-
nected with the conduct Of the South
Carolina senators would be taken up
for investigation.
The Democratic senators also spent
tbs day in a general discussion
among themselves of the situation
They were unanimous in their
Characterization of Senator Frye's
ruling as arbitrary, and announced
their purpose TO resist by prolong-
eddebate if necessary any further
efforts to enforce the ruling.
Senator Turner, acting for his Demo
cratic colleagues, prepared a resolu-
tion declaring it to be the sense OF
the senate that the names Of Senators
TiIlman and McLaurin should be
restored to the senate rolP' and in ad-
dition asserting that those two sena-
TORS are "entitled to vote on all
questions coming before the senate. .
This resolution may not be pressed
owing to the action of the majority.
The Republican members OF tie
senate committee on privileges ano
elections were in consultation during
tbe afternoon over the resolution
which it was proposed to bring to the
attention of the senate tomorro"
through the committee providing fol
The suspension of the two South Caro-
Iona senators. Mono of the senators
present at the conference would con-