The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-26
THE SENATE IMBROGLIO.
Republicans Find They Must Pro-
ceed Carefully.
(By Associated Press.)

(By Associated PreSS.)
Washington, Feb 25.-The most i'm
portant development to-day in connec-
ton with the Tillman-McLaurin epi-
sode of last Saturday was the act of
Senator Frye, president pro tempore
of the Senate, in ordering the clerk of
the Senate to restore the names of the
two South Carolina senators to the
Senate roll. If the present plan is
carried out this act will be followed
by the adoption by the Senate of a
resolution, before a vote on any other
subject is taken, practically indOrsing
the action of the president pro tenn
pore in ordering their names erased
and suspending 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 to-day and was
the result of a general conference
among the Republican leaders of the
Senate.
When asked for an explanation of
this order Senator Frye said:
I'm my rulings yesterday I believe
that 1 was strictly within parliamen-
tary law; that senators in contempt
are not entitled to recognition, either
to speak or vote, and that, logically,
their names should not be called. 1
still adhere to that opinion; but, de-
sirous of shifting the responsibility
from the chair to the Senate, l have
directed the clerk to restore to the
roll the names of the two senators
from South Carolina"
When asked if the result of this ac-
ton 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 a question which
must be decided by the Senate. He
declined, however, to state how the
question would be brought to the at
tention of the Senate.
Inquiry in other quarters developed
the fact that there had been a con-
ference of the Republican leaders in
Senator Aldrich's committee room dur
ing the forenoon, and that the extent
Of Senator Fryes ruling, and especial
ly it's far-reaching effect, not only in
this case, but as a precedent, had been
very eXhaustively discussed, the con-
clusion being that the action of the
president pro TEN. i'm striking the
names of the South Carolina senators
from the roll and his refusal Of a re-
quest to have their names called was
beyond precedence in the Senate, and
not entirely justified.
To Suspend Temporarily.
On this account it was decided that
this particular phase OF the question
should be Immediately taken up by the
Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tions. Senator Burrows. who is chair
man OF that committee, was called in
to the conference and the details Of
carrying out the plan were entrusted
to him. IL was decided that resolu-
tion should be formulated providing
for the temporary suspension OF the
two senators and that this resolution
should be passed upon by Mr.. Bur-
rows committee and presented to the
Senate as soon as possible after the
converting OF that body tomorrow. The
general opinion of the senators present
was that the South Carolina sena tors
should be punished 10 some extent for
the alteration OF Saturday, and the
senators present were quite agreed
that suspension would be the most
practicable and reasonable form OF in
nicting this punishment. Five days
was "A reasonable time for the auspen-
sion and there was some suggestion
that senator Tiliman should be given
somewhat longer suspension than
his colleague. Tire question Of time
was. however. iefi Indefinite. the un-
derstandns Dfing ihat this should be
dpfermnod by fne committee.
Immediately afier this conference
Senator Burrows Issued a call for q
meeting ~ bic committee tomorrow
morning. In response ~ questions Mr..
Hufroae Hal0 De- could make 10 ox-
nlnnafion ~ che purpose NJ enc moef-
inF. beyond ffe general Statement fhnf
fha question ~ privilege connected VITA
fhe conduct NJ ihs South eaf9iiha nepr